You don't have to be Irish to enjoy this blarney!

mark.waltz

In a premise very similar to the recent musical "Brigadoon", two men (Tyrone Power and James Todd, I believe) end up in the Irish countryside (as opposed to the Scottish location of "Brigadoon") and encounter the beautiful Anne Baxter, while Power continually has visions of leprechaun Cecil Kellaway. Baxter and Power of course fall in love, but he must return to obligations in New York City. Hired by powerful politician Lee J. Cobb, Power becomes involved with his daughter (Jayne Meadows), but must deal with the presence of his rather clumsy new valet, played by none other than Mr. Kellaway. Is he or isn't he the leprechaun from Ireland? Kellaway won't say, but in dropping hints, it appears he is. Like the leprechaun, he has a taste for whiskey, and is very prankish as well. (He steals the milk from all of Powers' neighbors so it won't spoil.) After being pick-pocketed in the crowded New York subway, Power encounters a visiting Anne Baxter and they renew their friendship in spite of his engagement to Meadows. Powers now has choices to make-will he pursue his own happiness or follow what he believes to be his destiny? This enchanting comedy is an excellent follow-up for Cecil Kellaway's Academy Award Winning performance in "The Miracle on 34th Street", and had he not won the year before, he would certainly have had a better chance (although the winning Walter Huston was certainly deserving of the award). Had Kellaway's role been expanded just a bit more, he would actually be the leading man!

Power seems much more comfortable here than he did in the same year's "That Wonderful Urge", perhaps because his character is much more realistic, and the script feels very modern. The subway scene in New York is quite refreshingly real. How many light-hearted films actually show a pickpocketing? It bogs down a bit with the political story, and the romance between Power and Meadows seems doomed from the start. Anne Baxter, fresh from her own Oscar for "The Razor's Edge" (also opposite Power), is perfectly sweet and feisty as the Irish lass. She makes me think of a young Maeve (Helen Gallagher) on "Ryan's Hope". The wedding reception scene is straight out of "Ryan's Bar" and is only missing Gallagher hopping onto the bar to sing "Danny Boy". The scenes in Ireland are filmed with a mystical feeling, particularly the stream and waterfall where Power initially sees Kellaway.

Thank You, 20th Century Fox, for opening up your archives to audiences to see these classics not frequently seen on TV. This is one of the best.

score 7/10

mark.waltz 23 March 2010

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2225229/