Rooney is a 1958 British comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring John Gregson, Muriel Pavlow and Barry Fitzgerald.[1][2] The screenplay was by Patrick Kirwan based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Catherine Cookson.[3]
| Rooney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | George Pollock |
| Screenplay by | Patrick Kirwan |
| Based on | novel Rooney by Catherine Cookson |
| Produced by | George H. Brown |
| Starring | John Gregson Muriel Pavlow Barry Fitzgerald |
| Cinematography | Christopher Challis |
| Edited by | Peter Bezencenet |
| Music by | Philip Green |
Production company | George H. Brown Productions |
| Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThe film depicts the life of James Ignatius Rooney, a Gaelic sportsman at the weekends, and a Dublin rubbish collector during the week.[4]
Cast
edit- John Gregson as James Ignatius Rooney
- Muriel Pavlow as Maire Hogan
- Barry Fitzgerald as Grandfather
- June Thorburn as Doreen O'Flynn
- Noel Purcell as Tim Hennessy
- Marie Kean as Mrs. O'Flynn
- Liam Redmond as Mr. Doolan
- Jack MacGowran as Joe O'Connor
- Eddie Byrne as Mickey Hart
- Philip O'Flynn as Paddy Ryan
- Harold Goldblatt as Police Inspector
- Pauline Delaney as Mrs. Wall
- Godfrey Quigley as Tom Reilly
- Irene Browne as Mrs. Manning ffrench
- Joan Phillips as Sheila O'Flynn
Production
editClive Donner said he was offered the job of directing the film after having made his feature debut with The Secret Place (1957) but he turned it down.[5]
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Rooney begins quite promisingly: a jaunty theme-song is heard over the credits, the Dublin locations are well presented and the central situation has a gentle charm. With the entrance of the hero into the snobbish O'Flynn household, however, the film takes on an undesirably mawkish tone. A livly quartet of comic Irish dustmen (Eddie Byrne, Philip O'Flynn, Jack MacGowan, Noel Purcell) plus Barry Fitzgerald's crusty ancient provide the story's firmest assets."[6]
Picturegoer wrote: "Raise your hat to your dustman, he's a man in a million. This gentle, kindly comedy, as homely as stout and Irish stew, sets out to prove that where there's muck – there's a lot of laughs."[7]
Bosley Crowther in The New York Times gave the film a mixed review though he added that, "we must say, John Gregson goes at the title role of the happy young bachelor dustman with a lively good nature and comic will."[8]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "good", writing: "Irish fable has realistic backgrounds, some charm."[9]
Tony Sloman in the Radio Times gave the piece three out of five stars, calling it "really quite charming."[10]
Allmovie found the film "Stronger on characterisation than plot," noting that "The film is at its best when the camera roams around the misty streets of Dublin, and at its worst when it pauses for sentiment."[11]
Box office
editKinematograph Weekly listed it as being "in the money" at the British box office in 1958.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Rooney". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Rooney (1958)". Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
- ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- ^ Fowler, Roy (8 March 2000). "Interview with Clive Donner - Side Ten". British Entertainment History Project. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Rooney". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (288): 48. 1 January 1958 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Rooney". Picturegoer. 35: 28. 5 March 1958 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Movie Review -- Screen: Irish Comedy; John Gregson Starred in Sutton's 'Rooney' - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 23 March 2023.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 367. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
- ^ "Rooney – review - cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.
- ^ "Rooney (1958) - George Pollock - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ Billings, Josh (18 December 1958). "Others in the Money". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 7.
External links
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