Broth of a Boy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Broth of a Boy
British Lion Film Corporation
(UK)
Release date
  • February 1959 (1959-02) (UK)
Running time
77 minutes
CountryIreland
LanguageEnglish

Broth of a Boy is a 1959 Irish comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring Barry Fitzgerald, Harry Brogan and June Thorburn.[2] It is an adaptation of the 1956 play The Big Birthday by Hugh Leonard.

The film involves the efforts of a British television producer to create a documentary about the birthday of an Irish supercentenarian, but the cantankerous old man is unwilling to cooperate with him.

Plot

Whilst holidaying in Ireland, British TV producer Randall (Tony Wright) comes across a village celebrating the birthday of the oldest man in the world, Patrick Farrell (Barry Fitzgerald). Thinking Farrell's 110th birthday would make an ideal subject for a BBC documentary, Randall seeks to persuade him to agree to being filmed. However, Farrell proves difficult, is an old codger, cantankerous and disreputable, and will cooperate only if he can exploit the situation for his own ends.

Cast

Critical reception

Allmovie applauded "a pleasant, easygoing satire of exploitive journalism--a target that is as viable today as it was in 1959";[5] and Leonard Maltin also found the film "quietly effective."[6]

References

External links