Watch The Luck of the Irish For Free

Touches You

One of my all time favorites.

Great Film overall

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Low-key back-lot 1940s fantasy, set partly in Ireland, about a journalist's encounter with a leprechaun, and what happens when the writer turns down the leprechaun's pot of gold. Tyrone Power, who we tend to think of as an action hero, is wonderful as the wandering writer and Cecil Kellaway is the rather large leprechaun. This is not some special effects-laden spectacle. In fact, we never see the leprechaun do anything specific, although we know he is responsible for many of the things that happen to the kindly journalist upon his return to New York and to a new job with a ruthless publisher (Cobb) who has decided to run for the Senate. Anne Baxter is the love interest. Kellaway is at his peak, as is Power. A bit dated, but fun, especially two scenes set in an Irish restaurant in Manhattan/

The DVD for this film from 20th Century-Fox is interesting because it offers you the choice of seeing it in glorious black & white or in the bizarre manner that it was originally shown--with all the sequences in Ireland (almost half the film) tinted Kool-Aid green! Now tinting was common in the silent movie days, but doing so in 1948 was odd. You may wonder why they didn't just film it in color--and there's a very good reason they couldn't do that. Just like when they filmed HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (set in Wales), they couldn't make the film a color one because there is a lot of dirt and dry scrub in Southern California where they make films--and the film was set in a very lush green land. The wrong locale would have been VERY obvious in color films and had they used color, no one might have been convinced it was "the old country" (Ireland). However, the color tinting really wasn't very clever, as it made the film butt-ugly. I watched the DVD that way but fortunately you can choose--and I strongly suggest you try any way other than tinted!! As for the film, it's a lovely little fantasy film about Tyrone Power getting himself a Leprechaun "helper" in the form of Cecil Kellaway--who is adorable in the film but a bit too large to be one of the little people! Still, with such a lovely acting job, this can be forgiven. In some ways, Power having this magical friend who only wants to help straighten out his life is very reminiscent of the later Burl Ives film, THE BRASS BOTTLE--though Kellaway uses far less obvious magic and the film isn't nearly as crazy as THE BRASS BOTTLE. In fact, though there is a bit of magic, most of the help Kellaway gives is in the form of advice and a small helping hand. The problem is that Power doesn't think he needs help and is blindly walking into a life he'll soon regret. Heck, everyone in the audience and all his friends in the film recognize this, but fat-headed Tyrone is too single-minded to see it for himself.The film is clever and cute without being too obvious and too kooky. Overall, it earns a 7 for quality, though the fun factor is higher--and if I were to score how much I enjoyed the film, an 8 might be more appropriate. It's a lovely little romantic film that deserves a look--just NOT in the (yuck) tinted version--saints preserve us!

Mildly entertaining romantic comedy with a touch of whimsy, rather too slight to live in the memory – but, nevertheless, worthwhile for Cecil Kellaway's delightful Oscar-nominated performance as a mischievous leprechaun.Newspaperman Tyrone Power is on his way to meet gruff boss Lee J. Cobb (with a bicarbonate-of-soda bottle never far from reach!), who harbors political ambitions and wants to appoint the hero as his 'ghost writer' – even if their views on the matter are on a different wavelength! Actually, Cobb's daughter (Jayne Meadows), who's also Power's fiancée is the one pulling the strings; the trouble is that, while passing through Ireland, he falls for inn-keeper's daughter Anne Baxter…not to mention running into 'cobbler' Kellaway by a waterfall (although the residents deny the existence of both man and location!).Back in the States, Power beckons to the will of Cobb (or rather Meadows); he's even given a plush apartment to live in…but, when calling for a manservant, it's Kellaway who turns up! Besides, a chance encounter – actually 'arranged' by the genial leprechaun – with Baxter (who has come to America for some private family business) relights his interest, obviously reciprocated, in the girl; consequently, he begins to neglect his work in order to be with her. Eventually, though, Cobb is ready to appoint Power as editor of his old newspaper if he's elected to the Senate himself – a position he politely declines; realizing she's beaten, Meadows gives him up and Power and Baxter are free to return to carefree Ireland.In the last scene, Power – now married and living at Baxter's father's tavern – is shown following a local custom (which he had himself witnessed the old man perform earlier on) by placing a whiskey bottle outside the tavern door…which is then said to be picked up by a leprechaun (and, just as he had done before, the prancing and giggling Kellaway appears soon after to retrieve it).

I have to believe this movie was inspired by "Miracle on 34th Street." In both, a supposedly fantastical person (Santa Claus, leprechaun) puts his oar into the lives of some cynical, unhappy people, makes them realize What's Truly Important, and changes their lives forever, for the better. Sappy nonsense, but absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.This is one of Jayne Meadows' first films. I thought I recognized her from an early TV panel show, and I did. She appeared many times on the old "What's My Line" show. She is the sister of Audrey Meadows, who played Alice Cramden on many of Jackie Gleason's "The Honeymooners" shows. Thanks to IMDb for the details that make these old films more interesting.