Rooney

In his last two films Barry Fitzgerald returned to his beloved Ireland and in Rooney joined some of his fellow Abbey Theater players alumni in the cast. Fitzgerald plays a very typical role for him, a crusty grandfather who is bullied by his children and finds some comfort in his granddaughter Muriel Pavlow.

However John Gregson plays the title role of Rooney who is an amateur curling player, but earns his living in the Dublin sanitation department. Despite these humble origins, he's quite the chick magnet and wherever he lives he's eventually got to move because he believes in loving them and leaving them and does not want to be tied down.

So he moves in as a renter to June Thorburn's house where's taking care of her father Barry Fitzgerald. But Barry's practically a prisoner in his own house. Eventually he takes a liking to Gregson and so does Pavlow.

Rooney is a simple plot about two very disparate people finding and falling for each other, but those characters are as deep as something by Eugene O'Neill. Fitzgerald performs his usual scene stealing magic.

Rooney is also a nice and very gray look at Dublin of the Fifties. And I found it interesting the way in the Irish culture they like their sports heroes amateurs. Gregson is the Albert Pujols of curling, but has to work as a garbageman to pay the rent. Completely different than the USA.

Rooney is a nice film about some nice people finding and falling for each other.

I remember seeing most of John Gregson's 1950's films and enjoyed them all with "Genevieve" and "Rooney" proving to be my favourites.

''Rooney" may not have attracted the wider audience that the emerging Boulting Brothers and Carry On comedies succeeded in doing but those of us who caught it on it's initial release treasure the memory of a well-cast, very charming little British/Irish offering.

Gregson gently and assuredly wins the audience over from the outset and as we share his camaraderie with his rubbish collector mates, led by the always wonderful Noel Purcell, we quickly identify with poor Rooney's plight as he brushes up against a bevy of women of questionable motives and various charms or otherwise. When the right woman for Rooney appears, the delightful Muriel Pavlow, initially plain and down-trodden but sweet and sincere, we are urged to give Rooney a hurry-up. The final outcome brings the film to a quick but highly moving and memorable conclusion.

Special mention : everyone's favourite Irishman, Barry Fitzgerald is along for the ride too so you can't go wrong with this underrated gem.

Great movie. Two lonely people discover each other. I always liked this film. So many times I have tried to buy it in VHS or DVD but no luck so far. I liked the Irish setting. I enjoy British/Irish films and I like the genre of the 1940s to 1950s. This movie was based on a Catherine Cookson novel of the same name. Anyone who knows the writings of Catherine Cookson knows that she creates a wonderful story. Too bad movie producers today cannot see the potential of this story in today's market. John Gregson is a great actor. The story shows the rubbish-collection industry, and how one lowly rubbish collector finds love and romance right under his nose.

The theme tune for this film has stayed with me since I saw the film at the local Odeon.I even bought the 45rpm disc which I still have on the Top Rank label.It was sung by Michael Halliday,who died tragically young.I have now had the chance to view it on DVD and have to say that it is a very charming film. Almost the end of Barry Fitzgeralds long career he does appear as different as the character he plays. John Gregson and Muriel Pavlow,two Rank contract stars of the fifties make an engaging couple and they are supported by a lot of very familiar faces from.the era. Watching this film made me feel very nostalgic taking me back to the local Odeon all those years ago.

This movie would be of great interest to historians and sociologists looking for a insight into Dublin in the 1950's, particularly the garbage collection business.

For the rest of us, it's a creaking story about a Dublin dustbin man who is blessed with a magnetic attraction for women and great hurling skills (the sport that is, not the bins).

There is probably something more interesting on....