Broth of a Boy

Broth of a Boy is a 1959 Irish comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring Barry Fitzgerald, Harry Brogan and June Thorburn. 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

 * Barry Fitzgerald ... Patrick Farrell
 * Harry Brogan ... Willie
 * Tony Wright ... Randall
 * June Thorburn ... Silin Lehane
 * Eddie Golden ... Martin Lehane
 * Maire Keane ... Molly Lehane
 * Godfrey Quigley ... Desmond Phillips
 * Bart Bastable ... Clooney
 * Dermot Kelly ... Tim
 * Cecil Barror ... O'Shaughnessy
 * Josephine Fitzgerald ... Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
 * Philip O'Flynn ... Father Carey
 * Dennis Brennan ... Bolger
 * Bill Foley ... Connolly
 * Annie D'Alton ... Miss O'Toole
 * T. P. McKenna ... Minor role
 * Paul Farrell ... Barman
 * Christopher Casson ... Judge

Critical reception
The New York Times wrote, "Although the idea bristles with lively possibilities and Mr. Fitzgerald and the Abbey Theatre players who surround him do as much as they can with it, "Broth of a Boy" only generates mild chuckles and a guffaw or two"; and TV Guide bemoaned the "Bad script, acting, and direction"; whereas Allmovie applauded "a pleasant, easygoing satire of exploitive journalism--a target that is as viable today as it was in 1959"; and Leonard Maltin also found the film "quietly effective."