After all that serious drama - see posts below - time for a spot of whimsical Irish comedy, courtesy of the Rank Organisation in 1958. I saw this as a kid and it never turned up again, but is now a cheap dvd. Worth every penny for me!
ROONEY. Another 50s treat now as we join Dublin dustman
John Gregson as the Rooney of the title, a happy go lucky chap, with
his adorable dog, who keeps having to change his lodgings as his
landladies get too amorous – the current one being Pauline Delany (right). He is
also a talented hurley player (an Irish sport) so local businessman
Liam Redmond gets him into the house of snooty Marie Kean (a delight as
ever) with her pushy daughter June Thorburn and spinster relation Muriel
Pavlow, and grand-father Barry Fitzgerald. 
Rooney’s dustman pals
include Noel Purcell, Jack McGowran and Eddie Byrne (right) – so its quite an
Irish contingent here. It moves along amiably to the predictable final
kiss on Dublin’s halfpenny bridge, and even has a delirious theme tune
warbled by Michael Holliday. Directed by George Pollock from a Catherine
Cookson story. We loved it!
John Gregson was another stalwart of British movies of the '50s - like Stanley Baker, Stephen Boyd, Laurence Harvey, he died too young in 1975 aged 55. He of course was the driver of GENEVIEVE in 1953, and in popular hits of the time like THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE, SEA OF SAND, THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE, he was the Padre in THE LONGEST DAY and played Inspector Gideon on TV. MIRACLE IN SOHO features him with our favourite, Belinda Lee, see label..
Muriel Pavlow, another Rank Organisation stalwart, is still going strong in her 90s, and was often cast against Dirk Bogarde (DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE), Kenneth More (REACH FOR THE SKY), Guinness (MALTA STORY), Finch, Sinden, Gregson etc.
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| Barry Fitzgerald, Marie Kean, Muriel Pavlow, John Gregson, June Thurburn |
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