The misadventures of a young idealist man in Dublin, Ireland in the early twentieth century.The misadventures of a young idealist man in Dublin, Ireland in the early twentieth century.The misadventures of a young idealist man in Dublin, Ireland in the early twentieth century.
- Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
- 1 win & 3 nominations total
- Mick Mullen
- (as Phillip O'Flynn)
- Bessie Ballynoy
- (as Pauline Delany)
- Directors
- Jack Cardiff
- John Ford(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn an interview, director Jack Cardiff said that only four minutes and five seconds of the footage shot by John Ford ended up in the finished movie. The riot scene was cited by critics as the obvious work of Ford, yet it was completely done by Cardiff who admitted that he found inspiration from Battleship Potemkin (1925).
- GoofsThe story is set around 1910. One hour into the story a horse and carriage pass by. A 1960s-era car is seen turning at an intersection where it just came from.
- Quotes
W.B. Yeats: You're young Cassidy, and that makes your passion effortless and artless. Think towards the day when you are old and the passion is painful and remorseless. What you have now has given you pity. What you must one day find will give you compassion. Age, the winter days, make the chill of the frost as compelling as the heat of the sun. Lovers look towards the time of day when the sun goes down. But give a thought to the time, when as an old man, you'll be surprised to see the sun come up. The warmth of your girl's body inspires you now, Cassidy. There will be a time when you must be inspired by the Artic waste. Prepare for that.
- Crazy creditsBilled as "A John Ford Film", although Jack Cardiff is credited as sole director.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Sean O'Casey: The Spirit of Ireland (1965)
I believe John Ford was responsible for a few scenes in the film, including the scene where Rod Taylor (Sean O'Casey/Cassidy) enters the room where his mother (Dame Flora Robson) lies dead. This sequence is extraordinary--described and narrated by Taylor's monologue and actions. This does not stand up to the quality of the rest of the film, which is below average. Now Cardiff is a good cinematographer. He has to deal with a great cast assembled by Ford, who individually perform very well, and are captured well by Cardiff's visual eye but lack the vision of a great director to string the pearls together into a great necklace. The film's ending is amusing--a poor man turned rich man handing a crown to a vagrant who appreciates the worth of the money. What had the ending to do with what preceded it? If anything, the final scene is ambiguous and one begins to wonder whether the director was making a hero of Sean O'Casey or was he chastising him as are the film's oblique comments on Yeats living in sheltered house, policed by the British. The poor man turned into a rich and famous playwright is presented to us in fits and starts. The film did have a good intention but it lapses into mediocrity. Only two characters develop well--the mother (Robson) and Nora (Maggie Smith).
Julie Christie is mesmerising in any film but her character is never developed. Maggie Smith has charmed audiences over the years but this film is definitely one of her finest. Dames Robson and Evans are daunting thespians. Add to them Michael Redgrave. All great actors--including Aussie Rod Taylor. The film does not end with a bang but with a whimper.
- JuguAbraham
- Mar 3, 2003
- How long is Young Cassidy?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1