I was either in second or third grade at the time, and as a special St. Patrick's Day treat my entire grade school was forced to don green attire, drink Shamrock Shakes concocted by the cafeteria staff, and watch DARBY O'GILL & THE LITTLE PEOPLE in the gymnasium. Overall, the film was pretty dull and could barely hold the attention of kids cracked out on mint-chocolate chip drinks. The mass boredom quickly gave way to hysteria with the on-screen appearance of the screaming banshee, who had come to claim the soul of title character's daughter who had fallen ill after chasing a horse up a mountain side. The younger kids started screaming and some were even audibly sobbing. Things got worse when the phantom death coach came tearing out of the sky to take Darby in place of his daughter. The girl sitting in front of me on the floor became so upset she vomited green ice cream chunks all over the back of the boy sitting in front of her. The teacher running the projector stopped the film, and I don't think they ever showed it again for St. Patty's Day.
Now THAT'S a Traumafession! Awesome!
Makes me want to grab a Shamrock Shake and rent this one this evening to show to my kids…
ha ha! disney just doesn't make films that make kids vomit from fear anymore.
Good special effects and a lively story kept this movie kicking right along. I liked the mischievous, drunken, but kindly old fairy king the best. What a scalawag! He and the boozy old caretaker were a riot with their give and take verbal pokes at one another. And the Death Coach….creepy! This would be a good one for the kids to see.