15. Leprechaun (1993)
Every holiday needs at least ONE scary movie! And this one even has a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston in her first feature film about an anything but lucky little person on a killing spree!
14. The Brothers McMullen (1995)
Actor/director Ed Burns’ first feature is every bit as charming as it is low budget. It revolves around three close-knit brothers, and the choices they make in both life and love.
13. Far and Away (1992)
Ron Howard directed and Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman starred in this story of a young man who flees Ireland with his landlord’s daughter after some trouble with her father, as they dream of owning land at the big giveaway in 1893 Oklahoma
12. Finian’s Rainbow (1968)
If you are a fan of musicals, then this is the holiday film for you. Fred Astaire is Finian McLonergan, who brings his daughter Sharon to America from Ireland in search of gold. While searching for the gold, there’s a lot of song and dance, a few corrupt politicians, and run ins with a five foot leprechaun!
11. The Luck of the Irish (2001)
This Disney Channel original movie is one of my daughter’s favorites, so it just had to make the list. It focuses on a “lucky” teen who discovers he is part leprechaun. It also reminds us that sometimes we need to make our own luck.
10. Miller’s Crossing (1990)
Long before their Oscar-winning work in No Country for Old Men, Joel and Ethan Coen directed this “old-school” period piece about rival gangs starring Albert Finney as boss Leo O’Bannon and Gabriel Byrne as the trusted confidant that plays one side against the other.
9. Gangs of New York (2002)
Director Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and especially Daniel Day-Lewis were all at their best in this amazing story set in 19th century New York. What begins as a personal story of revenge turns a much larger tale for everyone involved, and one not to be missed!
8. The Fugitive (1993)
Probably not your typical St. Patrick’s Day movie, but a memorable chase scene through the St. Patty’s Day parade makes it the perfect holiday fare! Harrison Ford and Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones both shine as a doctor falsely accused of killing his wife, and the U.S. Marshal sworn to bring him in.
7. State of Grace (1990)
Sean Penn is terrific as Terry Noonan, a man whose loyalties are severely tested when he returns to his Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood after a 10-year absence. The movie culminates with a brilliant shootout in a bar during the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
6. Waking Ned Divine (1998)
Who says death can’t be funny? An entire village in Ireland comes together to keep a secret and share in the wealth when they discover that elderly Ned Devine has died upon discovering that he just won millions in the national lottery!
5. The Departed (2006)
Not a flick to watch with the little ones, but Scorsese’s Best Picture winner is always worth a watch. Set around the Irish mob in Boston, it features powerful performances from Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson.
4. The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
A tragic past mixed with a local legend, combined with gorgeous eye-catching scenery, make for a magical treat in this family-friendly film about a young girl who finds herself shipped off to Ireland to live with her grandparents.
3. The Commitments (1991)
Based on the Roddy Doyle novel and jam packed with an amazing soundtrack, this funny and gritty film pulls no punches in an up-close look at the prices a band can pay on the road to fame and fortune.
2. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959)
No St. Patrick’s Day would be complete without this Disney classic about an aging caretaker who tells many tales of the little people. Michael McBride (a very young Sean Connery) is his curious replacement in a movie filled with love, laughs, and decent special effects for the late 1950’s.
1. The Quiet Man (1952)
Even after more than half-a-century, this “must see” classic contines to stand the test of time! Featuring plenty of humor, romance, dazzling scenery and one of the best fight scenes ever filmed, John Wayne is Sean Thorton, an American boxer who leaves his dark past behind to re-catpure his roots in Ireland.
From fine Irish actors to captivating Celtic themes and characters to the beauty of the Emerald Isle itself, check out fifteeen movies that are guaranteed to make your St. Patrick’s Day an even more special one!
St. Patty's Day Cinema by Donald McDermott
