IMDB Ranking 6.3
The movie opens listing the industries of Rathbarney as Hunting, Shooting and Drinking. It lists Place of Interests as The Pub. The movie is also known by the title Happy Ever After.
General O'Leary is an older man but every year he goes off with the hounds and takes a jump over a wall. His friends tell him not to do it, but bets are made and odds are given and the General attempts the jump but doesn't quite make it. From his death bed the General forgives all the debts owed him.
Reminiscent of the style of the Quiet Man, with Barry Fitzgerald (Thady O'Heggarty) taking on a similar role, the locals singing in the pub and a comedic view of the land and the people. The General's nephew, Jasper O'Leary (Divid Niven), comes to town from England to take over the estate. When he comes in to the pub, he doesn't but the locals a drink. Then he decides to he is going to collect all the debts that the General had forgiven.
O'Leary stirs up the locals as he ups rents, kicks out a poacher and threatens peoples' jobs. He is looking to "squeeze the lemon dry" and then take off. He then tells the locals that he won't support the hunt or the ball that goes with it. He also begins to steal the doctor's girl, Serena McGlusky (Yvonne DeCarlo).
The boys at the bar start talking about how someone should murder that man. They draw pieces of paper out of a hat to see who will do the murder. But the locals don't trust Terence the "winner" to do the job so they all decide to give it a go.
When it is discovered that Jasper has a bad heart new plans begin to take place.They decide to use the occasion of "O'Leary Night", when the ghost of the first O'Leary walks the halls of the castle, to push Jasper over the edge.
Chaos ensues as two people dress up as the ghost and everyone else seems to have a plot to kill Jasper. There is a plan to burn the place down, but Jasper himself is also trying to burn it down to collect the insurance.
A new will emerges on O'Leary night, that is to be put in to place if Jasper O'Leary had proved to be a bad squire. Major McGlusky is the new beneficiary, and Jasper decides to leave. The group laughs as another ghost comes out but the laughing stops when the ghost goes through the wall.
A very good movie - much better than it's rating on Imdb.
