Does the death coach have to have a passenger. Darby says it is better to have the old die than the young. Brian is thousands of years old. Darby's 4th wish expells him from the coach but does Brian have to remain and sacrifice himself. Brian is never seen again in the film. It would be a nice touch to the film. Does anyone know or have and opinion? I have tried to research it online and found nothing.
shareI doubt it. Granted, it's poetic but there's no real dramatic pay off to having Brian sacrifice himself for Darby and his daughter. Darby's self-sacrifice is the point of the scene, and Brian's encouraging of the loophole wish that negates the rest gets him out because in Brian's eyes - Darby's earned it. But I doubt Brian traded his life. He more than likely materialized out of the coach just as he did into it.
shareAs a member of the little people, King Brian is immune from the condition of having to ride in the coach he can spirit in and out at will. In Irish folklore it is a member of the fairy clan, the banshee (Ir. Bean sioga (prounounced Ban She-O-ga) lady of the fairies) that heralds the death of a person thereby triggering the journey of the death coach, so as King of the fairies, Brian does not have to complete the journey.
Also, as king, he's immortal
It did seem as if King Brian sacrificed himself, but it's extremely unlikely. It's true that we are told The Coster Bower (death coach), once it has set out, may never return empty. However:
The little king is the first to describe the responsibilities he has in keeping his kingdom in order and preventing the spirits of the night from overunning the countryside. If you consider that mortals like Darby and Katie are temporary in Brian's view, while the running of the kingdom must go on, the probability that he'd sacrifice himself is very small. Still, there's a loophole in the rule and King Brian is nothing if not clever in the exploitation of loopholes--which brings us to the second point...
King Brian--like all fairies--is an "unblessed" spirit. That means that while they aren't bad enough for Hell--they aren't good enough for Heaven either. Even if Brian rode the coach all the way to its destination--which he may have done in order to fulfill the Coach's dictum of never returning empty, he'd just be shunted back to earth since he can't enter either place.
In a way it's very sad because after 5,000 years on the throne, King Brian must be very tired indeed. Legend says that by nature, most Leprechauns are basically solitary. Except for those who make up the royal court, they prefer to live alone. As ruler of his people, the little King must be lonely in ways we can barely comprehend. Regardless of his personal preferences, he cannot live as most leprechauns do because he must run his kingdom, which requires a great deal of interaction with his own people and with all the other creatures of the night. In order to be successful, he has to have a more gregarious and sociable nature than most of his people. However, he cannot forge relationships among his own kind both because of their solitary ways and because he must remain aloof in order to command them. He can't make friends with individuals from the other fairy kingdoms either, since none of the "high" or "trooping" fairies will have anything to do with leprechauns except to make use of their talents as shoemakers.
It isn't surprising that he seeks out mortals like Darby both as friends and as opponents. What to us is a lifetime is to King Brian only a brief interlude. It's a good thing for him that we have such diversity that even after all these centuries he still cannot completely predict our behavior. He has little else to entertain himself with.
The eternal rest of death may be looking pretty good to him.
I don't think King Brian is sacrificed because:
1. He's immortal
2. With Darby's fourth wish, everything dissolves.
Quite a clever leprachaun, don't you think to fix it all in the end?
After all, he's 5000 years old.
Probably the strongest evidence that King Brian escaped the Death Coach is the one-hour 1959 episode of the Disneyland TV series called "I Captured the King of the Leprechauns" (included with the 2004 DVD). It acts as sort of a sequel (in addition to a promotional piece) for the movie by depicting events that happen with Darby O'Gill and King Brian at least one year after the chronological events of the movie (since Darby says that he last saw King Brian "last summer"). In the show, Walt Disney visits Darby and King Brian in Rathcullen and scenes from the movie (the visit to the throne room, which Darby says is his "first visit", implying that there was another visit after the events of the movie, and the scene where King Brian is captured after the wishing song) are depicted as flashbacks. Walt Disney says that he discarded his original fictional screenplay and convinced Darby and King Brian to play themselves in the movie. The movie is presented as a true-to-life account of Darby's life events, and apparently the movie takes place in the 1950's. So according to this show, King Brian returned to his throne and Darby probably visited his throne at least once afterwards. Also, Walt Disney and Darby visited King Brian to convince him to be in the movie.
In some respects I wish Disney had stuck to the original screenplay--if it was taken from H.T. Kavenaugh's original books. As dearly as I love the movie, the books are much better. Check them through One Faithful Harp press.
For anyone who loves King Brian, he's a lot more fun in them too.
Some other clues that King Brian could leave the Death Coach (spoiler details):
- When Darby says "we all have to go" (referring to death and probably the journey in the Death Coach), King Brian says to Darby "I wish I could go with you all the way." This suggests that King Brian would not be able to make the whole Death Coach journey even if he wanted to.
- When Darby picked up by the Death Coach, it flies into the air, presumably into the clouds. When King Brian expels Darby from the coach, the coach is on the ground again. This suggests that King Brian probably has more control over the coach than merely opening the door. Also, since Pony Sugrue mentions that Darby was found near the path of Lord Fitzpatrick's coach, it seems that King Brian may have consipired with (or controlled) the headless coachmen to drop Darby off in a specific spot. King Brian seems like to cover up his supernatural presence (such as appearing as a rabbit or making people think that the Death Coach is Lord Fitzpatrick's coach).
- Darby is released from the Death Coach due to the retraction of his wish to trade places with Katie, and not by a wish by King Brian to trade places with Darby. Since the headless coachman did not return for Katie, he probably didn't care about the lack of a passenger once he started returning to the sky (or perhaps he needed to be called by the banshee again to pick up a passenger).
- As King Brian suggests earlier in the movie, his lieutenant was likely to endanger Katie in order to free King Brian. It is possible that the banshee and the headless coachman's motives (as well as the horse, which Darby mentions may be a "puca" or a malevolent spirit in disguise) were to free King Brian. However, since Darby's wife was "killed" by the banshee/coachman, their threat was probably not trivial.
- Michael (Sean Connery), when taunting Pony Sugrue to fight him, says that he spoke with King Brian. It is unclear whether or not he made the story up.
This is a fairly confusing movie. If it were a book, it would probably need as many annotations as a Shakespeare play. There is an African proverb that says "beware of the naked man who offers you his shirt." Perhaps in this case it can be revised to say "beware of the leprechaun movie which offers you its logic."
I was intrigued by your comments. I'd like to elaborate on them:
"- When Darby says "we all have to go" (referring to death and probably the journey in the Death Coach), King Brian says to Darby "I wish I could go with you all the way." This suggests that King Brian would not be able to make the whole Death Coach journey even if he wanted to. "
Note that Darby says "We all have to go," and Brian responds "Yes, you do," meaning that WE have to go, but he does not. As I pointed out previously, King Brian cannot enter either Heaven or Hell, so he can ride in the Death Coach all the way to the end of its route, but he's still going to get kicked back to Earth.
"- When Darby picked up by the Death Coach, it flies into the air, presumably into the clouds. When King Brian expels Darby from the coach, the coach is on the ground again. This suggests that King Brian probably has more control over the coach than merely opening the door. Also, since Pony Sugrue mentions that Darby was found near the path of Lord Fitzpatrick's coach, it seems that King Brian may have consipired with (or controlled) the headless coachmen to drop Darby off in a specific spot. King Brian seems like to cover up his supernatural presence (such as appearing as a rabbit or making people think that the Death Coach is Lord Fitzpatrick's coach). "
Certainly we can assume that the driver of the death coach is well acquainted with King Brian. Since King Brian is the Master of the Night Time, it's not at all surprising that he'd be able to call in a favor to have Darby dropped off at any place he chose.
"- Darby is released from the Death Coach due to the retraction of his wish to trade places with Katie, and not by a wish by King Brian to trade places with Darby. Since the headless coachman did not return for Katie, he probably didn't care about the lack of a passenger once he started returning to the sky (or perhaps he needed to be called by the banshee again to pick up a passenger)."
The only stipulation is that the Death Coach can never return empty. It doesn't. King Brian is still aboard. The little king has nothing to fear from death. He's immortal. Riding the death coach for him is a short trip away from home with a quick turnaround. Therefore, whether Darby's aboard or not, the rules have been obeyed.
"- As King Brian suggests earlier in the movie, his lieutenant was likely to endanger Katie in order to free King Brian. It is possible that the banshee and the headless coachman's motives (as well as the horse, which Darby mentions may be a "puca" or a malevolent spirit in disguise) were to free King Brian. However, since Darby's wife was "killed" by the banshee/coachman, their threat was probably not trivial."
The little people are formidable foes. King Brian's threat is very, very real. Darby, the knowlegeable man, is fully aware what an army of pissed off leprechauns could do to the countryside. You can see it in his face when the little king reminds him what they could do if they were angry enough. If anything, King Brian understates.
"- Michael (Sean Connery), when taunting Pony Sugrue to fight him, says that he spoke with King Brian. It is unclear whether or not he made the story up."
I've never made up my mind if Michael was being serious or if he was just taunting Pony. I'd like to think he did meet King Brian and talk with him. It would have made him a much better son-in-law to Darby if he knew the leprechauns were real.
Excellent points, all. Here is something else to consider.
'"- As King Brian suggests earlier in the movie, his lieutenant was likely to endanger Katie in order to free King Brian. It is possible that the banshee and the headless coachman's motives (as well as the horse, which Darby mentions may be a "puca" or a malevolent spirit in disguise) were to free King Brian. However, since Darby's wife was "killed" by the banshee/coachman, their threat was probably not trivial."
The little people are formidable foes. King Brian's threat is very, very real. Darby, the knowlegeable man, is fully aware what an army of pissed off leprechauns could do to the countryside. You can see it in his face when the little king reminds him what they could do if they were angry enough. If anything, King Brian understates.'
--Darby's wife was not "killed" by the banshee and/or coachman. Here's why:
The banshee exists only to announce or foretell the impending death of someone. Many Irish families claim to have their own personal family banshee, and so it follows that this banshee is the same one that announced the death of Katie's mother.
The coachman exists only transport the dead to their next destination, whether it be heaven or hell. He has nothing to do with how or when someone dies; he is the equivalent of the driver of the hearse in our day.
If you recall what Darby says, he states that he had heard the banshee on the night the Katie's mother was "taken." "Taken" is just another way of saying "died." The banshee "announces" the death of Katie's mother, and the coachman "takes" her away.
Indeed, King Brian has power, and can sometimes be malevolent. But, banshees, the coachman, and pookas are neutral; they can be viewed as malevolent, but aren't really, as they are just performing their assigned tasks. They are not concerned with much else, and so it is unlikely that they would work together. Besides, what reason would they have to kill Katie's mother? It stands to reason that she simply died of natural causes.
Also, because of their respective tasks, it seems unlikely that they would work together to try to free King Brian. Remember, he had already made his escape before Katie went to search for the horse. It is most likely that the pooka was doing what pookas due, which is to confuse and frustrate humans.
Wooba, wooba.
I feel very strongly that although King Brian does not "control" either the banshee or the Dullaghan, the Death Coach driver, I believe he has strong connections with them. He is King of the Leprechauns, but he is also ruler of the nighttine and the entire population of supernatural creatures within his realm have to answer to him, if only to maintain diplomatic neutrality. I am guessing King Brian is the most powerful supernatural in the British Isles and his power is rivaled only by the royalty of other faery realms, such as the Emperor of the Italian Fairies, who presented Brian with the Stradivarius that he lends to Darby.
Even the independant beings, like the banshee, wouldn't want to alienate him. If King Brian asked a favor of her--or if one of his people asked on his behalf--I think she would do whatever she could as long as it didn't cause her to deviate from her purpose which was to announce the imminent demise of someone in her "family". As for the Dullaghan, his job is to drive the Costa Bower. He goes where someone is dying, puts them in the coach and takes off. However, Brian is able to divert him from his planned itinerary. That's an indication of just how much power the little king is able to wield. It's considerable, if you think about it.
However, I don't think King Brian is ever malevolent. As an unblessed spirit, he's not good enough for Heaven, but he isn't bad enough for Hell either. He can, however, be ruthless if he has to be--especially where the welfare of his people is concerned. But in point of fact, he is quite gentle and tolerant of Darby despite the several embarrassing situations Darby puts him in. A malevolent spirit would have been looking for revenge for having been tricked first into allowing Darby to escape Knocknasheega and then into staying out after sunrise and finally being coerced into an additional three wishes and thereafter being stuffed into a canvas bag for "safekeeping". If anything, Brian shows a great deal of restraint in his dealings with Darby.
Excellent Thread - Love everyone's point of view!
Going back to the original simplistic question... It seems the coach couldnt return empty after it was been summoned and the door has opened. This would mean that since Brian outwitted the "loophole" by the door closing with someone inside, neither he nor Darby (nor another person) had to return with the coach.
Also, Brian is imortal through magic, and I have always been under the impression that those who are immortal have no souls; they arnt needed. This would mean to me that the coach wouldnt have wanted Brian ANYway, since he didnt have a soul the horseman could take. (or deliver... anyone have any idea where the death coach's ultimate destination would be? Heaven? Hell? I always thought of him a a "delivery person" for a higher power when I was little).
Additional thoughts?
"Dont I deserve love? And jewelry?"share
First or all, King Brian isn't immortal through magic. He was originally an angel, and as such was immortal through the will of God, so a soul would be redundant. In effect, he IS a soul.
Under Brian's orders the leprechauns refused to take sides when Lucifer rebelled against God (well most of them--there's one who did choose, but you have to read about him in H.T. Kavanaugh's book). Lucifer and company were condemned to hell. The fairies weren't rebels, but they didn't fight on the side of good either, so they were sent to earth. This is not in the film, but can be seen in the TV episode that aired as publicity for the film and is on the DVD. It's also in the book that was published at the same time and appears in the H. Templeton Kavanaugh book upon which the movie was based.
Next, the question of how the Costa Bower's rules work is never addressed in the film. We know that Darby and King Brian agree that once it sets out it can't return empty. However, we do not know where the Dullaghan takes his passengers. Brian knows that even if he stays in the coach he can't die. He has no mortal body to leave behind. He can't go to heaven or hell, he isn't welcome in either place. So all he has to do to save Darby is boot him out of the coach and then stay put until it reaches destination and he will be shunted right back to earth. He then fulfills the Coach's rules, and no harm done.
In answer to your question about where he takes them, I think this:
Most religions that I've heard of (or maybe it's just my own, who knows) believes in a sort of "purgatory" or waiting place, where spirits are taken until they can be judged to their proper location. I personally think he'd drop people off there.
Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful answers to this tantalizing question.
shareWow,this movie has the most thought out and analytical thinking than any other film blogs that I've seen, in deserves it too. Thats about it, way to go.
shareIsn't it interesting that a "children's movie" made almost 50 years ago still sparks such debate? I kinda wish they'd make a TV series based on it.
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