FLIGHT OF THE DOVES (1971, U.K.)

Flight of the Doves

(1971, U.K.) color 105 minutes
Rainbow Releasing / Columbia Pictures Corporation
Story: Walter Macken (from his novel)
Screenplay: Ralph Nelson, Frank Gabrielson
Music: Roy Budd
Cinematography: Harry Waxman
Produced by William S. Gilmore, Ralph Nelson
Directed by Ralph Nelson

With: Ron Moody (Hawk Dove), Jack Wild (Finney Dove), Dorothy McGuire (Granny O'Flaherty), Stanley Holloway (Judge Liffy), Helen Raye (Derval Dove), William Rushton (Tobias Cromwell), Dana (Sheila), John Molloy (Mickser), Barry Keegan (Powder), Brendan O'Reilly (Michael), Noel Purcell (Rabbi)

***

In 1971, Jack Wild and Ron Moody (the two comedic singing villains from OLIVER were reunited again for a film drama entitled THE FLIGHT OF THE DOVES. The film's story told of two orphans: Dervel (Helen Raye) and her brother Finney (Jack Wild), who live with their cruel guardian, Uncle Toby/Tobias Cromwell (William Rushton).

One night, Cromwell receives news that the kids' mother, Cromwell's late sister, has left the kids a fortune, which they will inherit when they come of age. However, if anything should happen to the children, the entire legacy will go to the only other surviving members of the family, Cromwell and his evil and equally abusive half-brother Hawk Dove (Ron Moody), a struggling magician and mimic who works in the seamy nightclubs and theaters on London's West Side.

Seeing a chance to get rid of the kids and unjustly claim their fortune, Cromwell plots to do away with the kids and get their inheritance. Fearing for their lives, Finney and Dervel pack up and run away from home. They take the ferry to Ireland, so that they can get to their maternal Grandmother, Bridget O'Flaherty (Dorothy Malone).

Seeing his meal tickets running off, Cromwell calls in the Police and sends a false arrest warrant against his sister-in-law, claiming that she kidnapped his children. Adding to their problems, Uncle Hawk also gets a letter from the solicitor about the Dove legacy and he also tries to do away with the kids, so that he can get the monies from the estate.

Luckily for the two kids, they finally make safely to their grandma's home, Uncle Hawk is captured by the police and Cromwell is exposed as a bully and unscrupulous opportunist. The fate of the two children is decided by tough but kindly Judge Liffy (Stanley Holloway, best remembered as Alfred P. Doolittle in the stage and screen versions of MY FAIR LADY). He turns the two children over to their grandmother. Cromwell is sent to jail and Uncle Hawk escapes without ever being arrested.

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I first saw this film at "The Bainbridge Theater" in the Bronx, NYC, and enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed OLIVER.

I was lucky enough to meet Ron Moody many years later. Although he didn't recall working with Jack Wild on this film, he did have wonderful memories of working with Mark Lester And Jack Wild on OLIVER, and he was sad that he never got another chance to work with them:

"Yes, it was fun to work with Mark and Jack. They were a joy to be with. I'm just sorry that we never got another chance to work again. I know that we've could have done some marvelous things together!"

Character actor Basil Sidney (Captain Prichett in THE THREE WORLDS OF GULLIVER) appeared in FLIGHT OF THE DOVES as an Irish Rabbi Who sings the film's hit tune "You Don't Have To Irish To Be Irish!" (from the popular soundtrack album of the film).

- Kevin S. Butler

Video/DVD availability: VHS/DVD (currently unavailable)

Links of related interest:
Jack Wild Tribute Page (in Chinese, great pictures!)

Finney (Jack Wild) and Dervel (Helen Raye) are welcomed back by their loved in the incredible melodrama FLIGHT OF THE DOVES.

The original soundtrack album for FLIGHT OF THE DOVES was released on both an LP and an 8-Track tape!