Flight of the Doves (1971)

12-year-old Finn Dove (Jack Wild of Oliver! and Pufnstuf fame) and his young sister Derval (Helen Raye) flee their home in Liverpool and their unkind stepfather Tobias (William Rushton) to head for the peace of the home of their grandmother, Mary Magdalene St. Bridget O’Flaherty (Dorothy McGuire) in the West of Ireland.

The kids don’t realise they have inherited a legacy of £5,000 from their recently deceased grandfather, and their wicked ne’er-do-well Uncle Hawk Dove (Ron Moody, also from Oliver!) stands next in line – if he can dispose of the little Doves.

The daring young Finn pits his wits against authority and becomes involved in numerous exciting scrapes and adventures, getting involved in a St Patrick’s Day parade and upsetting the Irish police, poteen smugglers and a gypsy encampment.

Hawk – disguising himself as a lawyer, a police inspector, a bootlegger, and a female journalist – provides the humour in his fruitless attempts to catch the kids, aided by the blustering Toby.

Eurovision Song Contest winner Dana appears as a tinker girl.

The film is based on the final novel written by Walter Macken.

John Cyril “Hawk” Dove
Ron Moody
Finn Dove
Jack Wild
Derval Dove
Helen Raye
Mary Magdalene St. Bridget O’Flaherty
Dorothy McGuire
Judge Liffy
Stanley Holloway
Tobias Cromwell
William Rushton
Sheila O’Ryan
Dana
Detective Inspector Michael Roarke
Brendan O’Reilly
Mickser
John Molloy
Powder O’Ryan
Barry Keegan
Garda Pat Flynn
Tom Hickey
Sergeant O’Casey
Niall Toibin
Rabbi
Noel Purcell

Director
Ralph Nelson