Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx / Fun Loving (1970)

In Dublin, a working class family has been unsuccessful in convincing their son to get a real job: the son prefers his job of scooping up horse's dung and selling it for flower gardens. An American exchange student almost runs him over and gets to know him. The dung man has ignored warnings from his family and suddenly the horses have been banned from Dublin. His new love is leaving for America and he must find a way to cope with the new reality.

I saw this particular movie in a Dublin theatre way back in the early 1970's and I found it to be a very memorable film about a working class lad who couldn't bring himself to follow in his father's footsteps and work in the factory punching a clock. When his livelihood dries up with the retirement of horse drawn wagons, he attempts to go to the factory but ends up making his own way in the end. Ah, yes, there is a love interest as well, which keeps the story interesting. Not many movies stick with me so that's saying something for me. It was the first time I noticed Gene Wilder in a film (though I'm sure I saw him in Bonnie and Clyde) and I thought he was very good - and genuine. His success doesn't surprise me. It's an "off the beaten path" kind of movie in a way - but not in the wild and crazy sense. And I would recommend it if you can find a copy somewhere.

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