. . . for a leprechaun?"

What? You were expecting something else?



That is exactly what Stephen Fitzgerald asks Horace in "The Luck of the Irish", the 1948 dramedy (part drama/part comedy) from 20th Century Fox (there's the Star Wars connection for you!) starring Tyrone Power (Stephen), Anne Baxter and Cecil Kellaway (Horace, the leprechaun). A fitting movie to watch today, St. Patrick's Day.

As I heard Tyrone Power utter those eight little words, I couldn't help but think of Leia's bemused remark to Luke when he burst into her cell aboard the Death Star: "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"

"What? Oh. . .the uniform. I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you," the blonde farmboy from Tatooine corrects. Like Luke having to justify his size that doesn't quite measure up to stormtrooper specifications, Horace has to explain to Stephen that his family of leprechauns is cursed . . . or some such reason explains his less-than-diminutive size. I was so excited to make the connection to Star Wars that I'm not really sure just what Horace said.

I love finding Star Wars connections in life, whether it's in a piece of artwork (that has absolutely no Star Wars connection), the news, a television show, a book, a movie (especially if the movie came out before 1977!). Don't you?

Which brings me to another movie connection, this time from a film released in 2005: "Nomad: The Warrior". I was flipping through the cable channels yesterday, and happened upon this historical-based flick about a young man who was destined to unite the three warring tribes of 18th-century Kazakhstan. I decided to watch the last 30 minutes (this is what happens when one channel surfs ) of the movie, and I couldn't help but think how the orphan boy-turned-hero reminded me of one Luke Skywalker. But that isn't even the first Star Wars connection or thought I had as I watched the last minutes of the film. At one point, said hero (I never did catch his name) was riding back to his tribe after escaping sure death at the hands of one of his enemies, when his father says to him: "One must give his life so the other can prevail in the name of justice." (The hero had just lost his best friend.) That line made me think of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, then of Obi-Wan and Luke. While it's true that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon eventually would have parted ways, at least as far as their roles as Master and Padawan were concerned, I wonder if Obi-Wan would have been the Jedi he eventually became if Qui-Gon had survived his dual with Darth Maul. Qui-Gon's death had a definitive effect on Obi-Wan and his role both as a Jedi and Master to Anakin (and, later, Luke ).

Obi-Wan's words of warning to Darth Vader in "A New Hope" haunted my thoughts: "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." I got chills when I heard that statement back in 1977. I still do. Obi-Wan knew that he had to give his life so the other (Luke ) could prevail in the name of justice. Sometimes the hero must make his way on his own, but, still, he is bolstered by those who have helped make him who he is. That's Luke in a nutshell; Obi-Wan, too.

I could expand on this subject of one giving his (or her . . . I am not sexist. I'm just trying to be succinct when I say "he") life so the other can prevail in the name of justice, but I think I'll save that for another day. That's not what this particular post is about anyway. I know, too, that you could rattle off a plethora of other connections. They are abundant. I just was stunned to come across two in such a short period of time, mostly because I've had so little time to actually sit down in front of the television of late. Was it the will of the Force?

Whatever the answer is, I'd just like to close by wishing you all a very Happy St. Patrick's Day - even to those of you who are not Irish. I'm not, but I'm wearing green today! (my Yoda t-shirt )

MTFBWY,
JMW