Young John Cassidy is a driven man. By day he works manual labor secretly trains in the hills with a band of revolutionaries eager to take Ireland's fate into their own hands joins mates for a pint or sometimes enjoys the company of a lovely Dublin lass. By night and into the wee hours he puts pencil to paper and writes of working-class Irish life. He will (he must) be a writer. The coming of age of renowned Irish playwright Sean O' Casey (Cassidy is a name O' Casey sometimes used for himself) comes to the screen in a colorful and atmospheric biopic directed by legendary John Ford (who left the film due to illness) and Jack Cardiff. Rod Taylor plays the title character bringing strength and earthiness to his best role ever (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide). a talented cast; including Julie Christie and Maggie Smith, adds to the appeal of a film whose script was approved by O' Casey and based on his autobiography.