▁the ▁young ▁Irish ▁ex tras ▁that ▁he ' d ▁become ▁close ▁to ▁( wh ose ▁imp over ished ▁parents ▁supported ▁the ▁idea ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁boy ▁could ▁have ▁a ▁chance ▁at ▁a ▁better ▁life ). ▁However , ▁the ▁boy ▁decided ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁Ireland , ▁so ▁W ilder ▁did ▁not ▁adopt ▁him . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁In ▁Dublin , ▁a ▁working - class ▁family ▁has ▁been ▁un success ful ▁in ▁convin cing ▁their ▁son ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁real ▁job : ▁the ▁son ▁pre fers ▁his ▁job ▁of ▁sc oop ing ▁up ▁horse ' s ▁d ung ▁and ▁s elling ▁it ▁for ▁flower ▁gard ens . ▁An ▁American ▁exchange ▁student ▁almost ▁runs ▁him ▁over ▁and ▁gets ▁to ▁know ▁him . ▁The ▁d ung ▁man ▁has ▁ignored ▁warnings ▁from ▁his ▁family ▁and ▁suddenly ▁the ▁horses ▁have ▁been ▁b anned ▁from ▁Dublin . ▁His ▁new ▁love ▁is ▁leaving ▁for ▁America ▁and ▁he ▁must ▁find ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁reality . ▁ ▁Cast ▁Gene ▁W ilder ▁as ▁Alo ys ius ▁" Qu ack ser " ▁Fort une ▁Mar got ▁Kid der ▁as ▁Z az el ▁Pier ce ▁E ile en ▁Col gan ▁as ▁B ets y ▁Bour ke ▁Se am us ▁Ford ▁as ▁Mr . ▁Fort une ▁May ▁O ll is ▁as ▁Mrs . ▁Fort une ▁L iz ▁Davis ▁as ▁Kath le en ▁Fort une ▁Caroline ▁Tul ly ▁as ▁V era ▁Fort une ▁David ▁Kelly ▁as ▁Tom ▁Mag u ire ▁David ▁Dav in - Power ▁( un cred ited ▁extra ) ▁ ▁Nom