I have watched this movie many times and have wondered what it is that Mary the housekeeper does when she sees all the people in the family, one by one, having red hair. She like licks her fingers with one hand touches her other clenched fist and then slaps that same area with the licked hands. Does anyone know what she is doing?
shareI hope this gets answered. A Google for red hair superstition results in several sites relating the place red hair finds in the world of the superstitious. None, though, mention that ritual of our maid.
shareThanks Joes119, I appreciate your response. There are some sites which actually have the script typewritten (tim dirks) but he doesn't list this particular movie. Maybe I'll find one that will make mention what Annie (not "Mary" as I thought before) was doing.
shareI've always assumed it was some sort of "warding off the evil eye" gesture.
shareMy great grandmother, who had red hair, told me that the gesture Mary does was supposed to bring good luck. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I guess it sort of makes sense since red hair was not too common.
shareI always assumed she was doing a thing we did as kids "making a wish on a redbird" whenever we saw a cardinal. But I suppose it could be a warding gesture also.
When all else fails, read the instructions!
In the maid's Irish imagination, the four red-headed boys were evil trolls, something like leprechauns. Her gestures were to protect her from their mischief.
shareI sure am glad I'm not the only person who wondered about this. I watched the film on television yesterday, and it occurred to me to come to this board and search for an answer. Thanks for originally posting the question (and for collecting the helpful information which followed).
"I'm not reckless . . . I'm skillful!"
Mary, being Irish, probably giving herself an old Irish blessing or it could be her way of crossing herself.