| The Quiet Man - 4 Stars (Excellent) | | | | Father Paul (James O'Hara) and The Widow Sarah |
| No one ever said that filmmaking was easy, only | | | | Tillane (Mildred Natwick) among others. And, yes, |
| that it could be very good and sometimes | | | | there are a lot of relatives in this cast. |
| enduring, as in "The Quiet Man", starring John | | | | The Quiet Man was based on a 1933 Saturday |
| Wayne and Maureen O'Hara with legendary | | | | Evening Post short story by Maurice Walsh. Ford |
| Director John Ford. | | | | read the story in 1933 and purchased the rights |
| Like a lot of great films, this is a story of the | | | | to it for $10. |
| conflict and conquest in the courtship of a man | | | | In 1944, John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen |
| and a woman. A woman determined to get her | | | | O'Hara made a handshake agreement to do the |
| way, a brother determined to keep his sister | | | | film version, but it would take another 8 years for |
| from the man she loves, and a man determined | | | | Ford to raise the money necessary to produce |
| to win the heart of the woman he marries. | | | | the film. It was the first American feature to be |
| Irish-born Sean Thornton (John "Duke" Wayne) is | | | | filmed in Ireland's picturesque countryside. The film |
| an American who swears off being a professional | | | | almost never happened as Ford was told by |
| fighter after accidentally killing an opponent in the | | | | producers that a "silly Irish story would not make |
| ring. Returning to the Irish town of his birth, he | | | | a penny." |
| starts a new life and finds happiness when he falls | | | | Finally Republic Pictures was approached and |
| in love with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher | | | | studio chief Herbert Yates relented under the |
| (Maureen O'Hara). | | | | condition that Ford, Wayne and O'Hara would also |
| Mary Kate's brother, Will "Red" Danaher (Victor | | | | do a western for Republic, a sure money-maker |
| McLaglen) stands in their way. Without her | | | | that would offset losses anticipated from The |
| brother's permission, she cannot marry Sean. The | | | | Quiet Man. The result was the 1950 production of |
| male dominance in Irish culture during this period is | | | | "Rio Grande". |
| evident. Women were to obey, period. Red | | | | John Ford was more than interested in doing the |
| Danaher resents the fact that Sean was able to | | | | film. His real name was John Martin Feeney, his |
| purchase his birth home adjacent to the Danaher's | | | | parents immigrated from County Galway, Ireland |
| property. Danaher had continually bid for the | | | | and settled in Maine. Ford also went by the name |
| property next door but lost out to the American | | | | Sean O'Feeney. Maureen O'Hara (real name |
| "newcomer" and outsider. | | | | Maureen Fitzsimons) was born in County Dublin, |
| Eventually Danaher is duped into letting Sean | | | | Ireland, spoke Irish and used her Gaelic language in |
| marry Mary Kate, but initially he refuses to let | | | | the film. Her father was part owner of Ireland's |
| Mary Kate take her inheritance (furniture and a | | | | leading football team, the Shamrock Rovers. |
| dowry). The villagers persuade Red to give Mary | | | | John Wayne was half Irish. He appeared in more |
| Kate her furniture, but he stands fast on the | | | | than 20 of Ford's films, many of them low budget |
| dowry. | | | | westerns and war movies. The Duke said that of |
| For Mary Kate the 350 pounds sterling she is | | | | all the films he made, The Quiet Man was his |
| owed represents a lot of money, but the | | | | favorite. |
| breaking of tradition and doing the right thing | | | | Ford earned his 4th and last Best Director Oscar |
| becomes an issue she cannot and will not ignore, | | | | for The Quiet Man in 1952. His other 3 Best |
| even for the sake of her marriage. Mary Kate is | | | | Director Oscars were for "The Informer" in 1935, |
| a woman who, if nothing else, makes it clear she | | | | "The Grapes of Wrath" in 1940 and "How Green |
| will be dealt with despite her ill temper and | | | | Was My Valley" in 1941. Only How Green Was My |
| stubbornness. She believes that Sean is a coward | | | | Valley won an Oscar for Best Picture. |
| for not confronting her brother Red. Sean simply | | | | Ford remains the only director in history to win 4 |
| does not want to accidentally kill another man in a | | | | Best Director Oscars. Two others-William Wyler |
| fight over money. | | | | and Frank Capra-have won 3 times. |
| When Mary Kate decides to leave her marriage | | | | Ford received the American Film Institute's first |
| and take the train out of town, Sean goes into | | | | Life Achievement Award in 1973. He has been |
| action. After dragging Mary Kate off the train and | | | | recognized as one of the greatest directors of all |
| through the pasture, the longest fistfight in screen | | | | time. His work had an influence on directors Martin |
| history erupts. | | | | Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Sam |
| Once Mary Kate realizes that Sean will fight for | | | | Peckinpah, Peter Bogdanovich, Sergio Leone, |
| her, she is quite happy to return to their cottage | | | | Jean-Luc-Godard and Akira Kurosawa. |
| and makes it clear that dinner will be ready when | | | | The Quiet Man won a second Oscar for Best |
| Sean returns home. The Duke (Sean) slugs it out | | | | Cinematography and was nominated for 5 other |
| with Kate's brother, eventually wins, and wins | | | | Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting |
| back Kate's heart as well. The story of The Quiet | | | | Role (Victor McLaglen), Best Art Direction, Best |
| Man reminds me of William Shakespeare's The | | | | Sound and Best Writing (screenplay by Frank |
| Taming of the Shrew and its movie version in | | | | Nugent). The Best Picture Oscar in 1952 went to |
| 1967 starring Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina and | | | | "The Greatest Show on Earth". |
| Richard Burton as Petruchio. | | | | Action adventure freaks and lovers of |
| Katharina is cast as an ill-tempered, strong-willed, | | | | unredeeming modern-day films such as "Mr. and |
| opinionated, vocal, recalcitrant, unmanageable | | | | Mrs. Smith" will not be able to stand The Quiet |
| woman. Petruchio manages to bring her around | | | | Man, which is very slow developing yet offers a |
| and when he does, Katharina is content to do his | | | | perfectly picturesque Irish setting for a real love |
| bidding. I see a lot of Mary Kate Danaher in | | | | story. It is an Irish movie filmed in Ireland for the |
| Katharina. | | | | glory of Ireland, its people and its culture. I am |
| The supporting cast is a collection of Irishmen | | | | only 15% Irish and a third generation American, |
| worthy of the name: Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry | | | | but always claim that my 15% Irish heritage is |
| Fitzgerald), Father Peter Lonergan (Ward Bond), | | | | the best part of me. |