"the Quiet Man" is a Love Story Set in the Emerald Isle of Ireland

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagleycollection of Irishmen worthy of the name:
The Quiet Man - 4 Stars (Excellent)Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald), Father
No one ever said that filmmaking was easy, onlyPeter Lonergan (Ward Bond), Father Paul (James
that it could be very good and sometimesO'Hara) and The Widow Sarah Tillane (Mildred
enduring, as in "The Quiet Man", starring JohnNatwick) among others. And, yes, there are a lot
Wayne and Maureen O'Hara with legendaryof relatives in this cast.
Director John Ford.The Quiet Man was based on a 1933 Saturday
Like a lot of great films, The Quiet Man is a storyEvening Post short story by Maurice Walsh. Ford
of the conflict and conquest in the courtship of aread the story in 1933 and purchased the rights
man and a woman. A woman determined to getto it for $10.
her way, a brother determined to keep his sisterIn 1944, John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen
from the man she loves, and a man determinedO'Hara made a handshake agreement to do the
to win the heart of the woman he marries.film version, but it would take another 8 years for
Irish-born Sean Thornton (John "Duke" Wayne) isFord to raise the money necessary to produce
an American who swears off being a professionalthe film.
fighter after accidentally killing an opponent in theThe Quiet Man was the first American feature to
ring.be filmed in Ireland's picturesque countryside. The
Returning to the Irish town of his birth, he startsfilm almost never happened as Ford was told by
a new life and finds happiness when he falls inproducers that a "silly Irish story would not make
love with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher (Maureena penny."
O'Hara).Finally Republic Pictures was approached and
Mary Kate's brother, Will "Red" Danaher (Victorstudio chief Herbert Yates relented under the
McLaglen) stands in their way. Without hercondition that Ford, Wayne and O'Hara would also
brother's permission, she cannot marry Sean. Thedo a western for Republic, a sure money-maker
male dominance in Irish culture during this period isthat would offset losses anticipated from The
evident. Women were to obey, period.Quiet Man. The result was the 1950 production of
Red Danaher resents the fact that Sean was able"Rio Grande".
to purchase his birth home adjacent to theJohn Ford was more than interested in doing the
Danaher's property. Danaher had continually bidfilm. His real name was John Martin Feeney, his
for the property next door but lost out to theparents immigrated from County Galway, Ireland
American "newcomer" and outsider.and settled in Maine. Ford also went by the name
Eventually Danaher is duped into letting SeanSean O'Feeney.
marry Mary Kate, but initially he refuses to letMaureen O'Hara (real name Maureen Fitzsimons)
Mary Kate take her inheritance (furniture and awas born in County Dublin, Ireland, spoke Irish and
dowry). The villagers persuade Red to give Maryused her Gaelic language in the film. Her father
Kate her furniture, but he stands fast on thewas part owner of Ireland's leading football team,
dowry.the Shamrock Rovers.
For Mary Kate the 350 pounds sterling she isJohn Wayne was half Irish. He appeared in more
owed represents a lot of money, but thethan 20 of Ford's films, many of them low budget
breaking of tradition and doing the right thingwesterns and war movies. The Duke said that of
becomes an issue she cannot and will not ignore,all the films he made, The Quiet Man was his
even for the sake of her marriage.favorite.
Mary Kate is a woman who, if nothing else,Ford earned his 4th and last Best Director Oscar
makes it clear she will be dealt with despite her illfor The Quiet Man in 1952. His other 3 Best
temper and stubbornness. She believes that SeanDirector Oscars were for "The Informer" in 1935,
is a coward for not confronting her brother Red."The Grapes of Wrath" in 1940 and "How Green
Sean simply does not want to accidentally killWas My Valley" in 1941. Only How Green Was My
another man in a fight over money.Valley won an Oscar for Best Picture.
When Mary Kate decides to leave her marriageFord remains the only director in history to win 4
and take the train out of town, Sean goes intoBest Director Oscars. Two othersWilliam Wyler
action. After dragging Mary Kate off the train andand Frank Caprahave won 3 times.
through the pasture, the longest fistfight in screenFord received the American Film Institute's first
history erupts.Life Achievement Award in 1973. He has been
Once Mary Kate realizes that Sean will fight forrecognized as one of the greatest directors of all
her, she is quite happy to return to their cottagetime. His work had an influence on directors Martin
and makes it clear that dinner will be ready whenScorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Sam
Sean returns home. The Duke (Sean) slugs it outPeckinpah, Peter Bogdanovich, Sergio Leone,
with Kate's brother, eventually wins, and winsJean-Luc-Godard and Akira Kurosawa.
back Kate's heart as well.The Quiet Man won a second Oscar for Best
The story of The Quiet Man reminds me ofCinematography and was nominated for 5 other
William Shakespeare's The Taming of the ShrewOscars: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting
and its movie version in 1967 starring ElizabethRole (Victor McLaglen), Best Art Direction, Best
Taylor as Katharina and Richard Burton asSound and Best Writing (screenplay by Frank
Petruchio.Nugent). The Best Picture Oscar in 1952 went to
Katharina is cast as an ill-tempered, strong-willed,"The Greatest Show on Earth".
opinionated, vocal, recalcitrant, unmanageableAction adventure freaks and lovers of
woman. Petruchio manages to bring her aroundunredeeming modern-day films such as "Mr. and
and when he does, Katharina is content to do hisMrs. Smith" will not be able to stand The Quiet
bidding. I see a lot of Mary Kate Danaher inMan, which is very slow developing yet offers a
Katharina.perfectly picturesque Irish setting for a real love
The supporting cast of The Quiet Man is astory.