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