The Quiet Man (1952)

Sadly Over-hyped

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

One of my all-time favorite movies is THE QUIET MAN. If I happen to see it on TV my fingers release the remote and I'm captured by the story all over again. It is perhaps one of John Wayne's best films as well as perhaps the best film by director John Ford. And it's not even a western! If you've never seen the film it's the story of Sean Thornton (Wayne) who returns to the small village in Ireland where he grew up as a child to purchase the home he grew up in. Met by Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald) he isn't recognized but they soon become friends. Michaleen is basically the cab driver in town with his horse and carriage as well as a matchmaker of sorts.That comes into play when Sean catches a glimpse of Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara). Call it love at first sight the two are attracted by social customs of the time being what they are aren't allowed to meet. A bigger problem arises after Sean purchases his home to the dismay of Squire "Red" Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), Mary Kate's brother who wanted the property for himself.When the town conspires to unite the young couple by tricking Will his anger takes over and he attempts to block their getting together. They do and eventually marry but Will refuses to pay Sean Mary Kate's dowry. While Sean could care less Mary Kate refuses to sleep with him until he takes care of the matter.What the townsfolk don't know, with one exception, is that Sean has refused to fight for a reason. When that final straw breaks the camel's back and he's had enough he changes his tune. All of this leads to a final showdown between the two men and one of the longest fight sequences ever put on film.The movie is a delight to watch over and over again. The performances are amazing to watch with all involved, from the smallest to largest roles, creating believable characters that you get mad at, laugh at and love by the end of the film. There are no truly small roles here.Ford creates not just a story but a setting that was familiar to him and the way he forms the combination of location and tale being told make it a location you'd love to visit. He brings his old Irish home to life for all to see and enjoy. The film is glorious to look at with some breathtaking scenery shot on location.With the numerous versions of this film released over the years why talk about it now and why discuss buying this latest edition? That's because Olive Films has come up with one of the best presentations of the film to date. As a part of their Signature Series the film has been mastered from a 4k scan of the original negative, offering the cleanest look the film has ever had.It also includes some interesting extras as well. Those include an audio commentary with John Ford biographer Joseph McBride, a tribute to Maureen O'Hara with Ally Sheedy, Hayley Mills, and Juliet Mills, DON'T YOU REMEMBER IT SEAN?: JOHN FORD AND THE QUIET MAN a visual essay by historian and John Ford expert Tag Gallagher, FREE REPUBLIC: THE STORY OF HERBERT J. YATES AND REPUBLIC PICTURES, THE OLD MAN: REMEMBERING JOHN FORD an appreciation of the director with Peter Bogdanovich and THE MAKING OF THE QUIET MAN written and hosted by Leonard Maltin.This is not just a movie to pick up and watch casually but one to enjoy over and over again. You'll find yourself cheering at the screen by the final sequence. You'll witness a beautiful love story filled with romance and a touch of humor. And you'll get to see one of the best movies ever made.

Okay, so I never sat through this movie until recently. This was one of my grandfather's favorite films, and since his tastes usually match mine when it comes to old films, I gave this one a try. Oh, boy...Well, if you like films that portray Irish people in the most stereotypical way possible, this is certainly the film for you! Even though this film is old, I cannot believe the way violence against women is glorified in this film. Call me a feminist, liberal, or whatever, but this film is by far one of the most sexist that I have ever seen. John Ford had a reputation of being nasty to many of his actors, and from what I've read, he was especially nasty to Maureen O'Hara almost every time they worked together. It almost sounds like he got some kind of perverse pleasure in watching her being mistreated on film, as she is in this one. Somehow, though, O'Hara has always praised him, in spite of how he treated her, which baffles me. Then again, having read her autobiography, O'Hara does not sound like she ever had a very healthy relationship with any man, aside from maybe Wayne and Charles Laughton. The only good part of this film is the scenery. Otherwise, it is boring, outdated, sexist, and I don't understand why this was such a favorite of my grandfather's.

The Quiet Man (1952) *** 1/2 (out of 4) American Sean Thornton (John Wayne) heads to Ireland where he plans on buying the home that he was born in. This upsets Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) since he has been trying to buy the property for years. Soon after Will has even more to be upset with when Sean decides that he wants to date Will's sister Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara).John Ford's THE QUIET MAN is not only a very good romantic comedy but it's also a love letter from the director to Ireland. Ford would make a handful of films in or about Ireland and it's clear that his eye (aka the camera) has a soft spot for the beautiful locations and this bleeds over to the screen just like Monument Valley was a key thing in his Westerns. THE QUIET MAN is certainly a highly entertaining little gem and it's certainly not exactly what you'd expect from the director-star.It was probably wise to not have Wayne attempt an Irish accent and the reason for him not having one is perfectly cared for in the film but there's no question that this is unlike any other performance the actor gave. He's basically asked to play the romantic lead and he certainly nails the performance and it remains one of the best of his career. His comic timing here is quite good and he mixes it up well with the supporting players and especially Barry Fitzgerald whose comedy steals the picture. O'Hara is brutally strong in her performance and the toughness she brought the role was terrific. Then there's McLaglen who really deserves so much more attention that he receives as he's wonderfully entertaining here and a lot of the film's charm comes from his performance.There are many great scenes inside the picture including the famous kiss sequence, which was put to use in Steven Spielberg's E.T.. There's also the terrific fight at the end of the picture, which has to be one of the most entertaining to ever be put on film. Ford's direction is spot on and there's no question that the visuals are quite a treat. There's a lot of entertainment to be had from THE QUIET MAN and a lot of the credit has to go to the terrific cast.

Had John Wayne made more movies like "The Quiet Man" he might be viewed in an entirely different light today. Starring in a ton of Westerns and war films it's easy to get stereotyped as the guy who wins every battle he engages in without breaking a sweat. This picture moves Wayne out of his comfort zone and portrays him as a dashing ladies man, and the lady in question, Maureen O'Hara seemed like the ideal foil for Wayne's character Sean Thornton.Director John Ford owned this property for more than a decade but had a tough time attaining financing to film it until Herbert Yates at Republic Pictures delivered in a quid pro quo. Ford would have to produce a successful black and white Western with Wayne and O'Hara first, and when "Rio Grande" made a pile of money, Ford could insist on filming this picture on location and in color. The result not only produced one of Republic's highest grossing pictures, but it also earned a Best Director for the veteran Ford.I enjoyed the understated humor throughout the picture, particularly with the character of Michaleen Oge Flynn portrayed by Barry Fitzgerald. He had that great line about 'playing patty fingers with the holy water' and fairly bristled at the idea that America had a period of Prohibition. That his horse Napoleon automatically stopped at the door of Pat Cohan's pub was a very clever gimmick.Ward Bond was a surprise here, he's a trip as the parish priest Father Lonergan on a ten year mission to land the big one down at the fishing creek. Another Ford regular, Victor McLaglen also shows considerable range as the feisty brother of O'Hara's Mary Kate. I've generally seen him in more one dimensional roles, so his performance here garnered a well deserved Supporting Actor nomination.The film probably has a tough time finding support among modern day viewers considering it's subject matter and the way the main characters treat each other. I think the viewer ought to hold those thoughts to one side and consider the story from the vantage point of the era and the customs and mores of different cultures. Set among the sunny and vibrant colors of the Irish countryside, "The Quiet Man" is a genuine treat that movie fans can appreciate for it's fine acting and colorful characters coming to grips with the conflicts they seek to overcome.