The Quiet Man (1952)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Frank S. Nugent (screenplay)
Maurice Walsh (story)

Release Date:

14 September 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Action...Excitement...Romance...Fill the Screen !

Plot:

A disgraced American boxer retires to Ireland, where he finds love.

Plot Keywords:

Ireland | Beautiful Woman | Sheep | 1930s | Bishop

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

John Wayne	...	Sean Thornton
Maureen O'Hara	...	Mary Kate Danaher
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Michaleen Oge Flynn
Ward Bond	...	Father Peter Lonergan
Victor McLaglen	...	Squire 'Red' Will Danaher
Mildred Natwick	...	The Widow Sarah Tillane
Francis Ford	...	Dan Tobin
Eileen Crowe	...	Mrs. Elizabeth Playfair
May Craig	...	Fishwoman with Basket at Station
Arthur Shields	...	Rev. Dr. Cyril 'Snuffy' Playfair
Charles B. Fitzsimons	...	Hugh Forbes (as Charles FitzSimons)
James O'Hara	...	Father Paul (as James Lilburn)
Sean McClory	...	Owen Glynn (as Sean McGlory)
Jack MacGowran	...	Ignatius Feeney - Squire Danaher's Handyman (as Jack McGowran)
Joseph O'Dea	...	Molouney - Train Guard

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Irish Gaelic

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | West Germany:12 (f) | Norway:A (1954) | South Korea:All | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #15529)

Filming Locations:

Ashford Castle, County Mayo, Ireland

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

The white haired frail Dan Tobin, who gets up from his death bed and runs to see the fight is John Ford's older brother, Francis Ford. Francis was a silent film actor and director in his own right, who died one year after the film was made.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sean and Mary Kate begin their courtship and ride off on Michaleen's carriage, the actors' shadows are visible against the rear-projection screen.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: Well, then. Now. I'll begin at the beginnin'. A fine soft day in the spring, it was, when the train pulled into Castletown, three hours late as usual, and himself got off. He didn't have the look of an American tourist at all about him. Not a camera on him; what was worse, not even a fishin' rod.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Quiet Man: The Joy of Ireland (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Rakes of Mallow

She wore a yellow straw bonnet

Ireland has never been portrayed as lovingly as in this film. John Ford's tribute to the land of his ancestors is about as good as a movie can get. Of course, Ford's vision is, by today's standards, a bit outdated. The Ireland of the time in the movie probably doesn't exist any more, but only in the minds of those who knew the Emerald Isle back then.

The story is a bit passe, but we make excuses for seeing it once more whenever it plays on cable, as we take the journey to an ideal place that thanks to John Ford will live forever.

The best thing in the film is Maureen O'Hara. This actress beauty was legendary. Having met her on a few occasions, I can only say, that she is as beautiful in person as she is in films. Miss O'Hara graced this movie by only being there. The camera loved her; she's perfect as Mary Kate Daneher, the spinster, as the locals call her.

The other big assets of the film are the Irish actors that Ford entrusted key roles. Barry Fitzgerald, the impish Michaeleen Flynn, was delightful. Victor McLaglen, is excellent as Squire Will Danaher. John Wayne, as Sean Thornton, is a bit stiff, but maybe Ford's direction called for this actor to play himself in rural Ireland, who knows?

This is a film to be treasured.