Review of The Quiet Man (1952) by Archibald T — 22 Mar 2011

The story is a simple one. Man returns back home, finds girl, wins girl's heart, but has to challenge her angry brother at boxing. Something close to that.

Sean Thornton killed a man in the boxing ring. He's ashamed and wants to forget it. He returns to the Irish cottage he grew up in. That's where he finds Mary Kate and wants to wed her. I never really knew of Maureen O' Hara in any other films I can think of, but I gotta tell you she is so beautiful. She notches up my vote for the most beautiful red head ever. Well, that's just my opinion.

The only problem for Sean when it comes to Mary Kate is two things: Her bullying brother Red and her dowry which is the more important to her than anything else. Sean doesn't care for her money. He loves her and that's that.

The brother on the other doesn't like Sean and since due to some Irish custom, won't let Sean court his sister Mary Kate. Luckily, a few of the locals trick the brother into letting him think that the widow tillane wants to marry him unless Mary Kate is out of the house. But it's on the wedding day where Red discovers he's been had and decides to keep Mary Kate's dowry from her.

Sean is stuck with being called a coward by Mary Kate if he doesn't return her dowry back to her from her brother. And then finally, the ending which is probably one of the most hilarious fights ever put to film when Sean and Red box eachother pretty much all over Innisfree, the small town.

I can see why my late grandma Marjorie called this film her favorite. It's sweet and endearing. My favorite part would have to be when Sean enters the home he grew up to only find that somebody has tidied up the place. It was sweet Mary Kate. She hides in the back room. It's windy. Something startle's her as she makes her way to the front door, but It's Sean who stops her. The door wide up, the wind blowing in as Sean plants a kiss on Mary Kate.

One of the best kissing scenes ever. ;).