Review of The Quiet Man (1952) by John P — 04 Apr 2008

John Wayne in love?

Duking (sorry!) it out with a hot-.

Tempered Irish lass? Clinching in a passionate (and forbidden).

Embrace during a wild storm?

Dragging the love of his life through.

The heather???

Man, this is a "chick flick" a guy could get into! Seriously, this is one of three.

Films I recommend for required St. Patrick's Day viewing (WAKING NED DEVINE and DARBY O'GILL & THE LITTLE PEOPLE being the other twa). Directed by John Ford, THE QUIET MAN is a lush.

Technicolour paean to an Ireland that probably exists only in our Irish soul.

John Wayne (romantically playing against genre and proving that he CAN.

Act - and react) is boxer Sean Thornton, returned to Ireland to claim his birthright (but also carrying a dark.

Secret). Maureen O'Hara plays Mary Kate Danaher: fey, with a fiery temper to.

Match her crimson hair; she matches Wayne scene for scene.

Character actors from the Ford-Wayne.

Films abound; but it is Barry Fitzgerald.

As the twinkling-eyed diminutive match-maker who steals the picture.

Two great climaxes: Sean dragging the.

Rebellious Mary Kate home five miles.

Across the emerald countryside; and a.

Ten-minute on again/off again comedic fight between Wayne and "Red" Will.

Danaher (Victor McLaglen, who was 65.

At the time!).

Best Lines: "Do you play tiddlywinks?".

"Impetuous! Homeric!" (which line.

was censored in America).

Wonderful Ford signature-farewell by.

The cast (we hate to leave Innisfree); and.

Exactly WHAT did O'Hara whisper to.

Wayne at the end? (Ford told her what to say, to get a "rise" out of her co-star;.

But she has never revealed what that.

Was.) Cinematic storytelling at its.

Finest (Ford won Best Director): under-.

Stated, memorably full of "heart.".