The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)
by John Ford
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Barry Fitzgerald, John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen, Ward BondDirector: John Ford
Brand: Lions Gate
Producer: John Ford
Writer: John Ford
Producer: Alice Tlusty Maltin
Producer: Leonard Maltin
Writer: Leonard Maltin
Writer: Frank S. Nugent
Writer: Maurice Walsh
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 129 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-22
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Republic Pictures
Movie Reviews of The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: "If you'd pass the pub as quickly as you pass the chapel you'd be better off, you little squint!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Even though it's too late to post this for Saint Patrick's Day, "The Quiet Man" is a joyous, exuberant film to view any day of the year, and you don't have to be Irish to enjoy it, although if you're first generation Irish American as I am, and/or have visited Ireland at least once, you will have a deeper appreciation of it! For sentimental reasons I do make it a point to view this film every St. Patrick's Day to honor the memory of my late father, who was Irish born, this was his favorite film, many a time he watched it, first whenever it was on regular television, and then on video when the VCR came into existence, he just loved it!
Retired American boxer, Sean Thornton (John Wayne), has returned to live in the small town of Innisfree, Ireland, where he was born. Although he made a good living as a boxer, he accidently killed another man in the ring, and vowed never to fight again. He purchases back the family homestead from the wealthy Widow Tillane (Mildred Natwick) incurring the enmity of the strapping well to do landowner Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) who wanted the property for himself. Spitefully, Will refuses to let Sean court his beautiful, spirited sister Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara) despite the fact they are both in love, and Mary Kate won't wed without her brother's approval. Will is tricked to into giving his consent by a conspiracy between the matchmaker Michaeleen Flynn, (Barry Fitzgerald), the parish priest Father Lonergan (Ward Bond) and the Protestant vicar Reverend Playfair (Arthur Shields) and his wife Elizabeth (Eileen Crowe), without Sean or Mary Kate's knowledge, and the courtship and the marriage duly take place. However at the wedding reception Will learns the truth and blames the innocent Sean for the deception. Enraged he refuses to give Mary Kate her dowry of 350 Irish pounds, which Mary Kate feels is rightfully hers, and she tells Sean to demand it from Will. Sean doesn't understand the whole custom of the dowry, and it's significance to Mary Kate, and refuses to do so out of pride. This causes a serious rift between Mary Kate and he that can only be resolved when he confronts and fights Will for the money even though Sean had pledged never to fight again.
The above synopsis sounds fairly somber, and while the subject matter is serious director John Ford and screenwriter Frank Nugent make sure that there is plenty of humor and laughter to leaven it out.
John Wayne was one of the cinema's most underrated actors; he was much more accomplished than he was given credit in his lifetime. Amidst all his strong portrayals in "Stagecoach", "Red River" and "The Searchers", Sean Thornton stands out as his finest achievement. Sean is a man of many parts and Wayne captures them all. Although Sean is robust, virile, and athletic, Wayne is not afraid to show Sean's sensitive, tender side as well, reveal the touch of the poet that sometimes colors his speech. This is a man comfortable in his own masculinity, who can appreciate beauty, he plants roses outside his cottage, is not afraid to let his wife drive the horse and cart that he has given her. There is a streak of inherent melancholy in Sean that Wayne suggests; he has to live with the fact that even though it was unintentional, he is responsible for another man's death. John Wayne truly does plumb the depths of this conflicted man, and stretch himself as an actor. He absolutely deserved the Oscar for this performance rather than "True Grit". Astonishingly, he wasn't even nominated, yet another Oscar injustice.
The entrance of Maureen O'Hara as Mary Kate is one of the most enchanting, beguiling introductions in movie history. A barking sheepdog is herding a flock of sheep in a verdant, tree lined field, suddenly there is a magical glissando on harp strings, and Mary Kate appears, barefoot, clad in vivid blue and red, her burnished, titian tresses tumbling down her back, holding a staff in her hand as she follows behind, the sun hits her, giving the illusion as if she's lit from within. She is the embodiment of an ancient Celtic queen from Irish mythology, Maeve or Isolde perhaps? Sean, at first glimpse is dazzled; he asks Michaeleen rhetorically, "Is that real? She couldn't be!" This was my father's favorite scene, he had owned sheep and tended them in Ireland, and he loved the combination of Maureen O'Hara, whom he adored and the flock. Ms. O'Hara's Mary Kay is fiery and forthright; tart tongued when needed, (the title is one of her memorable stingers!) with a strong, decided character. In fact she is a liberated woman, she treats men as equals and will settle for nothing less in return, she meets Sean's passion with her own. In Ms. O'Hara's hands Mary Kate is gorgeous and glorious, an individual both men and woman can like and admire. Like Wayne, this is her best performance, and irritatingly like Wayne was not Oscar nominated, what were they thinking that year?
I'd like to pay a quick tribute to the charismatic pairing of Wayne and O'Hara, they both bring out the excellence in the other, perfectly designed by nature, with a erotic magnetism, the sparks fly when they're together. They rightfully belong in the pantheon of classic screen couples such as Tracy and Hepburn, Powell and Loy and Bogart and Bacall.
As for the rest of the cast, they are unqualifiedly marvelous one and all! Leading the list Victor McLaglen as the bull headed Will Danaher, the only cast member to be Oscar nominated, and Barry Fitzgerald as Michaeleen Flynn, who as usual comes perilously close to stealing every scene that he's in. A round of applause as well to Ward Bond, Mildred Natwick, Arthur Shields, Eileen Crowe and Francis Ford. Lastly, I want to give a special mention to Jack MacGowran as Feeney, Will's elfin assistant and "yes" man, who delivers perfectly two of the funniest lines in the film!
This film was director John Ford pet project, it took him seven years to bring it to fruition, but it was worth the wait. It's his own love letter to his Irish ancestry; he pulls out all the stops, uses some Irish clichés, but makes it work freshly and beautifully. It is an idealized version where there seem to be no class distinction and Catholic and Protestant peacefully co-exist, which actually they did except in the strife ridden North of Ireland. This was also a family film, Ford used his brother, son and brother in law, John Wayne's four children, Maureen O'Hara's two brothers, Barry Fitzgerald's brother, and Victor McLaglen's son. The final creation under Ford's scrupulous supervision is a cinema masterpiece, it was justly rewarded with five Oscar nominations including Best Film, winning for Best Director and Best Cinematography, but as I said earlier, it should have been nominated for at least two more and should have swept the Oscars that year!
Besides his dream cast, Ford had a wonderful script by Frank S. Nugent, one that featured such hilarious moments as Mary Kate and Michaeleen's discussing Sean's offer for her hand in marriage, Michaeleen's flabbergasted reaction to the Thornton's broken bed the morning after the wedding, and Father Logergan's struggle to land a prize salmon among others. Yet there are sweet and tender moments such as when Sean surprises Mary Kate with the gift of a horse and buggy, and when the bewildered couple tentatively reaches out to each other in front of the fireplace after an argument about her dowry. The script crackles with witty one-liners, but is also balanced by dialogue that has gentleness and even some traces of poetry.
The cinematography by Winton C. Hoch is spectacular, Ford sensibly put his foot down and insisted Technicolor be used. The Irish scenery is breathtaking; I swear you can see almost all of the mythical "Forty Shades of Green" in the landscape! If you've never had the pleasure of visiting Ireland before, the cinematography in this film will make you want to go.
The musical score is lilting, evocative and romantic, the composer Victor Young has woven traditional Irish songs and airs such as "The Isle of Innisfree", "The Wild Colonial Boy", "Kerry Dances", "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen","Galway Bay" and "The Rakes of Mallow" into an ingratiating score that adds immeasurably to the film's charm.
A very quick note about the special features, the highlights are two excellent documentaries "The Making of The Quiet Man" hosted by Leonard Matlin, which presents a well researched history of the film, and "The Joy of Ireland" which mainly features the engaging remembrances of Maureen O'Hara, Ms. O'Hara also does a commentary over the film which is very interesting to hear.
Well, one of the notorious characteristics of the Irish is the gift of gab, and I guess judging by the length of this review, I'm proving the point. If I haven't persuaded you that this is highly recommended by now, I never will. So, I'll close with a few words of Gaelic - "Slan agus beannacht leat" (Goodbye and blessings with you)!
Summary of The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)
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