The Quiet Man – 1952 – English – Comedy – Drama – Romance
The Quiet Man – 1952 – English
Comedy film directed in 1952 by John Ford, and starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen, Jack MacGowran, Arthur Shields, Mildred Natwick…
Synopsis: Sean Thornton has returned from America to reclaim his homestead and escape his past. Sean’s eye is caught by Mary Kate Danaher, a beautiful but poor maiden, and younger sister of ill-tempered “Red” Will Danaher. The riotous relationship that forms between Sean and Mary Kate, punctuated by Will’s pugnacious attempts to keep them apart, form the main plot, with Sean’s past as the dark undercurrent.
Review: What’s not to like about this picture? A classic directed by the legendary John Ford. John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara light up the screen. Wayne’s performance is brilliant, but what really stands out is that he is playing a regular guy with real feelings and emotions–no army uniforms, no indians to fight, no cavalry coming to the rescue–just a great performance. The supporting cast is unmatched–including great performances by Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerald and Ward Bond. Look closely for Ken Curtis (Festus, from Gunsmoke) in an uncredited role. The scenery is absolutly breathtaking–it makes me want to go home to Ireland–and I’m not even Irish. To top it off The Quiet Man has the greatest fist fight ever captured on film. This is one of my two favorite John Wayne movies. The Duke should have gotten an Oscar for this one. Movie viewers won’t be disapointed by this one.