The Quiet Man Overview:

The Quiet Man (1952) was a Comedy - Drama Film directed by John Ford and produced by John Ford and Merian C. Cooper.

The film was based on the short story of the same name written by Maurice Walsh published in Saturday Evening Post in Feb 11, 1933.

SYNOPSIS

One of Ford's greatest and most loved films is at once a rollicking, robust comedy, a passionate love story, and a misty-eyed ode to Ford's Irish homeland. Wayne, a boxer returned to his birthplace in the small village of Innisfree, stumbles on the local customs and the resentment and suspicions of the townspeople, particularly a despised bully played by McLaglen. He also loses his heart to McLaglen's beautiful sister (O'Hara, who was never lovelier). Their rivalry comes to an explosive, hilarious climax when O'Hara refuses to consider herself married until Wayne receives her dowry from MacLaglen. The secretive American finally unleashes his fists and earns his wife's love and respect. Ford's brother Francis, a silent-era actor and director, appears in a funny cameo as an old man who refuses to expire until he witnesses the battle royale. This is a rewarding look directly into Ford's heart.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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The Quiet Man was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2013.

Academy Awards 1952 --- Ceremony Number 25 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorVictor McLaglenNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Frank Hotaling; Set Decoration: John McCarthy, Jr., Charles ThompsonNominated
Best CinematographyWinton C. Hoch, Archie StoutWon
Best DirectorJohn FordWon
Best PictureJohn Ford and Merian C. Cooper, ProducersNominated
Best WritingFrank S. NugentNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

Review: The Quiet Man (1952)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 7, 2019 From 4 Star Films

When you think of the combination of John Ford and John Wayne, it’s only normal to conjure up the quintessential western pairing. It’s true there are so many films that we could pay a nod to like Stagecoach (1939), The Searchers (1956), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1961), etc. Thus,... Read full article


1001 Classic Movies: The Quiet Man

By Amanda Garrett on Aug 11, 2017 From Old Hollywood Films

The Quiet Man (1952) is one of the 1001 classic movies you should see. This romance set in Ireland stars Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. Each week, I'm going to recommend a classic movie you should see (for the reasons behind the 1001 series and reviews of earlier films covered go here). Every Au... Read full article


Irish Film Studies: The Quiet Man

By Virginie Pronovost on Mar 30, 2017 From The Wonderful World of Cinema

This semester, I?m attending a course on Irish cinema. Each week, we are expected to write a blog-like journal about the film we watched in class and/or our class discussion about the film. I?ve decided to include those entries to my blog, so it would be more agreeable to read than a Word document. ... Read full article


THE QUIET MAN KISSES

By Christy Putnam on Feb 13, 2016 From Christy Putnam

A first kiss is always memorable. It always intimates something more, of a moment of passion that has yet to be realized. But there is always a hint and a spark the first moment that lovers meet. The tints and shades of the vibrant images in The Quiet Man also promise deep passion, and the ethere... Read full article


JOHN FORD: DREAMING THE QUIET MAN

By Dan Day Jr. on Apr 5, 2015 From The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog

A couple years ago Olive Films released a remastered version of John Ford's THE QUIET MAN on Blu-ray. Now the company has put out on home video a 92-minute documentary about that legendary film called JOHN FORD: DREAMING THE QUIET MAN. Many on the internet have wondered why Olive didn't include this... Read full article


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Quotes from

Mary Kate Danaher: Could you use a little water in your whiskey?
Michaleen Flynn: When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey; and when I drink water, I drink water.


Father Paul: Father! Father Lonergan!
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: [not wanting to disturb the fish] Ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh.
Father Paul: It's a big fight in the town!
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: Listen, there's a big fight in this fish right here, too.
Father Paul: I'd have put a stop to it, but seeing it's...
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: You do that, lad. It's your duty.
Father Paul: But seeing it was Danaher and Sean Thornton...
[Father Lonergan turns at stares at Father Paul in amazement]
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: WHO?
Father Paul: Danaher and Sean Thornton!
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: WELL WHY THE DEVIL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? Oh, you young...
[Throws down his fishing rod and the two run back into town. They abruptly stop behind a gate]
Father Paul: Father, shouldn't we put a stop to it now?
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: [relishing the fight from a distance] Ah, we should, lad, yes, we should, it's our duty!


Mary Kate Danaher: Father, could I... tell you in the Irish?
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: [distracted, fishing] Sea, sea.
Mary Kate Danaher: [very hesitantly] Níor lig mé m'fhear chéile isteach i mo leaba liom aréir. Chuir mé fuinneamh air a chodladh i - Ó, i mála codlata! Mála codlata!
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: Céad é sin? "Bag?"
Mary Kate Danaher: Sleeping bag, Father, with... with buttons! Más breá é, níor rith sé ar a shon. An peaca é?
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: [exasperated] Woman, Ireland may be a poor country, God help us. But here, a married man sleeps in a bed, not a bag!


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Facts about

Green, the national color of Ireland, can be seen somewhere in every shot in this film, but not on any of the actors' costumes except for Maureen O'Hara green floral dress in the cemetery scene. .
At the film's conclusion, after the credits, we see Kate and Sean standing in their garden waving good-bye. Maureen O'Hara turns to John Wayne and whispers something in his ear, evoking a priceless reaction from Wayne. What was said was known only to O'Hara, Wayne and director John Ford. In exchange for saying this unscripted bit of text, O'Hara insisted that the exact line never be disclosed by any involved parties. In her memoirs she says that she refused to say the line at first as she "couldn't possibly say that to Duke", but Ford insisted, claiming he needed a genuine shock reaction from Wayne. The line remains a mystery to this day.
This is one of the few Hollywood films in which you can hear Gaelic, the national language of Ireland.
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Best Director Oscar 1952






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National Film Registry

The Quiet Man

Released 1952
Inducted 2013
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