Awards: Oscar Nominations 1952
Awards: Oscar Nominations 1952
"The Quiet Man" is the very unsual love story of a man and a woman, two cultures colliding, - their, passion, respect, and eventual triumph. It is told in a way that encompasses all of the love and desire in their hearts without being sexually explicit. John Wayne described his fondness for the film in a Barbara Walters interview, shortly before he died. ìI enjoyed things like The Quiet Man, the relationship with Maureen O'Hara because it was healthy and strong..and it was still sensual, but not degrading...î Ford presents his characters in a script that visually kindles the imagination of the audience, - an art that has fallen by the wayside in today's graphic films. The imagination still remains the most powerful tool.
The players in this film are so perfectly cast, so talented and so believable that we are quickly caught up in this wonderful story. John Wayne becomes the romantic hero, a gentle giant from America, Sean Thornton. Sean has returned to his native Ireland, retreating from his career as a prize fighter with the ghastly memory of a blow that he delivered which accidentally killed an opponent. Burdened with this guilt, he seeks peace and comfort in the quaint Irish village of his birth. As Sean steps from the train he finds himself immediately thrust into the mythical village of Castletown. There to greet him is a group of absolutely delightful, very lovable characters. Director John Ford doesn't waste any time seeing to it that the laid-back and endearing quality of the Irish are in the foreground. Sean very politely tries to find his way to the town of Innisfree.
Fortunately little Michaeleen Oge Flynn (played by Barry FitzGerald), is there to rescue Sean with a horse and carriage at his service. Michaeleen is the local matchmaker and bookmaker - two jobs he does very well, as long as he is fortified with a bit of the brew. The ride across the lush Irish countryside introduces two new characters. Father Lonergan is afoot and stops for an introduction to Sean "Come home from America." The good Father remembers Sean as a child, and his family and extends a welcome home and an invitation for mass the next day. The next encounter is the most significant in the film. As Sean waits for Michaeleen to have a little private talk with Father Lonergan, he walks into a picturesque area of towering trees and lights a cigarette. There in the distant meadow is perhaps one of the most breathtaking scenes in cinema history - the entrance of Maureen O'Hara as Mary Kate Danaher.
This breathtaking red-haired colleen is herding a flock of sheep across a meadow. She is barefoot, and just as colorful as the pastoral scenery she adorns. The camera moves in closer to capture the classic beauty of Mary Kate, who at that point delivers a very uninhibited glance of obvious interest in the tall stranger. This is a very "earthy" and savored scene in the movie, and again, employs Ford's belief that more can be said in a single glance than in pages of dialogue. Sean views her image in disbelief, "Is she real? She couldn't be!"
Seeing her in Mass the next day would confirm to Sean that she was indeed very real and he bids her an eager "good morning." Shocked by Sean's impropriety of offering Mary Kate Holy Water from his hand, Michaeleen scolds him.."And who taught you to be playing patty fingers in the Holy Water?" This would be the beginning of Michaeleen's companionship and education of Sean to the Irish culture and tradition. Undaunted, Sean was quite happy to learn that this lovely lass was single and once he was settled he could pursue her in earnest. His mission in returning to Ireland was now enhanced by the burning desire to have this gorgeous vision for his own. Sean would soon learn, however, that his purchase of the cottage where he was born "White O'Mornin" would put him at odds with none other than Red Will Danaher, Mary Kate's boorish brother (Victor McLaglen). Apparently Will had wanted to buy the property for many years from the owner, the wealthy Widow Tillane. Having long been smitten with the widow, Will fancied the property "adjacent to me own" would put him closer to marriage with her. Will is enraged when the widow sells it to Sean.
The conflict begins in earnest when Sean has a confrontation with Will in the local pub. The angry Will proclaims his disdain for this intruder from America and the warning "Stay away from my sister Mary Kate...she's not for the likes of you." This is the beginning of a series of cultural shocks for Sean. With sleeping bag in hand, Sean makes his way to the cottage (at that point a rather hollow, lonely victory). The scene is cloaked in intensity as the evening breeze becomes almost a gale with deep green shadows and trees bending from the force of the wind. As he nears the cottage Sean notices smoke curling from the chimney and a dim light from within. He approaches and enters cautiously, and upon seeing a fire in the hearth and a broom lying near a pile of leaves, he realizes he has surprised his mysterious visitor who must hiding. In an attempt to flush out the intruder, Sean pitches an object through a window, and Mary Kate comes running towards the door. She is barely outside of the door when Sean reaches for her, and with effortless ease and grace, pulls her back into the cottage. For a brief moment she is struggling at arms length to break his hold on her. Then, in perfect timing, as the wind from the open door whips her hair and clothing about her, Sean reels her in, slamming her against him, bending her backwards, and kissing her passionately. She is seemingly a willing participant until she gathers her wits about her and then she lets fly with a powerful swing at him (a blow that is blocked by Sean's hand) - her tone of voice is fierce "It's a bold one you are - and who gave you leave to me kissin me?"
(This scene is unquestionably one of the most sensual in cinema history and yet is puzzling that it seldom used in retrospectives of great Hollywood love scenes). The conversation that follows between Mary Kate and Sean after this explosion of passion is very thoughtful with a delicate kindness. He tells Mary Kate honestly and simply "There are some things a man doesn't get over so easy"..."like what supposin?" she inquires. "Like the sight of a girl coming through the fields with the sun on her hair, kneeling in church with a face like a saint,...and now coming to a man's house to clean it for him." She quickly assures him, "That was just my way of being a good Christian act." "I know it was Mary Kate, and that was nice of you." Like most of the conversations between Kate and Sean in this film, there was a wonderful kind of telepathy between them that was a mixture of desire and respect. That passionate embrace was in part, a very uninhibited introduction to this gorgeous creature, yet Sean knew he had to proceed with very carefully. Mary Kate was equally cautious since that embrace alone had already broken strict Irish Catholic proprieties relating to matters of love and courtship. It is, however, Mary Kate, who boldly initiates a quick "kiss of approval" as she runs into the night, running across the field, bracing against the strong winds that seem to be trying push her back.
Though encouraged by his meeting with Mary Kate, Sean is still fraught with frustration as he tries to understand why Kate's brother refuses to allow him to court his sister over something as insignificant as his purchase of "White O'Mornin." However, with the help of Father Lonergan and Michaeleen Oge Flynn, they convince the rowdy Will Danaher that if he married off his sister then the widow Tillane would be more apt to welcome his romantic advances towards matrimony. Soon Will reluctantly relents and the formal courtship of Mary Kate begins.
The whole village gathers after Sunday Mass to send off the courting couple in the horse and trap under the watchful of the matchmaker, Michaeleen Oge Flynn. "Uh uh, no patty fingers if you please. From now on they'll do the walkin and the talking under me own eye." Seated on opposite side of the cart, Sean is more than a little uncomfortable with his Irish tradition. "In America I'd just honk and the girl would come running." The spirited side of Mary Kate is punctuated with her retort, "I'm no woman to be honked at and come a'runnin!"
The scenes that follow as the very bored couple break away from Michaeleen's watchful eye, reveal a youthful, vibrant side to Sean and Mary Kate. She sheds her hosiery to run across a stream and removes her hat, and Sean symbolically tosses his hat across a field. Now they are ready to relax. They have already broken some very major rules in their courtship and as Sean tells her he is just about to kiss her, nature unleashes a thunderstorm. The embrace of the two rain soaked lovers in an Irish Cemetery with Celtic symbols looming about them, is sizzling. (Again, this is a clinch that would rival any in cinema history on the sensuality scale).
"And so they were married"...and the audience would hope our lovers would live quite happily ever after. Not just yet. Now the real conflict begins. The reality of the meaning of a "dowry" is about to befall the new bridegroom. At the wedding reception, after signing the necessary papers that seals the marriage and presents the money portion of the dowry (this ritual proves most embarrassing to Sean making him feel like his wife is a article to purchase); Will Danaher, in typical boorish fashion and without first consulting the widow, delivers an eloquent speech about the necessity of women in the home and concludes by asking her "When will the happy day be Sarah...?" A very shocked widow Tillane storms from the house, leaving Will seething and feeling betrayed by his friends who assured him getting Mary Kate married would pave the way for the widow to be his wife. "Yah got her by debauchery...but here's one thing you won't get..." and with that Will sweeps the coins off the table with his massive hand. Mary Kate frantically tries to retrieve the coins and Sean appalled and embarrassed by the whole situation, knocks the coins from her hand. Will unleashes a blow to Sean, knocking him unconscious during which time he has a flashback of the night in the ring that he accidentally killed his boxing opponent. When he regains consciousness his reason for never fighting again is renewed, and he takes his bride to their cottage.
This is the point in the film where Sean will meet another obstacle that he simply does not understand. Forget the romantic wedding night. His bride is in tears lamenting that her furniture and dowry money which are rightfully hers, are not with her. "There three hundred years of happy dreamin in those things...and I want them!" Despite his gentleness, Mary Kate informs him...if she doesn't have her things safe about her...he doesn't have any part of her, and she retreats to the bedroom, with a final piercing "bolting" of the door. Pushed to the limit, Sean kicks the door in and grabbing his wife in a very rough embrace says, "There'll be no locks or bolts between us Mary Kate, except those in your own mercenary little heart." This kiss is rough and angry, and Mary Kate begins to respond when Sean scoops her up in his arms and tosses her on their marriage bed and leaves her there, sobbing. Sean cannot understand that dowry means more to her than the money - it is her independence - her identity. In turn, she does not know about Sean's experience in the boxing ring and can't understand why he isn't man enough to fight her brother for the dowry. Mary Kate is placated somewhat when Michaeleen and friends show up the next day with a load of her furniture, which they managed to talk Will out of (but not her 350 pounds of gold dowry).
Mary Kate refusing to consummate her marriage until she has all of her dowry is a very intense and significant infraction of her Church. Not fulfilling the sacrament of marriage vows goes against everything she believes. This one kind of cancels all the dowry problems - it's a real biggee in any Catholic church, Irish or otherwise. This demonstrates the strength and determination of our Mary Kate Danaher who proves to be just as stubborn as her brother. What is so sad, however, is how very much she loves her husband. Resigning himself to the situation, Sean works about their land and is still gentle and kind to the woman he loves, even if he doesn't understand her motives. Mary Kate now has the greatest guilt of all. Fortunately after a series of events that allows Sean to reveal his secret to the Rev. Playfair, and a quick roadside confession to Father Lonergan for Mary Kate, the marriage is consummated. It is a beautiful scene with a glowing hearth illuminating the room. Very few words are spoken as Mary Kate humbly asks his forgiveness simply by sitting on the arm of his chair and putting her face next to his. Still staring into the fire, Sean lifts her arm and places it about his neck. Just before the fade-to-black, you can see him squeeze her hand gently.
That scene of love and compromise is so poignant and so meaningful that the rousing events that follow, are almost anticlimactic. Sean awakens the next morn, happy, and obviously very satisfied, when he learns from Michaeleen that his wife has left him. "She's gone from you....She loves you too much to go on livin with a man she's ashamed of." When Sean learns she's taking the next train to Dublin he cracks. Now he knows that his wife is worth fighting for?
The historical retrieval of Mary Kate from the train and the hearty line of Forbes, the IRA man as he announces..."He's walkin her back....the whole long way!" is what most people remember the most about the film. Sean indeed drags Mary Kate back the 5 miles from Castletown to a field where Will Danaher is working with his field crew (also present are many of the townspeople who followed Sean on his mission). Sean demands the 350 pounds, Will at first refuses and then Sean says..."That ends all bargains...you can have your sister back." With that he tosses Mary Kate roughly at Will's feet and then, sensing her humiliation, Will tosses him the money. Sean picks it up and Mary Kate swiftly opens the door to the thrasher, Sean hesitates and moment, he tosses the money into the fire, and putting his arms on his wife's shoulders, they walk away. Their dramatic exit is interrupted by a resounding blow to Sean from Will, and the rest if history. "Cinema History." Of all the tender and sensual scenes in this film, it's the donny brook that is the most lauded and remembered. It is a friendly, but raucous fight with the Irish taking bets on these two very formidable opponents. Taking a little break from the fisticuffs in a pub, Will admitted "Yah know yank, I've taken quite a likin to yuz." He continues "Yer widow, me sister.....coulda done a lot worse." The fight resumes and dissolves to a happy scene of the newly bonded brothers-in-law, totally inebriated, staggering home at sundown, singing happily.
The ending is happy, and we see Will beginning the courting session with the now happily compliant Widow Tillane. The most uplifting and heartwarming scene has to be the healthy, happy smiling faces of Mary Kate and Sean, waving to courting couple from the stream in front of their cottage. Mary Kate touches Sean's shoulders, whispers something in his ear, he grins in appreciation and turns to follow her and she runs toward the cottage. In the distance you can see him catch up to her...she pulls away, and he catches her again, and their figures disappear into the fairy tale from which they came and the viewer reluctantly must close the book.
Maureen has revealed that director Ford gave her a line to whisper to John Wayne and she was sworn to secrecy never to tell anyone...ever. She was hesitant saying, "I can't say that to Duke!" Likewise, Wayne was also told never to reveal what she whispered. Apparently it was shocking enough that she has no trouble keeping it under raps, even today.
Like any film, "The Quiet Man" has its flaws, but in it's entirety it is such a joy. Thankfully it will always be on the shelf in video form to retrieve when we crave a special romantic treat to warm our hearts and bring a smile to our lips. "The Quiet Man"..a rare gift in cinema that will live forever.
More pictures and some 'Behind the Scenes' tales.....