| QUIET MAN, THE | ||||
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| Released 1952 | 129 minutes | |||
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Setting: Innisfree, Ireland in 1952 Main Characters: Sean Thornton, Mary Kate Danaher, Michaleen Flynn, Father Peter Longergan, Red Will Danaher, Sarah Tillane, Reverend Cyril Playfair, Tobin Contains nothing offensive Produced by John Ford and Merian C. Cooper for Republic Pictures Screenplay by Frank S. Nugent and Maurice Walsh Music: Victor Young DVD Information: "Making of" Featurette Special Categories: Small Towns; Irish People; True Love; Coming Home; Relationships; Battle of the Sexes; Tradition; Boxing; Tough Guys Academy Awards® Best Director - John Ford Color Cinematography - Winton C. Hoch and Archie Stout Academy Award® Nominations: Best Picture Best Supporting Actor - Victor McLaglen Best Screenplay - Frank S. Nugent Color Art Direction - Frank Hotaling Color Set Decoration - John McCarthy, Jr. and Charles Thompson Sound Recording - Daniel J. Bloomberg This is my favorite John Wayne movie -- it has a good story, the acting is superb, the characters are true to life, the directing is excellent, and the beautiful Technicolor photography is a feast for the eyes. Director John Ford called it "the sexiest picture ever made." It is certainly one of the finest. THE QUIET MAN opens with "rich American", Sean Thornton (John Wayne), returning home to Innisfree, Ireland, the place of his birth. On the outskirts of the village he notices Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara), in a green pasture herding a small flock of sheep with the sun shining on her beautiful red hair. Sean finds that coming home to buy his family home, find a wife, and settle down is an uphill struggle. I enjoyed watching John Wayne try to court Mary Kate while under the close supervision of Michaleen Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald). If you like romantic movies, Irish characters, comical conflicts between rich and poor, man and woman, and tradition and modern ways, give this one a try. It has perhaps the best "friendly" fist fight of any movie (John Wayne stood at 6'4", and Victor McLaglen was 6'5" tall). This one sparkles from beginning to end! Highly recommended. Part of my personal DVD collection. 
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