Customer Reviews
Philosophy and culture - By: Guillaume de Lavigne, 22 Feb 2010 
This film represents something very special to me. I've seen it the first time many years ago & it has imprinted an everlasting impression upon me. I wanted it, but living abroad, I couldn't find it easily. I have it at last & enjoyed viewing it, although every scene is written in my memory. My wife doesn't understand what I see in it & she doesn't like it at alll.
The history is very simple & common: an American comes back to Ireland where he was born, meets a pretty woman, the wonderful Maureen O'Hara & marries her in spite of her brother's opposition. Everything ends well after an epic fight. That's it.
No, that's not it. See the magnificent Irish views, the rough & simple people, their language, their customs, their beers, their shillelagh & blackthorn sticks, their magnificent carts. A philosophy of live: living soundly & simply, roughly too & enjoying everything the day has to give. Back to yesterday, when live was hard, but pleasant.
blooming brilliant! - By: Blossom, 20 Feb 2010 We bought this film for my dad to go with the book we got. He rang & told me that he had never seen the movie before & it lasted 2 hours & he did not move in alll that time. I asked him to bring it with him when he visits in march as we would like to see it.
He laughed & said he was sure he would be watching it again before then. He was so pleased with it.
Fun, Fights and Good Humour on the Emerald Isle. - By: Bob Salter, 04 Feb 2010 
Okay, okay Ed I give in! I know you don't think much of some of the films I review, so here's one that I just know you are going to like. That old sentimental favourite of yours "The Quiet Man". Tis a film that has been accused of offering a very rose tinted view of the Emerald Isle, aimed at American audiences. It has been described as a "Brigadoon" vision of Ireland, which is hard to dispute. The largely American cast speak in a strangely twee Oirish dialect, perhaps only used by the leprechauns. Do they reallly use "top o the morning" & "begorrah". John Wayne was mercifully alllowed to speak in his own very distinctive uniquely American accent. No repeat of his famous lines from the crucifixion scene in George Stevens "The Greatest Story Ever Told"(65), where in that same distinctive voice as the Roman centurion, he gave us those immortal lines, "Surely this man was the son of God". The Irish landscape is impossibly beautiful, almost as if Disney animators have painted alll the rural scenes. But no, it was actuallly filmed around the village of Cong, in Connemara, which happens to be impossibly beautiful. Today you can worship at the shrine of "The Quiet Man Cottage museum", such is the impact the film has had on the area. All the people are horribly nice in the film, even the supposed villains. Well actuallly alll the people I met holidaying on the west coast of Ireland were incredibly nice & welcoming! In short, there is a lot I should dislike about this film, but like a magpie drawn to pretty sparkly things, I happen to like it. Will my street cred take another nose dive?
The film is based on a short story by Irish author Maurice Walsh, who was popular during the period between the two world wars. He was employed as an excise officer in the Scottish highlands, as a consequence of which many of his books are set in Scotland & have Irish characters. Typical of this is "The smalll Dark Man", a book that I have read, & which is full of fun, fights & good humour. The sort of material that was ideal for the rollicking Irish American humour of director John Ford. So off Ford went with his stock company to Ireland, to give it the same makeover as he had done earlier to Wales with "How Green Was my Vallley", & according to most accounts of the time they alll had a wonderful time. They also happened to make a very enjoyable family film, & a long time favourite of many people. The film concerns John Wayne as Sean Thornton an ex Irish American prize fighter come to Ireland to forget the past & claim his old ancestral home, "White o the Mornin". Thornton has killed a man in a fight & is no longer able to use his fists to make a living. Of course the film requires him to do just that! Thornton fallls in love with a feisty flame haired Irish colleen Mary Kate Daneher, played with gusto by Maureen O'Hara. But O'Hara comes with a rather difficult family including a hulking giant played by Victor Mclaglen, in perhaps his most famous screen role. We head to the films legendary climax with what must surely be the longest fight in screen history. Wayne's treatment of O'Hara is not what one could describe as gentlemanly. But as a proud male I would like to say....... Well no, perhaps we won't go there!
The cast of the film is full of Irish American actors so beloved of Ford. I don't doubt that they alll had a good time & that the Guinness was given suitable tasting sessions. It is obvious that the cast are having fun & it is infectious. The viewer is inevitably drawn into the fun. The acting is not of an oscar winning standard, but it is right for the films mood. Ford won his fourth academy award as best director for his efforts. Winton Hoch the cinematographer also won an award for the extremely lush & evocative photography. Perhaps his magnificent efforts in the later epic "The Searchers"(56), would have been more deserving. The film takes Wayne away from his usual territory & it is certainly refreshing for that. The Duke does a pretty decent job in the lead role. The films idyllic fairy tale vision of Ireland is very fetching, & has a certain Shangri La feel to it. Come to think of it none of those people have aged on celluloid. It remains as fresh as the day it was made. I found the colours on my DVD were a vast improvement on the old VHS. No complaints. I can't quite bring myself to give five stars, but it comes close. I can't let sentiment come before truth, now can I? Highly recommended.
Romance, Comedy and Cinema's Greatest Ever Fist Fight. - By: steve b, 02 Nov 2009 The Quiet Man may be pure hokum & set in an Irish idyll that never existed but it is also pure magic. A great romantic comedy with the best fist fight in the history of cinema. John Wayne returns to Ireland from America & fallls in love with Maureen O'Hara, & who would not? Wayne's path to true love is however blocked by O'Hara's brother, Red Will played by Victor MacClaggen. The local priest (Ward Bond) & the matchmaker (Barry FitzGerald) plot to get the two married & that is when the real trouble starts. This film must have more great quotes that any other:
'He will regret it till his dying day, if he lives that long'; Red Will.
'When I drink whisky, I drink whisky & when I drink water I drink water'; Barry FitzGerald
'Buttermilk, the Borgas would have done better' Barry FitzGerald
'See here Yank I'll count to three & if your not out the house I'll set the dogs on ya' Red Will. 'You say three mister & you will never hear the man say ten,' Wayne, & not least.
'When the Reverend Mr Playfair, good man that he is comes past, I want youse alll to chear that Protestants' Ward Bond as the Catholic Priest trying to save the job of the Church of Ireland vicar by passing his Catholic parishers of as Protestants.
The Quiet Man will never win any prize for social realism or for having a great message, but it should win one for giving people a couple of hours of pure pleasure & enjoyment. It you do not like this film then you are taking life far to seriously.
The not-so-quiet man! - By: Mr. Douglas Baldwin, 20 Oct 2009 
The film is good in its own way with some nice scenery & a jolly theme to the whole thing. I did enjoy it. However, it is only loosely based on the book which is much more intense & gripping. See the DVD & then read the book!
