Konterr
Brilliant and touching
Tyreece Hulme
One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.
Phillida
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
Mark Turner
One of my all-time favorite movies is THE QUIET MAN. If I happen to see it on TV my fingers release the remote and I'm captured by the story all over again. It is perhaps one of John Wayne's best films as well as perhaps the best film by director John Ford. And it's not even a western! If you've never seen the film it's the story of Sean Thornton (Wayne) who returns to the small village in Ireland where he grew up as a child to purchase the home he grew up in. Met by Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald) he isn't recognized but they soon become friends. Michaleen is basically the cab driver in town with his horse and carriage as well as a matchmaker of sorts.That comes into play when Sean catches a glimpse of Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara). Call it love at first sight the two are attracted by social customs of the time being what they are aren't allowed to meet. A bigger problem arises after Sean purchases his home to the dismay of Squire "Red" Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), Mary Kate's brother who wanted the property for himself.When the town conspires to unite the young couple by tricking Will his anger takes over and he attempts to block their getting together. They do and eventually marry but Will refuses to pay Sean Mary Kate's dowry. While Sean could care less Mary Kate refuses to sleep with him until he takes care of the matter.What the townsfolk don't know, with one exception, is that Sean has refused to fight for a reason. When that final straw breaks the camel's back and he's had enough he changes his tune. All of this leads to a final showdown between the two men and one of the longest fight sequences ever put on film.The movie is a delight to watch over and over again. The performances are amazing to watch with all involved, from the smallest to largest roles, creating believable characters that you get mad at, laugh at and love by the end of the film. There are no truly small roles here.Ford creates not just a story but a setting that was familiar to him and the way he forms the combination of location and tale being told make it a location you'd love to visit. He brings his old Irish home to life for all to see and enjoy. The film is glorious to look at with some breathtaking scenery shot on location.With the numerous versions of this film released over the years why talk about it now and why discuss buying this latest edition? That's because Olive Films has come up with one of the best presentations of the film to date. As a part of their Signature Series the film has been mastered from a 4k scan of the original negative, offering the cleanest look the film has ever had.It also includes some interesting extras as well. Those include an audio commentary with John Ford biographer Joseph McBride, a tribute to Maureen O'Hara with Ally Sheedy, Hayley Mills, and Juliet Mills, DON'T YOU REMEMBER IT SEAN?: JOHN FORD AND THE QUIET MAN a visual essay by historian and John Ford expert Tag Gallagher, FREE REPUBLIC: THE STORY OF HERBERT J. YATES AND REPUBLIC PICTURES, THE OLD MAN: REMEMBERING JOHN FORD an appreciation of the director with Peter Bogdanovich and THE MAKING OF THE QUIET MAN written and hosted by Leonard Maltin.This is not just a movie to pick up and watch casually but one to enjoy over and over again. You'll find yourself cheering at the screen by the final sequence. You'll witness a beautiful love story filled with romance and a touch of humor. And you'll get to see one of the best movies ever made.
Leofwine_draca
THE QUIET MAN is an unusual John Ford/John Wayne collaboration in that it isn't a western; for a change, it's a broad comedy with a backdrop of Irish characters, charting the misadventures of a punch-drunk boxer who falls in love and makes a ferocious rival in the process. I suppose it might have been funny, once, but alas, no longer, at least not for this viewer. I found the humour long-winded and belaboured and the slow pace and lengthy running time a dual assault on the viewer's senses. Wayne is reliably droll and amusing and Victor McLaglen is consistently larger-than-life, but the rest of the film just feels slow and unfocused.
zkonedog
If you ask most people alive today what the "legacy" of actor John Wayne will forever be, they will most likely respond "a swaggering, confident cowboy who always defeated the bad guys and rode off into the sunset". Though a good portion of his films (Rio Bravo, El Dorado, The Sons of Katie Elder, etc.) followed that very theme, the Duke's REAL legacy is the nuanced roles he played so well, not the standard Western fare.Just think back to some of Wayne's best screen performances and what types of characters he played: -Red River (Thomas Dunson; threatens to kill his adoptive son) -The Searchers (Ethan Edwards; nearly murders his little niece in cold blood) -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Tom Doniphon; a psychological mess by the end of the film) -True Grit (Rooster Cogburn; a tottering old drunk who, at times, can hardly stay on his horse)Clearly, Wayne actually thrived as an actor when not stereotyped as the heroic cowboy, and his performance in "The Quiet Man" only serves to advance that sentiment.In "Quiet Man", Wayne plays Sean Thornton, a seemingly retiring fellow who is returning to his hometown of Innisfree in Ireland. While there, he meets the woman of his dreams, Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara), and tries to start a new life for himself after being disgraced in the United States as a boxer who killed a fellow pugilist in the ring. However, Thornton quickly discovers that the courting customs in Innisfree are radically different from those in the States, as he must first persuade Mary Kate's brother, Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), to give up his sister's hand in marriage.While that brief plot description above pretty much describes the gist of the film, leaving it at that would be like saying The Searchers was just about cowboys and Indians. In typical John Ford (director) fashion, this film is filled with nuances that can only be caught after multiple viewings. Whether it be Wayne's reactions to the extremely odd dating rituals, or the strange characters he meets while getting reacquainted with Innisfree, Ford fills the picture with all kinds of little trivialities and inside jokes.Not only that, but the acting and music in this film are spectacular. Wayne and O'Hara turn in what some may consider to be their strongest acting performances every (or, at the very least, their strongest together), while the rest of the cast is full of funny and interesting characters. Add to that an incredible score that captures the Irish roots of the film, and you really do have a film for the ages. By the time Sean Thornton makes his trip through town in advance of his final confrontation with Will Danaher, you will be rooting him on every step of the way.Some time ago, my Dad started a tradition of viewing "The Quiet Man" once a year...on (or very near) St. Patrick's Day, in keeping with the film's Irish bend. I was a participant in that annual tradition not too long ago, and let's just say that I will be continuing it into the future.
stackja
For John Ford a triumph.As the Academy Awards, USA 1953 bears witness.John Wayne, a wonderful performance, as in all his films.Maureen O'Hara, as ever great.John Ford favorites, Victor McLaglen and Ward Bond give good support.Barry Fitzgerald just the right character for the role.And as does Arthur Shields And Ken Curtis in a small role.I note various negative opinions.Seems not everyone likes this film.This movie is one of my favorites since the 1950s.If one accepts it as intended, it is perfect.
