The Quiet Man

The Quiet Man has become the cinematic standard-bearer for Saint Patrick’s Day, much like A Christmas Story is for Christmas and The 10 Commandments is for Easter. There are plenty of movies about Ireland and the Irish, but The Quiet Man is the leader of the pack simply because it is a great film.

When the film came out in 1952, both director John Ford and star John Wayne had cemented their roles as Hollywood icons. However, this film had the studio executives nervous because it strayed off the path of success that the two Johns had blazed. Instead of a fast-paced western, we had an easy-going romantic dramedy set in a bucolic Irish village. The studio people had nothing to worry about; The Quiet Man was a hit, earning several Oscar nominations, and securing a spot as America’s most beloved film about the Irish.

This is one of my favorite films, and this is the kind of movie I think of when people say “they don’t make them like they used to.” The Quiet Man defies easy classification: it’s not a romantic comedy, even though there is a love story and plenty of laughs. It’s not an action movie either, even though the film ends with one of Hollywood’s most classic brawls. The Quiet Man is just a terrific film, period. John Ford knows how to tell a story, how to shoot a film (the Irish landscape looks fantastic), and how to fill out a cast. Maureen O’Hara gives a career-defining performance as the fiery Mary Kate Danaher. John Ford also gets top-quality performances out of his stable of regular character actors: Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen, and most notably, Barry Fitzgerald. And for those people out there who think that Duke Wayne couldn’t act, this is the film to see to change your mind. John Wayne does a great job with his role, deftly jumping from humor to pathos to righteous anger. You don’t have to be Irish to like this film, and you don’t even have to watch it around Saint Paddy’s Day to enjoy it. But if you haven’t seen The Quiet Man yet, do yourself a favor and watch this true Hollywood classic.