An olde Irish tradition

Original poster art for The Quiet Man featuring illustrations of stars John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. There were many things my Irish grandfather, Frank McCollum, taught me. He taught me to the value of patience. He taught me the joy that comes from spending time with friends and family. He taught me that there were few things more powerful than forgiveness. He also taught me how to fight and the importance of knowing which things are worth fighting for. Best of all, he taught me to love good Irish whisky and John Wayne movies. I think it’s especially fitting, that all those lessons are encapsulated in John Ford’s The Quiet Man which also happened to be my grandfather’s favorite movie.

Growing up, this movie was a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. My parents would drop me off at my grandfather’s before heading out for the evening. After dinner, he would put the old, worn out videotape into the VCR and climb into his equally old and worn out recliner. I would jump up on the couch and quickly get caught up in the film as my imagination took me off to a Technicolor land of rolling hills and lyrical accents.

The Quiet Man stars John Wayne as Sean Thorton, an Irish-American boxer who has returned to the Emerald Isle to reclaim his family farm in the small village of Innisfree. Unassuming and friendly, Thorton quickly wins over the residents save one, “Red” Will Danaher. Complications arise when Thorton falls in love with Danaher’s sister, Mary Kate. What follows seems less like a straight-forward movie and more like a series of episodes. You have Sean meeting Mary Kate. You have him building friendships with the townsfolk. You have Red trying to buy Sean’s property. You have the townsfolk furnishing Sean and Mary Kate’s home. You have Red trying to woo a rich widow. Most importantly, you have one of the greatest fight scenes ever recorded on film (more on this later).

John Ford won the Best Director Oscar in 1952 for this film, and justifiably so. It’s beautiful and, in my opinion, stands up just as well today as the first time I saw it. By shooting in Ireland, Ford took advantage of the vibrant countryside and rich local color.

The cast included several talented Irish and Irish American actors alongside Wayne including Victor McLagen as Danaher (a role which would earn him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor) and Maureen O’Hara as Mary Kate. In fact, it’s the chemistry between O’Hara and Wayne that drives a good deal of the story. This seems obvious when you consider the two starred in five films together.

I could go on forever singing the praises of The Quiet Man, but we would be here all day. Instead, let me point out (or in some cases reiterate) a few reasons why it’s so great. There’s John Wayne, the Duke, leading a romantic comedy opposite Maureen O’Hara. If you have ever seen the two opposite each other then you know what a treat this is. If you haven’t, I recommend a double feature of this and McClintock! You won’t be disappointed.

Another important aspect of The Quiet Man is its respect for the Emerald Isle. It is an American film about Ireland filmed in Ireland utilizing Irish actors, Irish music, and the actual Irish language. This is pretty uncommon today, let alone in 1952. You have an “idealized” Irish society with Protestants and Catholics living in harmony (the priest and the minister are drinking buddies.) While obviously unrealistic, it warms the heart of anyone familiar with “the Troubles.”

Finally, there’s the fight scene I mentioned earlier. It. Is. Epic. Seriously, this thing goes on so long, the fighters actually stop at the pub for a round of drinks in the middle of it. Watching the two combatants wail on each other across the entire village is a sight to behold. The only fight scene that can even come close is the one between “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Keith David in John Carpenter’s They Live (which, by the way, will be the subject of a column soon. Here’s a preview: Watch the movie!)

As I’ve gotten older, my St. Patrick’s Day traditions have changed quite a bit. And while I don’t go out and celebrate (to put it mildly) the way I did in my early twenties, I’ll still hit the pub and hoist a few pints with the lads. However, the one constant from my childhood to this day is The Quiet Man. Regardless of where I am in the world or what stage my life is in, every March 17 I will set a couple of hours aside to remember my grandfather and all the lessons he taught me by watching his (and one of my) favorite films. Slainte.

On a slightly related note, if you’re looking for a soundtrack to your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, check out the album, Almost Irish by Ceann. You’ll love it. Questions, comments, concerns, and insults can be sent to postcritic@hotmail.com. Erin Go Bragh!