The Quiet Man
Released - August, 1952 
Directed By - John Ford
Starring – John Wayne (Sean Thornton), Maureen O’Hara (Mary Kate Danaher), Barry Fitzgerald (Michaleen Oge Flynn), Ward Bond (Father Peter Lonergan), Victor McLaglen (Squire ‘Red’ Will Danaher).
Description – Irish-American Sean Thornton travels from his home in Pittsburgh to Ireland to reclaim his family’s farm. Sean had just outbid bullying landowner ‘Red’ Will Danaher who had wanted the Thornton land which is adjacent to his.
While Sean and ‘Red’ don’t mix well, ‘Red’s’ beautiful sister Mary Kate has captured Sean’s eye and his heart. Will Danaher refuses to sanction a wedding between the two until tricked into believing that a rich widow wanted to marry him, but only if his sister was out of the house.
Will learns of the trick on his sisters wedding day and refuses to turn over her full dowry. While the dowry means little to Sean, it is very important to Mary Kate as it represents her identity, independence, and pride.
The lack of importance Sean places on the dowry causes Mary Kate to believe his is a coward for not standing up to her brother and she plans on forcing him to confront Will by threatening to leave him. However, there is more than meets the eye in Sean’s apparent lack of interest in the dowry; he is hiding a dark secret.
NOTABLE: This film won two Academy Awards; Best Director (John Ford), and Best Cinematography, Color. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Victor McLaglen), Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color, and Best Sound, Recording.
This motion picture represented a change of pace for the duo of John Ford and John Wayne. Previously, the pair were noted for action pictures and westerns.
The Quiet Man was the only film to receive a Best Picture nomination for Republic Pictures, known for low-budget B-movies.
The Quiet Man (Collector’s Edition)
Tags: 1950's comedy, academy awards, barry fitzgerald, best cinematography, best director, john ford, john wayne, maureen o'hara, oscar nominations, republic pictures, victor mclaglen, ward bond
