The Quiet Man (1952)

A man arrives in an Irish village. He's come from America, returned to find peace in the old sod, the land of his ancestors. He's a big man, solid and strong, but he carries in his soul a haunting secret.

Sean Thornton, played by John Wayne, soon sets his eye on the red-haired beauty, Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara) but her brother Will "Red" Danaher (Victor McLaglen) will have none of it. If Mary Kate weds Thornton, the penny-pinching Danaher will lose a free housekeeper. The village matchmaker, Michaleen Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald), comes to the rescue. Using a heavy dose of mischievous guile, he arranges and supervises the courtship between the couple.

The Quiet Man centers around the fiery relationship between the steady Sean and the tempestuous Mary Kate. John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara will star together in four movies, but none are quite so filled with passion as The Quiet Man. The chemistry between the couple is magnetic, and powerful.

The film sparkles with the delightful townsfolk of Innisfree. Their wit and wisdom may be stereotypically Irish, but what a wonderful stereotype they are. Background music flows with the melodies of many old Irish songs. The award-winning cinematography is vivid. Filmed in the village of Cong in County Mayo, the scenery is as lush and green as all Ireland.

The Quiet Man is a drama, a romance, and a delicious romp. It grabs hold, painting smiles. While it may portray a fantasy of an early 20th century Irish village, it's one you'll want to relive each and every St. Patrick's Day.

The Quiet Man earned seven Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars in 1952 - John Ford for Director (his fourth Oscar), and Winston Hoch and Archie Stout for Cinematography, Color.

The Quiet Man (1952)
Directed by John Ford
Story by Maurice Walsh (short story "Green Rushes")
Screenplay by Frank S. Nugent