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The Quiet Man

The Quiet Man

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Heart, humor, and warmth, I love it.
Review: Okay, here we go. I've loved all things Irish for several years now, and this film quickly joined the ranks of my favorites even though I was not expecting it to, but there you have it. After all, I mostly knew John Wayne courtesy of old Western movies, and usually I don't like those kinds of things. This movie taught me to take another look at things I may not like and give them a chance. I grew QUICKLY to LOVE this movie. What else can I say? The location photography in Ireland is lovely. The DVD transfer undoubtedly helps this. It lets you see Ireland alive in all her resplendent glory, the way God intended her to be seen. The music is lively in some places and poignant in many as well. The little touches like men almost constantly singing in the bar and during the wedding sequence, to me captured greatly just how deeply music and song is embedded in the hearts, souls and blood of Ireland's people.

Then there is the humor and warmth. Plenty of genuinely funny moments (such as a priest battling so passionately to catch a fish, the "bed-breaking" moment and many more), and warmth. Wayne's character is made welcome almost instantly upon coming to Ireland to escape his inner demons. Welcome, that is by all people except one.

I'd like to touch on something here. To me, the romance and love story in this was done brilliantly. It is passionate and romantic without being lewd or explicit. Also, to me in some places it's downright funny (Mr. Flynn trying to be suave when talking to Mary Kate about Sean when he's clearly drunk, and in trying to make sure that Sean and Mary Kate behave themselves later on). It may seemed rushed to some, but not to me. After all that IS how courting in Ireland and many places used to be done.

So there you have it. A beautiful-looking film that is acted splendidly. There is music to touch the ears and soul and the heart as well with joy and longing and beauty. There is nice sweet romance without lewd things cluttering it up. And, lest we forget, all this is capped by one of the best donnybrooks (a massive and often hillarious fistfight between Sean Thornton and "Red" Will Danaher) that was ever caught on film.

Well, what else can I tell you. I love this. Give it a chance, you just might love it too. Peace, and God bless you and yours, always.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Terrific movie, lousy picture quality
Review: This movie was one of John Ford's most personal, and he struggled to find the funding to do it since the studios saw this as "just another love story". "The Quiet Man" is a fantastic love story, with wonderful scenes (the famous "windy kiss"), classic lines, and snappy humor.

Be warned, however, that even in the "Collector's Edition" DVD, the picture quality is terrible, especially if compared with the restored "Singin' in the Rain", which was released the same year. It is grainy and sometimes blurry, and the color vacillates in intensity. Compared with other Special or Collector's Edition DVDs of classic movies, this one was truly a disappointment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I know Ireland
Review: A long time ago in the 60's my mother and father brought me home to Ireland. In fact, to the place where much of The Quiet Man was filmed, Cong, County Mayo. At the time, was born in me a fire for my heritage and home, this movie captures the traditions of the people and essence of what was Ireland. This is a mystical journey of a poor and proud people, their country and what is important to their lives. I wish that today's Ireland was the same as it was in the movie. This is my number one movie of all time, it takes me home. Enjoy this movie with the enchantment, spirit and delight by which it was filmed, written and admired by the many Irish that feel the same as I.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: This is not the Ireland I know...
Review: Quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. John Wayne as Sean Thornton is not a likable character in this film, in fact he is detestable. And such stereotypes! Maureen O'Hara plays the fiery redheaded Mary Kate Dannaher who has the worst temper imaginable. Has anyone who liked this film actually been to Ireland? My guess is no, because the film bears no resemblance to actual Irish life, regardless of the era. My advice, pass it by...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Probably the best ever film to watch over&over
Review: I know Ireland (not Wales you indocumented reviewer...) IS'NT LIKE THAT, but who cares, if it was we will be migrating there instead as the oposite.
A Family Film in the TRUE sense of entertainment. We have watched it so many times (and probably will do again, mind it seems to be one of those we all agree on...).
The plot is simple but not quite so... Boy meets girl... but also must fight his brother! (?), really the script and all the cast are perfect.
One of the best Ford films ever, and well yes he is my favorite director anyway... (Sorry Spielberg and the rest...).
A seven star film really.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: ARTISAN SHOULD KEEP QUIET OVER ANNOUNCING SPECIAL EDITIONS
Review: "The Quiet Man" is a tender story of a newcomer to a Welsh village. It stars John Wayne, in a rare tender performance opposite one of his best co-stars - the lovely and luminous, Maureen O'Hara.
Aside: I first saw this movie on late night television, some fifteen years ago. It looked as though it were fed through a meat grinder. I next had the opportunity to view, what was then billed as a restored version of, this movie during the early 1990's. While there was a marked improvement in the quality of the print shown on the big screen it remained an evident fact that much more work was required to get this movie looking right. So when Artisan Home Entertainment announced a completely remastered collector's edition, my heart lept. I was, after all, expecting a print that would really knock my socks off.
What I got was a DVD that looks more like my memory of the original television broadcast than the theatrical experience. "The Quiet Man" looks awful. There's no polite way to critique the excessively soft, blurry and dull image quality presented throughout. Colors are poorly balanced with inconsistant flesh tones. Black and contrast levels are so poorly realized that I can't deduce whether the staff at Artisan actually did some restoration work or are just trying to bluff the consumer into repurchasing this film on DVD. Regardless, this is the worst looking DVD experience I've had in a long while. The audio is mono, strident and wholly unsatisfying. Edge enhancement, pixelization, aliasing and shimmering of fine details are obtrusive and an eye-sore to behold.

Extras: I'll be honest. After sitting through this dismal visual experience I was so disheartened I didn't even get to the extra features. Artisan advertises a documentary and audio commentary as part of the deal. Let's just leave it at that. Although, they did also advertise this DVD as digitally remastered?!?!
BOTTOM LINE: DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: This is such a sweet movie
Review: It uses every Irish cliche...wonderfully. I can re-watch this over and over again. What a lovely movie.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: immensly dissatisfied
Review: The picture quality of this DVD transfer is such an absolute disaster that I feel I should be entitled to get my money back.I am not a rich man and so I don't like throwing my money away on garbage! I will never watch this DVD because it is an eye sore.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: TV Version of a Sweeping Comedy
Review: I cannot believe that they went to all the trouble to restore this classic and then chopped the sides off to make it fit a television screen. I am very disappointed. I checked and "Staying Alive", the John Travolta turkey of all time is available in Wide Screen! Why not The Quiet Man?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Simply Terrific
Review: If you're like me, once you view "The Quiet Man", you will want to take it out each year on St. Patrick's Day and laugh, cry, and revel in it's genius! This may be the best non-western movie that John Ford ever directed, as this is truly a masterpiece. Filmed on location in Ireland, Ford used the beautiful green countryside to frame his story of a former boxer, Shawn Thornton (John Wayne) who leaves America for Ireland after he accidently kills another fighter in the ring. In Ireland, he quickly falls for the bewitching beauty of Mary Kate Dannaher (Maureen O'Hara). Unfortunately for Thornton, he is not aware of the courtship rituals of Ireland! After a plot is hatched by members of the local clergy, Shawn and Mary Kate are finally married. However, there is one more problem, Mary Kate's brother refuses to deliver her dowry and Shawn, disgusted with money in general, refuses to press the issue. Thinking her husband does not care for her and is a coward, Mary Kate decides to leave her husband to shame him. This is the last straw for Shawn and the end of his "quiet-man" ways. The last 30 minutes of the film is a hillarious romp through the contryside, first to retrieve his wife, and second, to fight Mary Kate's brother for the dowry. A marvelous finish it is.

The movie's score is wonderfullly Irish (of course), and I guarantee you will be humming this ditty long after the movie is over.

The main character casting is excellent and unforgettable. Wayne is superb as the American Yank Shawn Thornton, and O'Hara matches him scene for scene as the fiery and fiesty Mary Kate. Their on-screen chemistry is obvious, and it is apparent both actors truly enjoy each others company and work. The supporting cast is superb as well, with Ford gathering his "family" of actors around him to make "The Quiet Man" a movie you will want to own in your film library.


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