Best of the Letter "Q:" The Quiet Man (1952)

The Quiet Man is a pretty good movie.  At first blush it's about a retired American boxer (John Wayne) who returns to the Irish village where he was born and finds love in a fiery redhead (Maureen O'Hara) and an enemy in her brother (Victor McLaglen).  But really this is a movie about understanding (and misunderstandings).  It's about cultural differences that can make huge gaps between people, even those who look alike and speak the same language.

For an example, when a local finds out that Sean (Wayne's character) had relatives in the town in years past, he exclaims "Your grandfather died in Australia, in a penal colony!"  My first reaction was shock at hearing this, thinking that it was a rather tactless thing to point out.  However, upon further reflection I realized it was meant as a badge of honor -this is Ireland we're talking about after all, and it was the British who sent criminals to Australia.

So other misunderstandings abound -about propriety, honor, what a dowry means to the bride, and so on.  We have to learn along with Sean what is expected, and what is regarded as good.

Then there's the good old knock-down, drag-out, bare-knuckled brawl at the end, the one that finally deals with the bad blood and actually draws people together.

There are a few rough spots, mostly having to do with production values.  Director John Ford (one of the best Hollywood has ever seen) had to fight tooth and nail to make this film, one that meant a great deal to him personally.  However, I get the feeling he was constrained by budget and perhaps had his hands tied in a number of ways.  The result is inconsistent greatness.  The outdoor shots are especially great, but many of the sets were not as good, and some shots are so obviously done on a soundstage that they cause a distraction.

But on the whole the film is very good.  Decently written, fun to watch, with good acting and great on location scenery, this is a great one to see.  And in a very limited pool of contenders, it is certainly the best of the letter "Q."

Entertainment: 5/10
Artistic Value: 8/10
Technical Merit: 6/10

Overall: 7/10


Runner up for the letter "Q:"

• Quigley Down Under