The man may be quiet, but the film speaks loud and clear

John Ford is known for his unforgettable westerns, no doubt. But he also distinguished himself as a master director of films featuring Irish and Welsh characters, most notably with "The Quiet Man," which CineVerse examined last evening. Here are the main takeaways:

HOW IS JOHN WAYNE’S CHARACTER AND PERFORMANCE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FILMS—IS THIS A DIFFERENT SIDE OF JOHN WAYNE THAN YOU’RE USED TO?

·         We expect a dominating, strong, wisecracking male character that we’ve seen him play previously.

·         Instead, he shows hints of quiet, reserved tenderness, and wistfulness.

HOW WAS THE QUIET MAN A DEPARTURE FOR JOHN FORD THE DIRECTOR, WHO WAS KNOWN FOR FILMS LIKE STAGECOACH, GRAPES OF WRATH, SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON, RIO GRANDE AND OTHERS?

·         This film is much more romantic and sexually charged than his previous pictures.

·         “The Quiet Man” is much more sentimental and comedic than Ford’s previous works.

·         There is great sexual tension, romantic chemistry and power struggle between Wayne and O’Hara: a brilliant pairing.

DOES THE FILM CARRY A PRO FEMINIST MESSAGE TODAY, OR DO YOU SEE THE “QUIET MAN” NOW AS A LAUGHABLY DATED, REPRESSIVELY PATRIARCHAL FILM  TODAY?

·         Their marriage can be viewed as an equal partnership in that her insistence on the dowry and refusal to grant intimacy gives her power.

·         She stands right up to Sean, toe to toe, and tears the stick from his hand he was given to beat her with.

·         She slaps his face when he tries to kiss her.

·         She whispers presumably something naughty in his ear, giving the impression that she enjoys sexual intimacy and communicates what she likes, vs. the expectation that wives were or should be subservient and the assumption that the man should take charge.

·         He kicks in the door, but unlike Gone with the wind, where Rhett has his way with a nonconsensual Scarlett on their wedding night, he spends the night in his sleeping bag.

·         The broken bed scene and the extended fight scene are symbolic of Sean trying to reclaim his honor— they are meant to be scenes of triumph and humor, but today can be viewed as a man dominating or abusing his wife.

·         When he buys her a horse and cart, he lets her drive.

·         Consider that the movie is predominantly shot on location in Ireland and features native Irish actors and Irish citizens as stand-ins, as well as its Hollywood stars – all Irish descendents.

BY THE END OF THE MOVIE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SEAN? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MARY? WHO IS IN THE RIGHT?

IS THE QUIET MAN A CELEBRATION OF IRISH CULTURE OR A CRITICISM OF IT?

·         The film emphasizes a positive spirit of a cohesive community.

·         There is a rich tapestry of music flavored by popular Irish songs.

·         But, the film becomes a comedy of manners as Sean is conflicted by the social mores and traditional customs of Irish courting/marriage.

IS THIS MEANT TO BE A REALISTIC DEPICTION OF 1950S IRELAND, OR AN IRISH TALL TALE?

·         The name “Innisfree” is derived from “The Lake Isle Of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats; it immediately evokes a poetic, imaginative fancy.

·         Many of the supporting characters are stereotypical caricatures: the fight-happy brute, the leprechaun-like imp, the quirky old man, etc.

·         The romantic scenes are highly charged and influence the surroundings — a storm pops up out of nowhere seemingly in response to their passion.

·         It’s as synthetic and artificial as Ford’s idealized American west in his westerns.

·         This was intended as Ford’s homage to what he imagined as a happier, simpler time in the life of his ancestors.

AMERICA AND IRELAND ARE TWO OPPOSING WORLDS TO SEAN; WHAT DOES EACH COUNTRY REPRESENT TO HIM?

·         America stands for romantic love, passion (honk a horn and girl comes running out of the house); Ireland=traditional marriage customs (dowry, honor; you have to fight to win someone’s love).

·         The mystery of Innisfree to Sean is summed up in the question: How can his undeniable romantic passion be halted by mere tradition or custom (as exemplified by Red Will’s refusal to let sister marry him)?

WHAT ROLE DO COLORS PLAY IN THE FILM? ARE ANY PARTICULAR COLORS THEMATIC OR SYMBOLIC?

·         Warm reds and browns symbolize carnal passion.

·         Greens and blues represent tradition, protocol, and customs.

DO YOU RECOGNIZE ANY ELEMENTS OF SHAKESPEARE OR MYTHOLOGY IN THE QUIET MAN?

·         The plot is somewhat similar to “The Taming of the Shrew.”

·         Innisfree has been described as similar to the Forest of Arden in “As You like It.”

·         Critics have compared this film’s humor to the Bard’s “untidy magical comedies,” such as “A Winter’s Tale.”

The story was inspired by a Celtic myth about an epic war between two kingly deities who fought every year for the love of a goddess queen.