Everything Irish

John Ford's The Quiet Man celebrates one of Hollywood's most romantic and enduring epics, winner of two Oscars, including Best Director. The first American feature to be filmed in Ireland's picturesque countryside, Ford (whose real name was Sean O'Feeney) richly imbued this masterpiece with his love of Ireland and its people. Sean Thornton (John Wayne) is an American who swears off boxing after accidentally killing an opponent. Returning to the Irish town of his birth, he finds happiness when he falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara). Though he is sorely tempted to pick up the gloves against her brother, the town bully, Sean is determined not to use his fists. Mary Kate and Sean wed but her brother refuses to pay the dowry. Sean would rather walk away than accept this challenge. Even when his wife accuses him of cowardice, Sean stands firm. But when she boards a train to leave, he is finally ready to take matters into his own hands. The resulting fist-fight erupts into the longest brawl ever filmed, followed by one of the most memorable reconciliations in motion picture history!