The Quiet Man (1952) - a St. Patrick's Day twofer!

Sean Thornton - John Wayne

Mary Kate Danaher - Maureen O'Hara

Will Danaher - Victor McLaughlin

Michaleen Oge Flynn - Barry Fitzgerald

Father Lonergan - Ward Bond

A classic St. Patrick's Day movie. Sean Thornton returns to where he was born, Inishfree Ireland to forget his past as a boxer and to return to the roots of his mother. There he finds the fiery red head, Mary Kate. "Oh, that red hair is no lie!" Flynn tells Sean. Unfortunately, she is the younger sister of Will who's temper is hotter than hers.

Thornton ingratiates himself to the village but not to Will Danaher starting when he buys the cottage where he was born by outbidding Danaher. Danaher then refuses to give his sister to Thornton ("This is Ireland Sean, not America. Without her brother's consent, she couldn't and wouldn't marry you.") so the priest, the minister, and others cook up a plan that is sure to get his consent.

As soon as the wedding occurs, Danaher discovers the deception and refuses to give up Mary Kate's dowry. This causes a rift between Sean and Mary Kate before the end of the "quiet little celebration." "Until I've got my dowry safe about me, I'm no married woman. I'm just the servant I've always been. Without anything of my own." she informs her groom.

The dilemma is that Sean has sworn off fighting and the only way to save his marriage is to fight his brother-in-law. He is torn between saving the reputation of his wife and keeping his vow to himself not to fight.

When he determines to fight for his bride (in a culture he does not yet understand), he awakes to find that she has left for Dublin. He rushes to the train station to literally drag her back to return her to her brother. Along the way a crowd gathers to follow them. "Here's a nice stick to beat the little lady" says one very helpful woman. (Side note: the term "rule of thumb" refers to the size of stick that can be used to beat your wife. A pleasant thought.)

Trivia:

The movie is indeed a family affair. Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields (the Protestant vicar Reverand Playfair) are brothers. John Ford's older brother Francis Ford, a well known silent film actor, plays an elderly man who is dying in one scene. In the race scene, the children seen sitting on the cart with Mary Kate are actually John Wayne's children including Patrick Wayne. James O'Hara (Father Paul) and Charles B. Fitzsimmons (Hugh Forbes) were Maureen O'Hara's younger brothers.

There is a great scene where Mary Kate and Father Lornegan are speaking "the Irish" - Gaelic. A pleasant, tuneful language. Another piece of trivia, because of her vibrant red hair, any movie that Maureen O'Hara was in was the one that got use of the Technicolor camera. This film is brilliant with the colorful, lovely scenery of Ireland.