The Quiet Man

John Ford didn't just direct westerns, apparently he also made some veritable dramas. Judging by The Quiet Man, he favored the type of drama that was about as subtle as your average western. I'm not really sure how Ford envisioned this romance to turn out, but if he purposely wanted to spend two hours with a dreadful couple, then this film was a big success.

Thornton returns to his home village after a long stay in the US. There he runs into Mary Kate, a fierce and headstrong woman who puts Thornton to work when he tries to court her. Thornton carries a dark secret with him though, a past he has been outrunning without too much success.

The performances are laughable. Wayne's contorted face is a hoot, Maureen O'Hara acts as if she was cast for a silent film. The plot is utterly simple, neither the drama, romance nor the comedy ever hit home and the runtime is ridiculous. The Quiet Man is a hopelessly outdated film, best to forget this one as quickly as possible.