Romancefest 2011: The Quiet Man

Here's the second flick in a row with a kind of antiquated "battle of the sexes" plot, this time THE QUIET MAN starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It's one of those older flicks where the romance gets a little bit rapey, which could be okay in certain contexts but comes off as creepy when you know it's from a (slightly) less enlightened age. Don't get me wrong, I understand men are men and women are women and what happens behind closed doors between consenting adults is none of my business. It's just creepy when you get the feeling THE QUIET MAN was meant to be about and for ALL men and ALL women.

All that aside, I still liked it. There were just a couple wince-enducing moments, okay? You know what's weird, though, is that some of those moments were actually the most emotional, effective, and stirring. So, whatever that means.

Wayne stars as (spoiler alert) an ex-boxer with a troubled past. He retires to a small town in Ireland where his family originally hailed from and buys a cottage to hopefully live out the rest of his days in peace. Once there, he becomes friendly with most of the eccentric townsfolk and catches the eye of a local country girl (Maureen O'Hara). Determined to marry the old fashioned girl, Wayne must take the proper steps of courtship which involve getting the blessing of O'Hara's brother (Victor McLaglen). He's reluctant to give his sister up, and, later, there is a struggle over O'Hara's dowery -- Wayne just loves her and is content to have her for a wife, O'Hara is so old fashioned she won't be satisfied and settle down with Wayne until all traditions are observed.

This leads to lots of scenes where O'Hara flashes her fiery temper, and Wayne has to put her in her place as a wife, which is where things get weird. Viewed as a story about a stormy couple who is always fighting, sure, I guess this works. Viewed as a quaint lovers' quarrel you're supposed to kind of wink and nod and laugh at, it's a little creepy. This ranges from the standard "too forceful" Hollywood kiss, to Wayne throwing O'Hara across the room (thus breaking the bed) and even literally dragging her by her coat, across the ground, over the green pastures of Ireland.

Speaking of the green pastures -- that's two strengths of the movie: the beautiful Technicolor, and the picturesque Irish scenery. Most of the movie is done in exteriors, and each location is prettier than the last, whether its a big open field or a cute little town.

The wide array of supporting characters is a plus, as well, especially Barry Fitzgerald, the local matchmaker and sidekick to Wayne who spends most of his screen time totally wasted. I also liked the priest (Ward Bond) and reverand (Arthur Shields) who are almost more into fishing and boxing, respectively, than preaching.

So, THE QUIET MAN isn't without its faults but it's also an entertaining and visually impressive couple of hours. I guess it just depends on how much you get hung up on these little moments of sexism. On one hand, it's a rightfully iconic shot when Wayne pulls a retreating O'Hara through the door by her arm, and forces her into a kiss, the wind blowing at their clothes. On the other, it's a good thing O'Hara happens to be in love with him.