As charming and beautifully photographed as this movie is, I suspect it may not be as popular with Irish watchers as with Americans. All the comedy in the movie seems based on the ideas that the Irish (1) drink like fishes; and (2) fight constantly.
Any opinions on this . . .? Hell, the movie may not be commonly seen in Ireland, for all I know.
As a person of Irish descent, I can say that the film is charming AND accurate – at least with respect to my own personal family history …
I’m 1/2 Irish, and I don’t see the movie that way at all. However I do see it as portraying Irish as stubborn to fault, very proud, and standing on principle.
One of my favorite movies. You couldn’t even have a movie like that today, with John Wayne putting Maureen O’Hara in her place like that. It would like trying to play All In The Family in prime time again.
E3
I was born and raised in New York, but my grandparents were all from Ireland, and every St. Patrick’s Day, we’d watch “The QUiet Man” on WPIX TV. We loved it.
But, of course, we weren’t REALLY Irish. We were Yanks who enjoyed the sentimentalism of the movie. I have loads of aunts, uncles and cousins in Ireland, and most of them found the movie:
Oh, none of my Irish relatives HATE the movie- they just don’t see why so many Irish-Americans love it so much. They regard it as “a tourist movie.”
Old woman: Here’s a stick to beat the lovely lady with.
Horrible of me, I know, but I loved that line…
-David
Well I am Irish 
I basically agree with astorian’s assessment of how Irish people view this movie. I found some bits funny, the stick quote and basically anything with Barry Fitzgerald in it.
It’s OTT and not very representative of true life but it’s a movie not a documentary.
Some people I know like it some think it’s an insult to all Irish people but most just look at it as an old movie with some good bits in it IMO.
I am not even a plastic Paddy, but my take is that it’s a fun, caricature-filled romp with some great lines and bit of historical detail thrown in.
When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey, and when I drink water, I drink water.
Wonder what micilin thinks of it…
Cheer like Protestants!
God, and I love Maureen O’Hara. What a total babe.
Woman of the house, where’s my tay?
I think it’s a bit like an episode of the Simpsons, funny OTT and close to the bone in places. And it’s in wild technicolour.
Any Irish dopers who watch the series Hands on RTE will realise that a lot of it wasn’t far off the mark.
Best movie to watch on St. Paddy’s day with 5-10 friends before starting off on a pub-crawl. That’s one of my most cherished holiday traditions.
And I’ve sung in an Irish band with Irishmen.
“It’s a fine soft night. So I think I’ll join me comrades, and talk a little treason.”
As hackneyed, simplistic and stereotypical as it is, I love it. I particularly remember watching it on a hungover Sunday afternoon in a London flat with a mixed Irish and English audience. We were in exactly the right mood for it and the banter was brilliant.
In fairness to the makers, I think they knew exactly what they were doing. It was a deliberately overblown and cartoonish portrayal of “Old Oirland”. All us Irish are guilty of playing up the roguery and divilment angle when in foreign company. I think most Irish people quite enjoy that stereotype and the film appeals to our slightly misplaced sense of pride.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by jjimm *
When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey, and when I drink water, I drink water.
Wonder what micilin thinks of it…
[QUOTE]
Are you saying I remind you Barry Fitzgerald? You’ll regret that to your dying day, if you ever live that long.
micilin thinks its funny and embarassing, and on the whole quite likes it. Its especially embarassing when you’re watching it with people who think it represents real Ireland, whatever that is…
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by micilin *
**
Well I didn’t before, but now that you mention it… 
I was actually referring to the fact that his character’s name is Michaleen.
It’s supposed to be a fantasy-type play I believe. That’s why at the end of the film, all of the major members of the cast are shown waving to the camera.
Does anyone else share my problem of always confusing Arthur Shields and Barry Fitzgerald?
Yes, I know they’re related.
The area where it was filmed (Galway, right? Or was it Connemara?) seems inordinately proud of it. The pubs and teashops all have framed movie stills on the walls, and when my family went for a dip in the ocean I wandered up to a bluff on the headlands and, by golly, found a stone monument dedicated to the production crew.
I believe its the village of Cong (sp.) in Mayo, Ike, but I really couldn’t be bothered looking it up.
There was something in the papers here about a year ago about how the villagers cashing in like crazy on the rep of the film for the tourists. good luck to 'em I say.
I was in Cong a while ago and it was a horrible dark wet day and there were very few tourists there to cash in on but every tea shop and pub has photos of the cast and posters for the film etc. It’s about all that there is of note in the place.
Micilin, How could anyone associate you with a quote like john Wayne’s. Can I suggest to you that this would be more appropriate.
“When I drink whiskey, I poison it with Diet Coke and when I drink water, I am suffering from a hangover”
Micilin drinks water?
back to the OP, I’m not much of a fan of the movie, but it is essentially harmless, as long as people dont think it was paticularly representative of the modern Irish way of life.
It might have had some commonality 70 years ago, but even then would be a bit stretched.
I found the Star Trek episode with the pseudo-Irish space tribe more offensive. I don’t know what it is that Every woman must be a feiry haired callín and every father an alcoholic with dirt behind the ears.
I find the film a violent stereotypical travesty that has done our proud nation untold harm abroad. In this fantastical universe all the Irish do is drink and fight that is a total misrepresentation of our nation. We also swear alot.
Impetuous! HOMERIC!!