# The Quiet Man **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [December 23, 2022, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009 "2022-12-23T16:36:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/1 "2022-12-23T16:36:19Z")
Does anyone see the irony of Maureen O’Hara not respecting John Wayne in the beginning of the movie, when he was friendly, civilized, etc… and doesn’t respect him until he punches her brother, demands the dowry, then burns it. She even says, “I’ll be going home, now. I’ll have supper ready” and finally respects him, once he’s turned into a “beast” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/2 "2022-12-23T16:38:46Z")
Its been a while, but doesn’t he actually drag her along by her hair at some point? Yes, I believe at least a couple of folk may have noticed that it is not exactly a representation of enlightened modern gender roles. (BTW - my deceased MIL’s favorite movie.) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/3 "2022-12-23T16:41:54Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > but doesn’t he actually drag her along by her hair at some point? No, not quite. By her arm and by her collar. And don’t forget the helpful lady that offers up the stick so he can beat his lovely lady. This movie was pretty far was a feminist ideal. That is for sure. * * * Found it: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nm9MEBPZkcU/hqdefault.jpg "Man drags his wife. The Quiet Man 1952") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9MEBPZkcU) Someone quoted the exact line I was thinking off: “Here’s a good stick to beat the lovely lady.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/4 "2022-12-23T16:43:18Z")
She “respects” him enough to marry him. She just doesn’t understand his mindset of not fighting. Like many another plot, if he had told her about his ring encounter instead of just venting to Reverend Playfair things might have been different. Kate was a spoiled little bitch and everybody in town (including her) were quite happy when Sean finally got fed up and marched her all the way home. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/5 "2022-12-23T17:10:19Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Someone quoted the exact line I was thinking off: > “Here’s a good stick to beat the lovely lady.” Seems like it would make a good pairing with _Angela’s Ashes_ to highlight the charm and compassion of the Irish. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/6 "2022-12-23T18:38:01Z")
Yes, the one part of the movie I disliked. Sean has to play the role in order to get along. If there were any enlightened women in Inisfree, and were I Sean, I would have told Mary Kate to go pound sand. I still would have thrashed Will, but he deserved it, 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/7 "2022-12-23T18:39:25Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Found it: The best part is the jaunty music that lets the audience know that everything that is happening is all good-natured fun, and should be laughed at and thoroughly enjoyed. What’s really interesting to me is that I recognize that music, it’s the same music played for the dance in this Disney cartoon: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfPKQ4r77y8) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/8 "2022-12-23T19:11:29Z")
I watched the movie for the first time a year or so ago, and it’s fun, but dear Lord, the tide of modern feminism had clearly not yet reached that wee village. The movie is also full of weapons-grade Irish stereotypes - and yet is apparently still quite popular in Ireland. The story goes that, at the director’s suggestion, O’Hara whispered something raunchy to Wayne in the last scene to get that reaction. None of the three of them ever revealed what it was. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/9 "2022-12-23T19:16:28Z")
Right. There’s a throwaway line, said without much oomph in passing, “Time to go do some treason” (being sympathetic to the IRA) ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/10 "2022-12-23T19:20:58Z")
Someone mentioned feminism. Despite what some might say, what I still see today is that the same story play out in real life as it did in the movie. The “good guys finish last” thing. I’ve had women tell me “Things I shouldn’t tell you - things only us women know and keep to ourselves and certainly not tell men” even when there’s violence involved (very sad), and you see it with “I’ll be going home, now. I’ll have supper ready” Human contradictions… I knew a guy who found a GREAT girl. Everything was perfect, and he said so, but broke it off because, “Not crazy enough. Too normal”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/11 "2022-12-23T19:28:35Z")
_ **Michaleen Flynn:** Well it’s a nice, soft night, so I think I’ll go and join me comrades and talk a little treason. G’night, Sean._ and _ **“Red Will” Danaher:** So the I.R.A.'s in this too, huh?_ _ **Hugh Forbes:** If it were, Red Will Danaher, not a scorched stone ‘o your fine house’d be standin’._ _ **Michaleen Flynn:** A beautiful sentiment!_ Those quotes give you a good sense of place and time for the story. The most “enlightened” woman in Inisfree was probably Sarah Tillane. But then again Mildred Natwick was a gem playing any type. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/12 "2022-12-25T00:05:15Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Someone mentioned feminism. Despite what some might say, what I still see today is that the same story play out in real life as it did in the movie. The “good guys finish last” thing. I’ve had women tell me “Things I shouldn’t tell you - things only us women know and keep to ourselves and certainly not tell men” even when there’s violence involved (very sad), and you see it with > “I’ll be going home, now. I’ll have supper ready” IMO this is just blaming women for their own oppression. It’s extremely difficult for many to leave a violent relationship, not only logistically but because the abuser has worn down the victim’s self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy to nothing. And of course these relationships don’t start out this way. Abusers typically conceal their behavior until the victim is dependent on them. I’m sorry you’re not getting dates from abused women but they have bigger problems. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/13 "2022-12-25T04:49:35Z")
Huh. I was almost certain those weren’t the same pieces of music, but I listened to both and then said … wait, maybe? So I looked it up. The song is [The Rakes of Mallow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakes_of_Mallow), written no later than 1742, and it was used in both movies. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/14 "2022-12-25T18:25:44Z")
Oh, you’re going to go this route. I’m not looking for a date. This “go-to” is cliche. I simply mentioned a few things women told me. Do you speak for all of them? Forget you, actually. I already know your opinion, **Weasel**. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/15 "2022-12-25T18:36:37Z")
**Modnote** : This is not the pit. This is very close to a warning. [Maybe if your post wasn’t so cringy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/10) you wouldn’t have poisoned your own thread. Everyone drop this sidetrack now. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quiet-man/977009/16 "2022-12-25T18:48:59Z")
IMO she wanted her man to fight for her to prove it to the village he was a man worth respecting. She was putting on a show of it and could’ve kicked his ass if so inclined. She was in charge.