# What does Mary Kate whisper to Sean at the end of "The Quiet Man?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983 "2005-11-14T12:14:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/1 "2005-11-14T12:14:32Z")
According to the [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045061/trivia) , > [@](#): > > At the film’s conclusion, after the “Curtain Call” credits, we see Kate and Sean standing in their garden waving good-bye. 'Maureen OHara turns to John Wayne and whispers something in his ear, evoking a priceless reaction from Duke. What was said was known only to O’Hara, Wayne, and director John Ford. In exchange for saying this unscripted bit of text, O’Hara insisted that the exact line never be disclosed by any involved parties. The line remains a mystery to this day. But surely someone somewhere must know? I can’t remember if Maureen O’Hara’s mouth is visible for that line or not; if it is, wouldn’t a good lip reader be able to tell what she’s saying? Myself, I always thought she was telling Sean that she was expecting a little bundle of joy. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/2 "2005-11-14T12:38:53Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > According to the [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045061/trivia) , > > But surely someone somewhere must know? I can’t remember if Maureen O’Hara’s mouth is visible for that line or not; if it is, wouldn’t a good lip reader be able to tell what she’s saying? > > Myself, I always thought she was telling Sean that she was expecting a little bundle of joy. What do you think? “After the wrap party, meet me in my trailer.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/3 "2005-11-14T14:26:33Z")
Well, a big part of the plot had to do with the fact that Maureen O’Hara wasn’t having sex with John Wayne, even after their marriage, because she insisted on having her dowry first. You still couldn’t SAY that in American movies during the Fifties, so they had to find ways to imply it or insinuate it, At one point, Maureen tells the priest (Ward Bond) about it in Gaelic, so the censors couldn’t complain. At the end of the movie, Maureen has her dowry (which she burns- it was never about the money, for her), so she and the Duke can get it on any time now. My hunch is, she was whispering, “Let’s go back to the cottage and make the two-backed beast,” though not in those words. The censors couldn’t complain about words they couldn’t hear, but I think the subtle implication was that Maureen and John were going to have sex. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/4 "2005-11-14T14:29:06Z")
“Have you seen _Lost In Translation_?” ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/5 "2005-11-14T15:58:49Z")
I think it’s time to take old one-eye to the optometrist. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/6 "2005-11-14T16:10:17Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > “Have you seen _Lost In Translation_?” But we _know_ what he says there! Google it! ---
**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:** [November 14, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/7 "2005-11-14T16:31:34Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > What do you think? “Hey, John. Want to find out if the curtains match the carpeting?” ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/8 "2005-11-14T17:26:58Z")
“Sean, it’s time for the skin boat to make a trip to tuna town!” ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/9 "2005-11-14T17:54:08Z")
“Time to go saddle up, pilgrim.” ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/10 "2005-11-14T17:55:38Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > Myself, I always thought she was telling Sean that she was expecting a little bundle of joy. Yep, you’re definitely a woman. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/11 "2005-11-14T19:40:19Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > According to the [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045061/trivia) , > > But surely someone somewhere must know? I can’t remember if Maureen O’Hara’s mouth is visible for that line or not; if it is, wouldn’t a good lip reader be able to tell what she’s saying? > > Myself, I always thought she was telling Sean that she was expecting a little bundle of joy. What do you think? Her mouth is not visible and Wayne laughs in response. I hardly think that he would react to the news that his wife, whom he had not slept with, was preggers. You know something, I don’t want to know. I think the fact that there are some secrets in the world is a cool thing. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/12 "2005-11-14T20:40:40Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Her mouth is not visible and Wayne laughs in response. I hardly think that he would react to the news that his wife, whom he had not slept with, was preggers. Well, I always assumed that the coda was some time after the main events of the movie. Sean and Mary-Kate are on swell terms with each other (so they’ve had enough time to put the events behind them), and Sean has had time to order rose bushes and have them arrive. Surely that’s enough time to indulge in procreative activities. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/13 "2005-11-14T20:44:33Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I hardly think that he would react to the news that his wife, whom he had not slept with, was preggers. I thought they did, then the next morning he wakes up alone and Barry Fitzgerald tells him that she’s left him (and he then drags her from the train station to her brother’s field to watch the big fistfight.) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/14 "2005-11-14T20:48:01Z")
> [@](#): > > I thought they did, then the next morning he wakes up alone and Barry Fitzgerald tells him that she’s left him (and he then drags her from the train station to her brother’s field to watch the big fistfight.) I always thought they Did It that night too - JW arises acting like he just had a night of humping like a crazed weasel. Wasn’t that night right after the priest gave Mary Kate a good talking-to about her marital obligations? ---
**Author:** ![doverpro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@doverpro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doverpro)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/15 "2005-11-14T20:48:14Z")
Well, they _had_ consummated the marriage the night before the big fight. The night before was when Sean had the talk with the Reverand (and Mary Kate had had her talk with Father Lonergan) and had come home to Mary Kate and they have this scene in front of the fireplace where they don’t say anything and he holds her in his arms and the scene fades to black. The next morning he comes out of the bedroom with this great big satisfied smile on his face. And then he found out Kate had left him. ---
**Author:** ![doverpro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@doverpro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doverpro)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/16 "2005-11-14T20:49:17Z")
Well, I done been simulposted. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/17 "2005-11-14T20:54:33Z")
Yeah I guess you’re right. I’d forgot about that night. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mary-kate-whisper-to-sean-at-the-end-of-the-quiet-man/330983/18 "2005-11-15T06:14:36Z")
😃 Y’all are funny. But now that I think about it, Mary Kate wouldn’t have had time to know she was knocked up, would she? At the end of the movie, when everybody’s waving, it’s because the Archbishop or whatever and the Reverend Mr. Playfair are cruising by. (“Now when the Reverend Mr. Playfair, good man that he is, drives by, I want ya’s all to cheer like Protestants!” I love that line.) And this presumably would have been just a day or two after the big fight, or 3 days after Mary Kate and Sean finally did the humpty-hump. So it probably _was_something along the lines of, “Hey, Sean, wanna play hide the shilleleigh?”