The War of the Sexes in The Quiet Man

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   The War of the Sexes in The Quiet Man   
By Madeleine Kearns

March 28, 2020 6:30 AM

The 1950s classic still has a lot to say.

Editor’s note: Madeleine Kearns writes a weekly column noting peculiar aspects of cultural, artistic, and natural marvels.

‘Here’s a good stick to beat the lovely lady!” an old woman tells Sean Thornton (John Wayne) in The Quiet Man (1952), as — pursued by an eager swarm of villagers — he drags, tosses, and boots his wife, Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara), across an Irish field. O’Hara recalled how, prior to shooting the iconic scene, both Wayne and the film’s director, John Ford, had ganged up on her, mischievously placing sheep’s dung in her path. “I was mad as hell,” she said. “But I had to laugh, too.”

Winton Hoch, the cinematographer, had a different complaint. During six weeks of filming, he had only six days of intermittent sunshine. Still, his efforts paid off. Ireland could scarcely be cast in a better light: emerald meadows, glistening brooks, quaint stone bridges, and the unsurpassable beauty of Hollywood’s feistiest redhead. To match such aesthetic splendor is an equally charming love story. Of course, nowadays, the film would likely cause raised eyebrows, as it’s replete with examples of “toxic masculinity,” “gender stereotypes,” and even the possible trivialization of domestic violence.

The movie begins with Sean Thornton (44-year-old Wayne), an Irish-born American, arriving by train — “three hours late as usual” — near the fictional town of Innisfree. As he rides with an old family friend, Michaeleen Flynn, he spots Mary Kate (31-year-old O’Hara) herding sheep and falls immediately in love with her. Michaeleen warns him of her notorious temper: “That red hair of hers is no lie.”

Mary Kate returns Sean’s fascination. When she learns that he has bought the cottage her brother, Will, intended to buy, she rushes off to clean it for him. He comes home during a storm to find the fire burning and the floor swept. She hides, but startles herself with her own reflection in the mirror (I’m sure there’s some symbolism here, for those looking: see Paradise Lost). Screaming, she rushes out the door as Sean yanks her back and kisses her. She briefly permits him, then attempts to whack him across the face. The two stare at each other:

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