The Quiet Man (1952) (Movie Review)

  When the Valentines season comes to an end, and St. Parick’s Day on the horizon, one of my favorite movies to watch as part of the transition is the 1952 Romance classic “The Quiet Man”. It’s both a wholesome love story, and the very first American picture to be shot in the lush green, picturesque countryside of Ireland. Director and producer John Ford made a name for himself with a number of successful Westerns, along with his leading star John Wayne, and for years he had a passion project to make a movie that was essentially a love letter to his home roots in the Emerald Isle. He teamed up with screen writer Frank S. Nugent, who based the script on a 1933 short story from the Saturday Evening Post titled “The Quiet Man”, which was a story from a collection titled “The Green Rushes”.  

 The movie follows American Boxer Sean Thorton, who’s sworn off fighting after a tragic accident in the ring and now aims to have a quiet life in the Irish town of his birth. Upon arrival, he makes friends with the locals, and catches the eye of the lovely Mary Kate, who’s his next-door neighbor. Unfortunately, Kate’s older brother, the Squire “Red” Will Danaher is a town bully, and is quick to make rivalry with the newly arrived Thorton. As time passes, Thorton and Mary Kate gradually fall in love, and eventually get married, but as their romance blossoms Will Danaher’s anger grows, refuses to give a marriage blessing, and hordes her dowry to himself. As conflicts arise, it seems likely that Thorton will have to fight his rivel … which after his disaster in the boxing ring is the last thing he wants.

 While director John Ford had great success with his Westerns, most of the major studios turned down his pitch for a romantic picture set in Ireland. His last chance for a studio was “Republic Pictures”, who mainly distributed B-Movies and B-list Westerns. Thus, a deal was made, if John Ford made them a profitable Western, they’d finance his Irish picture. 

Ford made them the 1950 picture “Rio Grande”, which was a capper to what’s known as the directors “Cavalry Trilogy” … his previous two films being “Fort Apache” in 1948 and “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” in 1949. The film was profitable enough for “Republic” to finance his passion project, but the real take-away from Fords experience with “Rio Grande” was the pairing of his two romantic leads ... John Wayne and Maureen O’ Hara. Their fiery chemistry was just what he envisioned for the characters of Sean Thorton and Mary Kate, and thus, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara were his leads again in “The Quiet Man”. John Ford would also direct them both as a romantic pair for a third time in the 1957 film titled “The Wings of Eagles”.

 Both John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara would act in two more movies together … “McLintock!” in 1963 and “Big Jake” in 1971. I’m partial to their later two films myself, but most would agree that “The Quiet Man” is their golden classic as an acting pair. In general, Maureen O’Hara was always my favorite of John Waynes reoccurring costars. In “The Quiet Man” their chemistry is just as charming as ever and both make their respected characters come to life.  

Of course, their most famous scene is their first kiss in a barn, amidst a strong windstorm. Even if you’ve never seen this movie, you’re probably still familiar with this scene on some level … largely thanks to a little Sci-Fi from 1982 called “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”. It was sheer genius for director Steven Spielberg to use this clip from “The Quiet Man” as a parallel to Eliots famous frog scene at school in the film. I could honestly spend this whole review highlighting memorable moments between these two, including a quiet walk through the country, which transitions into a fun bike ride, and culminates in them getting caught in the rain.

 Not to be overlooked is Victor McLaglen as the antagonistic Squire “Red” Will Danaher, who’s portrayal garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 

One of my favorite characters is the local priest Father Peter Lonergan, who’s played by Ward Bond. He has a lot of personality and highlights how a priest can have a life outside of the church, like going out fishing and getting excited for a match-up. One of my favorite little scenes is when he and Mary Kate have a little excitement catching a fish together. The whole community has a lot of personality on display, and there’s a number of details that add a lot of character to the setting. I like how the members of the local pub always seem to have a song ready to go, with an accordion player on standby. One could argue there's more Irish stereotypes featured as opposed to real people from Ireland, but the lively characteristics on display lend to the films witty tone. There’s actually a decent amount of comedy, which transitions into full-on slapstick in the film’s final act when the two men finally have their big fight. Despite the darker elements of the boxer’s backstory, I’m glad this final fight is more light-hearted and fun in tone.

 Naturally, the film was shot in Ireland (with interior sequences and Green-Screen shots in LA) … less known however is the village of Cong, in the County of Mayo, which is where the outside events of the film are set. Most of it was shot on the grounds of Cong’s Ashford Castle, which still celebrates the film today, with a statue of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara on display. 

It goes without saying that the film is gorgeous to look at, with all the beautiful locations and green landscape of Ireland on full display. Cinematographer's Winton C. Hoch and Archie Stout had an eye for details, and their work on the film won them the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Director John Fords passion for his film project also paid off, as he too won the Academy Award for Best Director. The film received other Oscar nominations including Best Art Direction, Best Sound Design, and Best Writing.

 Of course, “The Quiet Man” was nominated for Best Picture, but lost to “The Greatest Show on Earth”, which featured James Stewart, and is frequently cited as one of the weakest movies to win Best Picture … it’s all the more shame when a classic like “The Quiet Man” lost to something like that. 

While the film didn’t win Best Picture, it was still selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”. Speaking personally, the film has always had a special place in the family, as something my parents bonded over, and even my sister was named Mary Kate after Maureen O’Hara’s character from the film … that has to count for something. Even if you’re not one for romance pictures, I’d say “The Quiet Man” is still worth a viewing, and for me it’s well worth the occasional repeat viewing around either Valentines or Saint Patrick’s Day.  

Thanks for reading my review of the 1952 Romance Classic “The Quiet Man” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!         

 

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch (2002) (Movie Review)

  Following after Disney’s animated renaissance era for the 1990’s, the studio didn’t have as many consistent mainstream hits as before … certainly not during the early 2000’s. One big exception was their 2002 animated picture “Lilo & Stitch”, which was the studios 41^st traditionally animated offering, and became the studio’s figurative Golden Goose in the early 2000’s. It launched a massive franchise, with three direct to video sequels, multiple animated series, several crossovers with other Disney properties, park attractions, and most recently a live-action remake. As such, the time seemed right to look back on the original animated classic and see how well it’s held up.

  We open with the United Galactic Federation of aliens, who are none too happy with the illegal genetic Experimenting of one Dr. Jumba. His most recent project being an aggressive little beast dubbed Experiment 626. 

Viewing the creature as an abomination, it’s imprisoned and treated with open hostility. The little guy proves clever enough to escape his captors, steals a shuttle, and after an exciting chase, crash lands on Kaua’I island of Hawaii. Soon after, he’s adopted by a little local girl named Lilo, who’s been going through hardships of her own. Following after a tragic car accident, she was left alone with no-one but her older sister Nani to watch over her. Unfortunately, Nani is constantly between jobs, struggling to make ends meet, and doesn’t always have the time to be there for her little sister. Thus, a new family pet, or best friend, is just what she needs to “patch up” an empty place in her life … and appropriately enough, she names her new pet Stitch.

  Way back when this movie first hit theaters, I was just transitioning into fifth grade elementary school and was broadening my entertainment horizon. When I saw “Lilo & Stitch” on the big screen, I thought it was fine, but I remember writing it off as something I was just getting too old for. 

I didn’t watch it again until my college years, and to my surprise, I found the film had more adult and mature content than I initially gave it credit for. It’s still very much a comedy for little kids, with a lot of silly gags and loud attitude on display, but there’s also a lot of quiet moments and identifiable drama. The pacing in this film is fantastic, as it knows just how long to be goofy and amusing for its target audience, before very gradually transitioning to more thoughtful material. I’d say it transitions its comedic material and its heartfelt content more smoothly than the majority of animated Disney films that aim to juggle different tones. The big emotional highlight being when older sister Nani comforts Lilo during what could be their last night together, and all she does is sing “Aloha Oe”. In less talented hands, this scene could have been very cheesy, but the way it’s naturally built-up and presented is perfect, delivering all the right feelings the sequence aimed for.

  As for our two title characters Lilo and Stitch, they are still a wonderful pair and complement each other with their own distinct charms and personalities. It was also a smart choice to pair the alien pet with a little girl, as it gave the film a different voice than previous movies which utilized a similar formula of keeping a pet from space. 

As seen in “The Iron Giant” and more obviously “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial”, boys tend to get along with cool creatures from space, and by making the main child of this film a girl, it adds more conflict to their connection, and by extent makes their bonding all the more special. The film’s co-director and producer Chris Sanders provided the voice of Stitch, and gives him mischievous energy, while also lending to a vulnerable and emotional side. Lilo is voiced by Daveigh Chase, who was an incredible young talent, and was ridding the high of a very successful year, also voicing Chihiro from “Spirited Away”, and everyone’s favorite decomposing girl from “The Ring”. As the voice of Lilo, she shines as bright as any child star. This is a kid with lots of personality and imagination but is out of flux grappling with the emotions of her late parents. As such, she’s wild, unpredictable, aggressive, but also innocent, loving and her connections with everyone around her are just as enduring.

  While Stitch and all the other aliens provide an easy hook for little kids, a part of me can’t help but imagine what a version of this movie would be like if it was just the two sisters, their daily struggles, mishaps and bonding. 

The older sister Nani in my view is an unsung Disney character and deserves a little more attention. Unlike most other Disney leads, Nani just feels like one of the more relatable, and her chemistry with her little sister Lilo is outstanding. They both have their heated and aggressive moments, but they always find themselves falling right back into each other’s loving arms. Of course, Nani is voiced by the always wonderful Tia Carrere, which is a plus, and a fitting choice as she was born in Hawaii, specifically Honolulu … which on a side note, just happens to be the same place my sister was born. Jason Scott Lee voices Nani’s surfer boyfriend David, who’s the one character I feel could have been removed, and wouldn’t change much … but with that said, Jason Scott Lee is always a welcome presence, even when it’s just his voice.

  Aside from Tia Carrere as the voice of Nani, the other vocal talent who steals the show is David Ogden Stiers as Dr. Jumba, the mad alien scientist who created Stitch. Mr. Stiers was a regular vocal talent in a number of animated Disney productions, and while I wouldn’t call “Lilo & Stitch” the best movie he acted in, I’d say Jumba is my favorite character he ever voiced. Like his co-stars, his personality is tremendous, but he doesn’t feel like a one-note character either. Despite parading himself as an evil genius, he clearly has a soft side, and very naturally becomes a member of the family. His sidekick, Agent Pleakley is also voiced with charisma by Kevin McDonald, but I must admit, his personality and sense of hummer never really left an impression on me.  

  A surprisingly more memorable source of comedy is Agent Cobra Bubbles, a social worker in charge of Lilo’s welfare, and wonderfully voiced by Ving Rhames. While he’s an intimidating presence, he’s also brought to life with a humorous bedside manner, and has his share of quotable lines … “Thus far, you’ve been a drift, in the sheltered harbor of my patience”. Also, I like that he isn’t a villain, and frequently acknowledges how unfortunate Lilo and Nani’s situation is. On that note, this is one of the rare animated Disney films that doesn’t need the added excitement of a villain. Even the Shark-headed Captain Gantu isn’t an evil character (at least not in this first film), he’s just a cop trying to do his job, and by the end is pushed to his limit. He works as a means to keep the action going, without being a character with sinister ambitions. Gantu would naturally slip into the role of traditional villain in the following sequels and series, allowing voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson to channel his recognizable talent for voicing antagonistic characters.   

  The last character to highlight is actually the setting of Hawaii itself. Initially, when Chris Sanders came up with this concept, he planned on setting it in Kansas, but felt Hawaii was a more unique setting, with its own colorful look and laid-back atmosphere. 

It was a great choice, and it certainly takes on a life all its own separate from other Disney settings. As I alluded to earlier in the review, my sister and I were raised in Hawaii, so it’s a very comforting setting for a family film. The Hawaii setting also inspired the animators to return to water-colored backgrounds, which hadn’t been utilized sense the early days of “Snow White” and “Dumbo”, but it looks wonderful here, and the characters blend into the environment seamlessly. Chris Sanders also contributed to the character designs, which emphasized rounder features ... (please don't miss-read that, I'm talking about their heads), and it again gives the film its own distinct look.

  The music likewise is a welcomed departure from the Broadway-style musical numbers that dominated the previous Renaissance era. Alan Silvestri composed the score, and made sure the music complimented the setting. 

This is punctuated beautifully in the opening “He Mele No Lilo” song number, which sounds wonderful, and helps the personality of the setting leap off the screen. The big showstopper is “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride”, which is a very chill song number, but irresistibly catchy, and continues to ring in my ears after it’s done. Of course, this film is also characterized by its use of Elvis Presley songs, which was another inspired choice for the film. My personal favorite song number being the closing montage set to "Burning Love", performed by Wynonna. It’s both a rousing sendoff, and a nice little slice of life extension of what happens to these characters after their initial adventure concluded. The only song that I feel is a touch dated is the A*Teens cover of “I can’t Help Falling in Love with You”.  

  Also worth noting, this film went through a number of changes both during and after production. 

The biggest change is the films climactic chase, in which Captain Gantu unintentionally kidnaps Lilo, and takes to the sky, while our heroes purse. In the final version, it’s a chase between two spaceships, while the original animation featured our team stealing an airplane, flying through the city, and even crashing into buildings. Following so close after 9-11, this scene was appropriately altered ... but even without the backstory, the dueling spaceships always felt more appropriate to me than a spacecraft versus an airplane. On a side note, the chase itself is admittedly at odds with the film’s more relaxed tone, but certainly a fun sequence to close the picture on. Small changes to note are details like Lilo hiding in a washing machine, which has sense been altered to a table with a pizza box. Personally, with all the changes, I’m surprised the film still kept Lilo’s practice voodoo moment in the film. I know that was meant as a joke, but it’s the one piece of hummer that I never liked.    

 Lastly, the film had some of the best marketing of any animated Disney picture. I remember back when I was a kid, I was hooked by the film’s cleaver marketing, which featured Stitch intruding on various animated Disney classics. 

I knew the film itself wasn’t going to have any direct crossover with other films, but it gave me the impression this would be a special film in its own right, and a welcome part of the ever-growing Disney family. Speaking of references to other Disney properties, the film’s producer Chris Sanders previously worked on “Mulan”, so there’s little background references to that film all throughout the picture. An even better call back are the "Ugly Duckling" illustrations in Lilo's book, which are based on Disney's Oscar winning animated short film. Also, as a fan of 1950’s Sci-Fi, I loved the little reference to 1958’s “Earth vs. the Spider”.

  In the end, while I wouldn’t call “Lilo & Stitch” one of my absolute favorite animated Disney offerings, I do feel it’s only gotten better with age, and in many respects was ahead of its time. 

It was rightfully nominated at the 75^th Academy Awards for Best Animated Picture, but understandably lost to “Spirited Away” … I don’t think any other animated picture had a chance of topping that one. Still, “Lilo & Stitch” has the distinction of being one of the best animated Disney offerings of the early 2000’s and has earned the right to be called a classic. It’s upbeat nature, comforting music, and thoughtful themes of family … or “Oh Hannah” as they say in Hawaii … still resonate with audience’s years later and have won me over in my adult years. It may be simple, and not as fulfilling to me as other animated offerings, but it’s still good … yeah … still good.

Thanks for reading my review of Disney’s 2002 animated classic “Lilo & Stitch” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!