Saturday Night at the Movies: When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

An Emerald in Technicolor

Welcome new subscribers! More substantive posting coming on Monday; if you’d like something serious before then please check out my piece yesterday in First Things. On the weekend I try to keep it light with movie talk, hope you enjoy.

I have no choice, St. Patrick’s Day means I have to recommend The Quiet Man. I can’t think of a more delightful, charming movie. Yes, the stars are great, the plot is interesting, the technicolor cinematography is gorgeous. Yet what elevates the film for me are the little moments, the throwaway lines, the character actors; there isn’t a detail that won’t make you laugh or smile. Others have written at great length attempting to explain its popularity and importance. I’ve got kids to play with, so all I’ll say is that it is a sentimental gem and will bring you joy.

But wait - there’s more! Even a heartwarming, lighthearted movie like The Quiet Man can’t portray Ireland without reference to the IRA, and perhaps the movie’s comic portrayal of certain members of that organization will rub some the wrong way. Don’t get too mad at director John Ford, though, because, a couple decades prior, he made one of the best dramas about the IRA you’ll ever see. Victor McLaglen, the unforgettable foil to John Wayne in The Quiet Man and a regular in Ford’s movies, won the 1935 (!) Academy Award for Best Actor, and Ford won Best Director, for The Informer. Consider it Crime and Punishment meets the Irish Troubles; it is a riveting portrayal of a man’s crisis of conscience and soul as he struggles to find redemption after informing on his friends. Don’t miss it, but definitely follow it up with McLaglen and co in The Quiet Man to put that smile back on your face.

A final word: between last week’s deep cut, Frank Capra’s 1931 pic The Miracle Woman, and today’s pick from the archives, Ford’s 1935 The Informer, I hope to illustrate that there was a time when America’s best filmmakers were deeply influenced by faith and consistently made movies that were serious about Christian themes. So if you’re worn down by the latest corporate-boardroom-designed, soulless blockbuster or whatever garbage is trending on Netflix this month, don’t lose hope. Give the old movies a chance. You may be surprised by what you discover.

Hope you enjoy, and that y’all have a wonderful week!