Videodrone Classic: John Ford's 'The Quiet Man'

"The Quiet Man: 60th Anniversary" (Olive) presents an all-new edition of one of John Ford's most beloved films, a sweet and sentimental drama with a rough-and-tumble humor, an earthy beauty, and a powerhouse pairing of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Wayne is the strapping American ex-boxer who tries to rebuild a life in Ireland, the land of his birth, while holding back the temper that still haunts him, and O’Hara the fiery Irish redhead who proves his obstinate onscreen in a battle of wills. Ford turns Wayne into a romantic hero and populates the shamrock green Irish village with figures full of blarney and charm, among them Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, Mildred Natwick, and Victor McLaglen as O’Hara’s snarl of a brother.

The film has been on DVD before, and those editions had well-publicized color problems. This version is mastered for its Blu-ray debut and a new DVD edition from a 4K scan of the original camera negative and it looks absolutely gorgeous. Both editions include the archival featurette "The Making of The Quiet Man" hosted by Leonard Maltin and previously included on the earlier DVD release, and an accompanying booklet featuring a lengthy excerpt from Joseph McBride's book "Searching for John Ford."

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