News 24. 10. 2017

„The Quiet Man“ was “an idiotic, stupid, anti-Irish film,” says actor Malachy McCourt

While commending Irish actress Maureen O’Hara, writer Malachy McCourt has some harsh criticism for „The Quiet Man.“.Writer, actor, activist, and brother of Frank, Malachy McCourt needs no introduction. His talent for turning phrases is as legendary as the man himself.But he did rattle some cages when remarking on the passing of Maureen O’Hara, he noted that „The Quiet Man“ was a less than stellar film. “’The Quiet Man‘ ranks among most idiotic stupid anti-Irish movies ever made,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “Wife beating, priest ridden, blather talking gombeen men getting drunk standing around gossiping and then erupting into stereotypical Irish behavior violent fighting.”

Malachy McCourt pulled no punches in condemning The Quiet Man.

McCourt held nothing back.
“John (Right Wing) Wayne could never qualify as an Irishman (too much of an ass——-e) even if he kept his maiden name, Marion Morrison. No true Irish person takes pride in that low-class insult (‚The Quiet Man‘) to Ireland and I hope Maureen O’Hara is not in a place where she has to watch it and I hope Wayne is.”
McCourt underlined that he was not attacking O’Hara personally, he simply took exception to the film that made her famous. Later he added: “Odd thing, on learning of Maureen O’Hara’s death I thought of that ridiculous film. Said nothing derogatory of Maureen merely I hoped she was somewhere where she did not have to watch the bloody thing.”

The Quiet Man statue in Cong, Co. Mayo.

The furor over his comments about the film was immediate and reminded him of the stung reactions to his brother’s – and his own – works over the years.
“The whole McCourt clan was attacked for putting Ireland in a bad light. ‚Angela’s Ashes‘ apparently doing more damage than anything ever published. Isn’t the truth just awful?”
A poster called Brendan Jordan took strong exception to his views, writing: ”My father says he went to see Frank and Malachy McCourt when they came out to Bay Shore to do a show of some kind. According to my father’s recollection, they dressed in overalls, kept bare feet, and played to every negative Irish stereotype there was. This would have been in the ’70s or ’80s, I believe.”

We wonder what Maureen O’Hara would make of the harsh The Quiet Man criticism.

McCourt was having none of this, however, replying: „BULLSH–T! WE did a show for years it’s still being done by others ‚A Couple of Blaguards.‘ Your father was either drunk or was out without his keeper that evening or he could be a liar, but never was that show ever done shoeless or in overalls.”
Word to the wise, do not cross a McCourt, you will lose.
IrishCentral Staff @IrishCentral

Václav Bernard