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Reviews
The Quiet Man (1952)
Impetuous! Homeric!
This has been one of my favorite movies for many years. First saw it with my family. My father was so taken with it that we went to see it several times in first and second run theaters as well as drive-ins(remember them?). I can remember that during the scene where Michaeleen sees the broken bed the whole audience was laughing so hard that nobody could hear the line. When I saw it on TV many years later I was amazed at the "Impetuous! Homeric!" when I would have sworn it was "Holy Mother Of God!" I guess that wouldn't have gotten by the censors in 1952. How times have changed, and not necessarily for the better. I know that modern viewers probably are upset by the sexist treatment of women that goes on in the plot but even in 1952 we were not that bad. I think the plot was probably set in the early 1920's and not 1952. That isn't an apology but just an observation by an old fan of John Wayne and Ireland.
The Adventures of Hiram Holliday (1956)
I & my h.s. buddies always enjoyed this show during its brief run. I think it may have been slightly too erudite for the mid fifties.
I'm surprised that nobody has done a remake or theater version of it. I think it would be perfect for David Hyde-Pierce. If Hiram was updated, he could be working for the CIA or Homeland Security. As I recall, he was an absolute master of languages & dialects & a martial arts expert (if you can accept a rolled-up umbrella as a weapon). Maybe the country isn't ready yet for a spoof of our semi-sacred national security establishment but I always think that a little black humor can be a tonic for the soul. It might even work into a video game format, although it was probably too tame for current tastes. Maybe it is better to leave it in the past when times were simpler.