49 The Quiet Man Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: An apple

The original opening scene, which was to be shot at the end of all other scenes, was canceled. Sean Thornton was supposed to have a conversation with a mother and her young son. The boy was supposed to give Sean an apple. You will see Sean wave an apple to someone in the train car to say 'thanks'.

Answer: 50

This is said while speaking with Michaeleen. He has come to ask her if she likes the idea of marrying Sean Thornton. She lists what she'll bring with her when they are married. She has furniture, china, linen and fifty pounds in gold left to her by her father. She also has her mother's rings, brooches, her grandmother's wedding veil, silver combs and buckles.
She has also "earned thirty pounds odd in notes and silver" in the past fifteen years. One funny note worth mentioning about this scene is Michaeleen forgetting where he left the bottle. He goes off looking for it but it was at his feet.

Answer: Barry Fitzgerald

Barry Fitzgerald was born in Dublin. His film debut was under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, in 1944, for his role in "Going My Way". He was also nominated for Best Actor for the same role. Harry Albershart played cowboy and western star Allan Rocky Lane. He later went on to play the voice of Mr. Ed. Albert Berry performed the first recorded parachute jump. Arthur Shields starred in other movies with John Wayne such as "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon".

Answer: Impetuous! Homeric!

This line "Impetuous! Homeric!" was censored out of the first screenings in Boston Massachusetts. Obviously, Michaeleen thought it was broken from a night of intercourse. Sean Thornton had actually just thrown Mary Kate on the bed and it broke. He slept in the main room in his sleeping bag instead.

Answer: 59

The engine number appears on a side panel. It is quite visible during the opening scene as well as later when Sean retrieves Mary Kate.

Answer: Tony Gardello

We can see the boxer's name, in the newspaper article during the flashback scene. Sean says his name, while speaking with the Reverend. Sean tells the Reverend Playfair that he didn't just go into the ring to beat him, he went in to "beat his brains out". The Reverend asks Sean if his wife's love is worth fighting for. Sean tells him that he doesn't know. "I don't know. About all I know is I can't fight or won't fight unless I'm mad enough to kill, and if that means losin' her, I don't know. Maybe she doesn't love me enough." His death is what made Sean quit boxing and return to Ireland. He was tired of fighting for purse money and he was haunted by the boxer's death. Did you notice the large book, presumably a Bible, which moves magically from in front of the fire place to the window?

Answer: Grocery store

Cohan's pub was in fact a grocery store. The set director had a false facade placed over the front. It is now a trinket store dedicated to the movie.

Answer: A Black Eyed Susan

This is said, during the fight scene, just before they go into Cohan's pub for a pint. After all, people are coming from all over to see this fight, so they will take a break and have a pint before they kill each other. You'll notice Michaeleen spit accidentally right in Feeney's face, when he asked Michaeleen to place a bet on Thornton for him during the fight.

Answer: Wild Colonial Boy

After fighting each other all day, Thornton and Danaher stagger home to the Thornton place for dinner, putting all disagreements behind them.

Answer: 3

In fact, all of the train cars appear to have been numbered 3. Watch as Sean walks along the platform slamming the doors.

Answer: Danaher vs. the Yank

This is said while leaving the train station, after Sean has retrieved Mary Kate. The big fight scene is specifically referred to as "Danaher vs. the Yank". Father Paul does later refer to them by name, when notifying Father Lonergan about the fight. "The Quiet Man" was inspired in part by a story by Maurice Walsh. Specifically, the big fight scene itself and the concept of Sean Thornton's return to Ireland share similar characteristics with this story. An Irishman named McElligott came to the United States from Kerry and became a bareknuckle boxer. He married an Irish-American woman and returned to Ireland. Similar to the scene in which Sean Thornton demands Mary Kate's fortune, McElligott demanded he be paid in full for some cattle he sold and an argument broke out with a cattle buyer. Similar to the movie, McElligott won the fight against the antagonist.

Answer: in his cottage

Sean and Mary Kate do kiss in the cemetery, but their first kiss takes place in his cottage. He finds a fire burning in his cottage and realizes someone is there. He tosses a stone through the window and howls. Mary Kate then runs out from her hiding spot and he grabs her. In fact, she kisses him a second time before she leaves his cottage.

Answer: Snuffy

Reverend Playfair's Bishop calls him Snuffy, as he hands the Reverend a check for losing the bet on the fight. Mrs. Playfair then smiles because she was not the only one to be betting on the fight. She tells Snuffy she'll have the tea ready.

Answer: Wills' Golden Flake

If you look on the windows of the train cars, you can see almost every one of them has this sticker. The yellow sticker says in red lettering "Smoking Wills' Golden Flake".

Answer: Dermot Fahy

His name is said by Red Will Danaher in the pub. Dermot even let's us know there is no e in his name. A common mistake pointed out among fans is how the actor mistakenly obtains a hat between shots. I suppose, this is debatable. I only recently noticed this after watching it fifty plus times. His hands are busy playing the accordion. They do cut away to the back room before we see the hat. Unless someone placed it on his head, this was a mistake in the editing of the film.

Answer: Arthur Shields

Arthur Shields is Barry Fitzgerald's real-life brother. He had notable appearances in such television shows as "Maverick", "Rawhide", "Bonanza" and played Dr. O'Laughlin in "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon". His brother, Barry Fitzgerald, was born William Joseph Shields.

Answer: Protestants

The Catholic Father Lonergan makes this request of everyone, so the Protestant Reverend will not lose his position in Inissfree. They need to make it appear there are more people in his congregation than there really are. You'll recall the Reverend tells Sean there are only two or three people in his congregation, while they're speaking of Sean's fighting days.

Answer: Feeney

Feeney was telling the field workers about seeing Sean Thorton talking to Mary-Kate outside the chapel. May-Kate used the previous quote to put a stop to Feeney's gossiping.

Answer: Pittsburgh

While traveling along the road, in the beginning of the movie, Michaeleen states Cincinnatti implying that's where Sean is from. Sean responds Pittsburgh.

Answer: Ken Curtis

Ken Curtis also plays a bit role, as a soldier, in "The Fighting Kentuckian". John Wayne also stars in "The Fighting Kentuckian". You may have noticed an oddity during the fight scene. Sean Thornton does not move his lips when he says "thanks", as the water is thrown on him. This actually happens twice during the fight. A coincidence worth noting is that John Wayne's character is again laying on the ground, during a fight scene, in "North To Alaska". He again has a bucket of water tossed on him and says "Thanks". This time, his lips moved.

Answer: Victor McLaglen

Victor McLaglen also starred in "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" along side John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Arthur Shields. He was nominated for best supporting actor for his role as Will Danaher. Victor McLaglen played a detective captain named T.R. McKinley in the 1932 movie "Guilty as Hell". Andrew Victor McLaglen, son of Victor McLaglen, served as the second assistant director of "The Quiet Man". He also directed episodes of the television show "Gunsmoke" in 1955. Ward Bond played the role of Father Lonergan.

Answer: Trooper Thorn

We first learn of his nickname during the flashback scene, after Will Danaher has knocked him out at the wedding. The newspaper in the flashback shows his name atop an article. The Reverend Playfair, a sports fan himself, identifies Sean as Trooper Thorn as well. He knows why Sean doesn't want to fight Will Danaher and keeps his past a secret. You will also hear Reverend Playfair cut the nickname short to just Trooper.

Answer: 7

Sean Thornton explains he would like to buy White of Morn back from the Widow Tillane because 7 generations of his family were born there including him.