How well do you know "The Quiet Man?"

By: Susan McDonald
Estimated Completion Time
6 min
How well do you know "The Quiet Man?"
Image: tmdb

About This Quiz

Faith and begorrah! "The Quiet Man" is one of the most beloved movies about Ireland and its people. John Wayne's swagger, traditional Irish music, beautiful scenery -- what's not to love? Test your knowledge of the movie here.
Why does Sean have his heart set on buying a particular house in which to live?
It is the least expensive one in the village.
It is the house in which he was born.
It is the largest in the area.
It is near the local pub.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The locals are curious about why Sean has moved to this tiny village, but they soon learn the answer. His mother was a native, and he was born and spent much of his childhood there. In fact, he hopes to buy the very cottage in which he was born.

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How does Sean Thornton arrive in Castletown?
Horseback
Train
Car
Plane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The movie opens with the main character, Sean Thornton, disembarking at the train station in Castletown, Ireland. It doesn't take long for him to realize things are a little different here as the locals take their time gossiping, even though the train is already several hours off-schedule.

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To what town does Sean move?
Innisfree
Castletown
Dublin
Connemara
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean moves from the U.S. to the tiny village of Innisfree. Castletown is a larger town a few miles away where the locals go for more shopping options.

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From what American city does Sean move?
New York
Philadelphia
Chicago
Pittsburgh
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean has spent most of his life in the United States, specifically in Pittsburgh. That is where he established his home and his career.

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Who narrates the film?
Peter Lonergan, the parish priest
Sean Thornton
Michaleen Flynn
Rev. Cyril Playfair
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The film is narrated by the parish priest, Father Peter Lonergan. He plays a role in the plot as well, but we first meet him as our narrator and we see events from his perspective.

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What is Michaleen Flynn's mode of transportation?
Model T Ford
Horse and buggy
Bicycle
Pedicab
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michaleen navigates the area in a horse and buggy. We first meet him when he picks Sean up at the train station and takes him to his new home.

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What is Mary Kate Danaher doing when Sean first sees her?
Herding sheep
Riding a bike
Shopping in the village
Talking to Michaleen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean spots Mary Kate as she is herding a group of sheep in a field near the village. He is immediately taken by her beauty and although she notices him, she does not seem as enamored.

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How does Sean first approach Mary Kate?
He offers to buy her a drink at the pub.
He asks Michaleen to introduce them.
He offers her holy water after mass.
He goes to her house to ask her out.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After seeing Mary Kate at mass, Sean waits outside the church until she comes out. When she appears, he offers her some holy water from the font outside the church, but she slaps away his hand and stomps away.

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What is the name of the cottage and farm Sean wants to buy?
Adare
White o'Morn
Ashford Cottage
Cloch na Ron
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

White o'Morn is the farm, complete with a thatched-roof cottage, that is the object of Sean's desire. He is determined to get it, no matter the cost.

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Why does Will Danaher want the same property Sean hopes to buy?
It is adjacent to his property and would increase his holdings.
He simply doesn't want Sean to have it.
There are rumors of treasure buried there.
He was born there and wants it for sentimental reasons.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Will Danaher is already the largest landholder in the area, but he isn't satisfied yet. He is determined to buy the adjacent property to increase his holdings, making him even more important in the village.

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How does Mary Kate react to the sale of the land to Sean?
She is upset because she wanted Will to get it.
She is upset because she hoped to buy it for herself.
She is happy that Sean got it instead of Will.
She doesn't care one way or the other.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mary Kate has a volatile relationship with Will, so although she barely knows Sean, she is happy when he outbids Will for the property. Her elation is mostly delight that Will was thwarted, rather than pleasure that Sean came out ahead.

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What traditional Irish song is playing in the pub the first time Sean visits there?
My Wild Irish Rose
Danny Boy
The Wild Rover
The Wild Colonial Boy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Wild Colonial Boy is a song that becomes something of a theme throughout the movie. It is appropriate since Sean has come to Ireland from the "Colonies."

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What is the relationship between Will and Mary Kate?
He is her father.
He is her brother.
He is her ex-husband.
He is her cousin.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Will and Mary Kate are brother and sister. Since neither is married, they live together and she takes care of the household duties as well as helping him on the farm.

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What surprising thing does Sean discover when he enters his cottage for the first time?
It is smaller than it appears.
Mary Kate has started a fire and is hiding.
Someone has taken all the furniture.
Will is there, expecting to fight him.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean expects the cottage to be empty and abandoned, so he is surprised when he comes in and finds that a fire has been lit in the fireplace. He soon finds Mary Kate hiding in a dark corner.

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What does Mary Kate do after Sean kisses her for the first time?
Kisses him back very passionately
Screams for help
Threatens him with a fireplace poker
Slaps him
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although she seems to be expressing an interest in Sean by coming to his cottage, Mary Kate is a fiery woman with a mind of her own. When he kisses her, she immediately slaps him.

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What role does Michaleen play in the village?
Matchmaker
Pub owner
Minister
Shop keeper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michaleen is Inisfree's matchmaker. He serves as a go-between, ascertaining whether two people are interested in exploring a relationship, and then proceeds to negotiate the terms of the potential relationship.

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What must Sean do before he can pursue marriage with Mary Kate?
Prove his net worth
Fight the strongest man in the village
Pay a large fee to Will
Ask Will for permission to marry her
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the time and place portrayed in the film, a woman had to get permission from the head of her family in order to marry. In this case, Sean must ask her brother Will to allow the marriage.

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What does Mary Kate's fortune consist of?
Furniture, household items and some cash
Only her clothing and personal items
Half of Will's holdings
About £1,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mary Kate is very proud of her fortune, or dowry. She has accumulated several pieces of furniture as well as numerous household items and a sum of money.

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Why does Will refuse to allow Sean to marry his sister?
He holds a grudge because Sean got the property he had hoped to buy.
He needs Mary Kate to continue taking care of his household.
He thinks Sean is hiding something.
He thinks Sean does not have enough money.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Will is a proud man, and losing White o' Morn to Sean was a blow to his pride. He is still very angry with the American and will not grant permission for the courtship -- or marriage -- out of spite.

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During the race, whose bonnet does Sean take?
Mary Kate
The Widow Tillane
Elizabeth Playfair
Michaleen's wife
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mary Kate is reluctant to submit her bonnet for the competition, but when she finally agrees, she is certain Sean will claim it. She is shocked, therefore, when he grabs the Widow Tillane's hat instead, leaving her bonnet unclaimed.

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Why does Will change his mind about letting Sean court Mary Kate?
He learns that Sean is very wealthy.
He learns that the Widow Tillane won't marry him as long as there is another woman in the household.
Mary Kate refuses to cook and clean for him unless he changes his mind.
He begins to see the good in Sean and decides to give him a chance.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some of the villagers hatch a plot to trick the stubborn Will into allowing the marriage. Knowing that he hopes to marry the Widow Tillane, they convince him that no woman wants to come into a household she will have to share with another woman, even if it is the man's single sister. Will immediately reverses course and allows the match, hoping it will increases his chances of getting the woman he wants.

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Under what conditions is Sean allowed to court Mary Kate?
He must pay a fee to her brother.
He must only take her to church.
He can only see her once a week.
They must take along a chaperone.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The rules of courtship in Inisfree are strict and unflinching. An unmarried man and woman are not allowed to spend time together unless a proper chaperone is present, so Michaleen takes Mary Kate and Sean on their first date in his horse and buggy, and he sets the rules, including no touching.

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How do Sean and Mary Kate escape from Michaleen?
They steal a tandem bike.
They sneak away while he is in the pub.
They take his horse and buggy while he is checking a tire.
They hide behind the church until he leaves.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unhappy with Michaleen's strict courting rules, Sean takes matters into his own hands. Seeing a tandem bike leaning against a building in the village, he commandeers it and he and Mary Kate ride off together.

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What frightens Mary Kate on her first date with Sean?
His fierce temper
Her brother's sudden appearance
A thunderstorm
A gunshot from behind a nearby building
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As Sean and Mary Kate are exploring an abandoned stone structure, a thunderstorm suddenly begins. Mary Kate is frightened and Sean holds her underneath an arch, although both get soaked anyway.

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What announcement does Will make at Sean and Mary Kate's wedding reception?
He has decided to leave the county.
He is giving Mary Kate half his property as a wedding gift.
He plans to marry the Widow Tillane.
He plans to marry Elizabeth Playfair.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Will's announcement that he and the Widow Tillane will marry comes as quite a surprise, especially to her. She has no idea that Father Lonergan and the others have used her to trick Will into allowing Mary Kate and Sean to marry.

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How did Sean's boxing career end?
He was banned for steroid use.
He was injured and could no longer box.
He lost a major match and decided to quit.
He accidentally killed a man in the ring.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean was a prominent fighter in the U.S. but he has a dark secret. During a fight, he knocked out his opponent and the man died. This still weighs heavily on Sean and makes him reluctant to get into an argument that might lead to blows.

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Why does Mary Kate refuse to sleep in the same room with Sean after they are married?
She refuses to be a real wife until she has her dowry.
She doesn't want to get pregnant.
She is afraid he will hurt her.
She does not like his cottage.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mary Kate is proud, and she is upset that her brother is withholding her rightful dowry and that Sean is unwilling to step up and fight for it. Until she has her belongings around her, she does not consider herself a real wife, and so she sends Sean to the living room with his sleeping bag.

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What was Sean's nickname during his boxing career?
Scout
Trooper
Boomer
Hoss
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean was known as Trooper Thornton during his boxing days. The people of Inisfree gradually realize who their new neighbor is and find newspaper clippings about his career.

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Why does Mary Kate become ashamed of Sean?
He has less money than she thought.
He refuses to fight Will for her dowry.
He knows nothing about farming.
She doesn't consider boxing an appropriate career.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean does not completely understand Irish customs, so he is baffled about why the dowry is so important to his new wife. In addition, he knows that he is capable of killing without meaning to and has vowed never to land another blow on a man, so the idea of fighting Will is out of the question.

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What does Sean tell Will when he refuses to turn over Mary Kate's dowry?
He will sue him.
Will can take her back.
They will move to the U.S. and he will never see his sister again.
It doesn't matter because the marriage isn't legal anyway.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Refusing to fight for the dowry, Sean nevertheless becomes angry when Will refuses to budge, because his wife is upset. However, rather than insisting on getting the fortune, Sean simply tells Will he can have Mary Kate back.

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What part of the dowry does Will give Mary Kate first?
The cash
Five sheep
The furniture
A few pots and pans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The morning after their wedding, Sean and Mary Kate are surprised to see a wagon pull up in front of their cottage. Although he is hanging onto the cash, Will has been persuaded to give up the furniture, which is promptly unloaded and placed in the cottage.

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When Will finally gives him Mary Kate's money, what does Sean do with it?
Throws it into a fire
Puts it in the bank
Throws it back into Will's face
Gives it to Mary Kate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sean never needed or wanted the money Mary Kate had accumulated. He only pressed the issue because it was so important to her, so when Will finally hands it over, Sean tosses it into the fire to show how little it means to him.

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What does Michaleen do during the fight between Sean and Will?
Drinks in the pub
Tries to break it up
Runs to get help
Takes bets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ever the entrepreneur, Michaleen knows an opportunity when he sees one. As the two men punch and wrestle their way through the fields and the village, Michaleen sets himself up as a bookmaker for those who want to make a wager.

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What do Sean and Will do in the middle of their fight?
Hide from the local police who have arrived to break it up
Go to the pub for a drink
Accidentally break some of Mary Kate's prized furniture
Accidentally let the sheep loose in the village
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Exhausted from their efforts, the two men pause between blows to refresh themselves at the local pub. While inside, their only argument is over who will buy the drinks.

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What does Will do after the fight?
Goes to Sean and Mary Kate's house for dinner.
Goes to the hospital to get patched up
Goes to propose to the Widow Tillane
Goes to the pub with his friends
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As a further sign that all is now well in the Thornton/Danaher family, Will goes to his sister's new home after the fight ends. There the three of them sit down for dinner together.

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