It was clear from the start that Rank had a potentially major talent
on their books with Jane Hylton. "The Quiet Woman" (which refers
to Hylton's character as well as the name of the tavern) may be only
a B but she brings such a quiet intensity to her role you are interested
in her from the start. You know that behind that serene exterior, she
has a secret, far more gripping than any of the smuggling story which
is the basis of the movie.
During the 1950s Tempean gained a reputation for quality and consistency on a budget and with "The Quiet Woman", to make it a bit different from the usual London surroundings, the cast and crew went on location to Romney Marsh. In a twist, the person propelling the narrative was a woman - Hylton played the aloof Jane Foster, new proprietor of the remote "The Quiet Woman" inn who wants no trouble with the law. She has already told artist and occasional smuggler (Derek Bond) just what he can do with his boxes of contraband, the previous owner, happy to turn a blind eye when his boat shed was used as a hiding place. Jane has a friend and protector in Elsie (Dora Bryan is terrific in an unusually sympathetic part). Apparently Diana Dors had been cast but was replaced by Bryan when she fell foul of the director.
Things come to a head with the arrival of Helen, an ex girl friend of Duncan's, hoping to oust his current interest. She starts putting two and two together and rightly surmises that Jane has something to hide. The reason for Jane's furtiveness has already arrived - he's Jane's husband, newly escaped from prison after serving time for embezzlement. Getting to know her past is understanding her circumstances. She had been a victim of domestic violence, of bullying and intimidation and she has promised herself she will be nobody's doormat again!! He wants her to get him a boat to cross the Channel in but Jane is now made of sterner stuff, she is not the scared young girl he married.
Dianne Foster is terrific in her debut as Helen, her antagonism puts everyone off including Duncan's old army buddy who is now a customs officer but who finds that with the escape of a prisoner, he joins forces with the little group at the inn, in trying to protect Jane.
Highly Recommended
During the 1950s Tempean gained a reputation for quality and consistency on a budget and with "The Quiet Woman", to make it a bit different from the usual London surroundings, the cast and crew went on location to Romney Marsh. In a twist, the person propelling the narrative was a woman - Hylton played the aloof Jane Foster, new proprietor of the remote "The Quiet Woman" inn who wants no trouble with the law. She has already told artist and occasional smuggler (Derek Bond) just what he can do with his boxes of contraband, the previous owner, happy to turn a blind eye when his boat shed was used as a hiding place. Jane has a friend and protector in Elsie (Dora Bryan is terrific in an unusually sympathetic part). Apparently Diana Dors had been cast but was replaced by Bryan when she fell foul of the director.
Things come to a head with the arrival of Helen, an ex girl friend of Duncan's, hoping to oust his current interest. She starts putting two and two together and rightly surmises that Jane has something to hide. The reason for Jane's furtiveness has already arrived - he's Jane's husband, newly escaped from prison after serving time for embezzlement. Getting to know her past is understanding her circumstances. She had been a victim of domestic violence, of bullying and intimidation and she has promised herself she will be nobody's doormat again!! He wants her to get him a boat to cross the Channel in but Jane is now made of sterner stuff, she is not the scared young girl he married.
Dianne Foster is terrific in her debut as Helen, her antagonism puts everyone off including Duncan's old army buddy who is now a customs officer but who finds that with the escape of a prisoner, he joins forces with the little group at the inn, in trying to protect Jane.
Highly Recommended