(Guitar music like “American Idiot” plays as James Faraci and Paulo Fonseca on guitars, Andrew Beach on Bass Guitar, and Nick Lopez on the Drums and the set is like the set of “American Idiot” except the colors are Patriotically Red, White, and Blue)
James Faraci (Singing):
All year we’re cheering American Icons! (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) Twelve months of heroes of Cinema! (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) From John Wayne to Rocky Balboa (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) Oh, hell yeah, we’re talking about them all! (The tune continues) [Chorus] Welcome to the two hundred and fiftieth, hoping we’ll see two fifty-one! And we can finally be Okay! Humans dream of a better tomorrow, knowing it won’t be hollow! For me that’s good enough! (Drums play and the music continues.) We’re going to show off the hard work! (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) Even if it makes me look like a real jerk. (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) Now everyone get ready to celebrate with us! (Guitars play the tune for three seconds.) And make sure you have a dose of common sense. (The tune continues) [Chorus] Welcome to the two hundred and fiftieth, hoping we’ll see two fifty-one! And we can finally be Okay! Humans dream of a better tomorrow, knowing it won’t be hollow! For me that’s good enough! (Drums play and the music continues with a guitar solo.) All year we’re cheering American Icons! Twelve months of heroes of Cinema! Information about them will be a lot, you’re going to know whether you like or not [Chorus] Welcome to the two hundred and fiftieth, hoping we’ll see two fifty-one! And we can finally be Okay! Humans dream of a better tomorrow, knowing it won’t be hollow! For me that’s good enough! (Drums play, and the music continues and concludes, and the words “American Icons” are put up in different styles of text. The scene cuts to James in his office.)
TLOTA:
I’m James Faraci The Last Of The Americans, the views that I’m about to express are that of my own and some of yours. Let it never be said that John Wayne didn’t have his romantic side (Cut to the title card of “The Quiet Man” then to clips of the movie as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
Considered one of the greatest love stories of the cinema, “The Quiet Man” sees another collaboration with John Ford and John Wayne, but it also began one of the longest-running partnerships between John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. But does the romance still hold up and does this show John in a different light?
TLOTA:
And with this coming out just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’ll see if The Duke can be romantically open with “The Quiet Man”! (Cut to "The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
The movie opens in a train station in Ireland as we’re introduced to Sean “Trooper Thorn” Thornton, played by John Wayne, a retired boxer who has decided to go back home to Innisfree, Ireland, to settle down and buy his family’s farm. When he arrives, the locals try to give him the best directions they can. (Cut to the clip of the locals trying to give him directions. Cut to James.)
TLOTA:
He’s going to be stuck there for a while. (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
He grabs a cart driven by Michaeleen Flynn, played by Barry Fitzgerald, to Innisfree and makes his way to the town. Eyeing the cottage in his homeland, Sean asks who is in his home and is told that the Widow Tillane, played by Mildred Natwick, has it. The ride continues as he meets with Father Lonergan, played by Ward Bond. Making it to the fields, he meets with Mary Kate Danaher, played by the only woman to be a long-time leading lady with the Duke, Maureen O’Hara. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
That’s right, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara worked together for so long that people couldn’t think of one without the other when they worked together. Not too shabby. (Cut to "The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
Sean makes it to town, and the locals are rather inquisitive. Sean makes it to church services as he settles in and doesn’t know what it is like now in the town where he was born nowadays. Soon enough, Sean and The Widow Tillane talk about the land with Squire “Red” Will Danaher, played by Victor McLaglen, and The Widow Tillane gives the land to Sean for a Thousand Pounds. Surprised at this, Squire Will Danaher forbids Mary Kate from even considering marrying Sean, let alone even thinking of being near her. His first night in town after settling in, he goes to the pub and pays for a round of drinks as the locals celebrate their drinks and Sean. However, Sean makes it clear that he wanted to be there peacefully, but Danaher is out for one thing to put Sean out of the town to gain the town. (Cut to James physically.)
TLOTA:
Why do I have a feeling that these two are going to scrap over Sean’s cottage and Mary Kate? (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
As Sean settles in, we see that he is haunted by something, but he and Mary Kate meet in all earnest, and the two begin a relationship, though they are getting some assistance from locals, including Michaeleen, the father, and the other members of the local clergy, also to help Will lose the Cottage to Sean. However, Mary Kate is not interested in Sean, even though there is interest, and as for Will, he’s not interested in Sean, but Sean’s threat makes it clear that he will not be threatened by Will, then proceeds to shoot himself in the foot with Mary Kate, for now. Sean then says he doesn't want a dowry for the marriage to Mary Kate. However, Mary Kate tells Sean that the Dowry is her value to the community and is meant to validate the marriage.
TLOTA:
Seems kind of outdated to me, but since married life and I seem to be like Nitroglycerin and C4 Plastique, who am I to say or judge? (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
The villagers force Will to release the furniture but not the money. Sean then goes to confession so as to not fight Will, as we find out that Sean was a boxer and, in a fight gone wrong, Sean killed his opponent, who happened to be married, and the guilt left him wanting to get out of the country and vowed never to raise his fists. Mary Kate eventually tells that she has a part in the brewing of bad feelings in both Sean and Will. After getting reamed out by Father Lonergan, Sean and Mary Kate have partly reconciled and have been sharing the bedroom together since the wedding. The next morning, Mary Kate gets out of there and on a train to Dublin, hoping it will get Sean back into action. It does motivate Sean to get Mary Kate and himself to the Danaher farm to get the money. Will says no and delivers Mary Kate with the abidance of the Irish tradition of “No Money, No Marriage.” (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Okay, it’s sensible, but I still think Dowries are outdated in terms of weddings. (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
Will and Mary Kate head over to Sean’s and Will begrudgingly hands the money and Mary Kate over to Sean. Mary Kate and Sean decide to put the money in the boiler and burns it. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Which means that the free-for-all I foresaw coming will happen in five, four, three, two... (Show Will trying to punch only for Sean to knock Will down with a defensive punch and a fight breaks out. Cut to James physically.) A little early. (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
So Yeah, Will and Sean get into a fight that evolves into a Marquess of Queensbury’s Rules fisticuffs that gets everybody’s attention, the only time they stop beating each other senselessly when they decide, let’s grab a pint or ten at the bar until the two admit they have respect for one another. Whether alcohol has a part in it or not and whether they like it or not, they are family. However, there is one last argument between the two and that is who's paying the tab! (Show Will tossing a drink on to Sean, and Sean punching Will sending him out the bar’s door and rendering him unconscious. Cut to James physically.)
TLOTA:
Well that answers that question, it’s Will! (Cut to “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
Will and Sean stagger back and reconcile, making Mary Kate happy, and just in time for dinner. The movie ends with Will and The Widow Tillane beginning their courtship through town in a jaunting car driven by Michaeleen, while Sean and Mary Kate playfully chase each other home. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
So that was “The Quiet Man.” It was romantic, hysterically funny, and, without a doubt, one of John Wayne’s greatest movies. (Cut to clips of “The Quiet Man” as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.):
A lot of the ideas about the relationship and the romantic aspects are outdated in my mind and some of the aspects don’t age well either. But the acting, the writing, the fighting choreography, comedy and drama work the best. I absolutely love the chemistry between Maureen and John, and the fact that it lasts past this movie and into several more movies including their brief time together in the movie “Big Jake” which is one of my favorite John Wayne movies is a plus in my book. In fact, Maureen was even instrumental in making sure that John Wayne received a Congressional Gold Metal in 1979 before his death. If you haven’t seen it, then either check it out this Valentine’s or St. Patrick’s Day and see the romantic side of John Wayne and know that the luck of the Irish is on your side. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
And now we move forward with John Wayne with the only album he made. (Derisive laughing is heard out of frame as James sits there with a put-upon face.) Just come back soon and know that it’s not a joke, and John Wayne is not the same as William Shatner when he makes an album. I’m James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and that’s my opinion.
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