Fans in motion to make Irish version of The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man Movie Club, which has 200 members worldwide, has lined up native Gaelic actors to speak the lines of screen legends John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.
Irish language agencies Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltachta are ready to fund the project in conjunction with Government-funded station TG4 and independent production company Telegael.
However permission must be sought from Paramount Pictures, which owns the rights to the Oscar-winning film.
The Technicolor classic has already been translated into 12 languages including French, German, Russian and Japanese.
Quiet Man Movie Club spokesman Des McHale said: “If John Wayne can speak in German and Japanese, then why not Irish also. The film was mostly shot in Gaeltacht areas in Mayo and Galway and it still has a huge following in the West of Ireland.
“It was the first Technicolor film to be shown in Ireland; the first that showcased the country abroad.
“It attracted thousands of tourists to the country.
“It’s only fitting that the dialogue should be dubbed by the voices of native Gaelic speakers to help it win a new audience and add it to our rich Gaelic folklore,” said Mr McHale.
But the biggest stumbling block for the film devotees is getting the agreement of Paramount Pictures bosses in Hollywood.
“We’re currently emailing executives in Paramount to see if they will give us the green light,” said Mr McHale, a mathematics professor at University College Cork.
A veteran of 50 books, Mr McHale has just published Picture The Quiet Man - An Illustrated Celebration.
The book contains rare photos from the set of the film while it was shot on location in 1951.
The Quiet Man tells the story of retired prize-fighter Sean Thornton who returns to his Irish roots and falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher.
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