MovieChat Forums > The Quiet Man (1952) Discussion > What did Maureen O'Hara whisper in final...

What did Maureen O'Hara whisper in final scene?

posted 15 years ago by BikeBill
21 replies | jump to latest

No, I'm not asking if anyone knows what she said. It's already been determined that it was someone she was told by John Ford to say in order to draw a genuine unscripted look of surprise from John Wayne. Only the three principals — Ford, O'Hara, and Wayne — knew what it was, and they agreed not to tell.

I'm just glad they got it on the first take. Or did John Ford maybe give her a couple of back-up lines, just in case?

However, inasmuch as both Ford and Wayne are dead, and Ms. O'Hara is approaching her 90s, I am hoping that Ms. O'Hara has left this information with a lawyer in a sealed envelope, with instructions that it not be revealed until after her demise. If not, I wish she would. When such time comes as all three are dead, the need for continued secrecy would seem to be moot. The truthful information would eliminate a lot of suppositions, and would be of no harm to anyone.

[–] mike171979 15 years ago

I would imagine it would be something like.

"Well Mr. Thornton, lets go make some wee ones."

That would have got me running to the bedroom in a heartbeat, LOL.

[–] BikeBill 15 years ago

Why does everybody think the remark was made in the context of the movie plot? Although I agree, asking him to come to bed — and in the middle of the day now! Absolutely unheard of back then!! — would fit the context; and then of course she runs off and he pursues her.

But that would have been scripted, rehearsed, and no matter how good an actor may be, it is dambed difficult to feign a look of genuine surprise after hearing it over and over again. And that surprised look is what director Ford wanted. So O'Hara is told by Ford to whisper something to Wayne; and as noted in the IMDb trivia for the film, it was something she was very reluctant to say to him....which is why the pact of secrecy was made.

Remember too that John Ford and John Wayne had worked together many times prior to this film, and in addition Wayne also was a second-unit director (uncredited) for this film. Maybe Ford told O'Hara to bad-mouth Wayne's acting or directorial ability; he might also have told her to whisper to Wayne some highly personal or extremely vulgar information, or maybe even something obscene that had absolutely nothing to do with this movie in place of the scripted line merely to elicit the desired look. The jumping up and running off? That most likely was in the original script, and would have/could have remained unchanged.

As I posted before, it would be nice to know that at some definite point the truth will come out. I would be more than happy to wait.

[–] mike171979 15 years ago

OK, heres something that fits the story, and is not scripted.

"Hey John, now that the filming is over, why don't we go break in that bed for real".

[–] CarolVickiFan84 15 years ago

Maureen said in her book and the commentary that it was crude and distasteful

Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress. Got Maureen O'Hara and Julie Andrews autograph 2008!

[–] shulma2002 15 years ago

I was hoping that she whispered to him that she was expecting but if she said it was something else in her book, I am disappointed.

[–] JR541 15 years ago

What Maureen O'Hara said to John Wayne might not have been in the context of the movie plot but what Mary Kate said to Sean Thornton was intended as part of the movie plot

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] MrPie7 15 years ago

I'll bet she asked him how big "little Duke" was.

[–] cathy-creswell 9 years ago

That's funny.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] PoliticallyIncorrectone 8 years ago

Maybe she offered to prove she was a real red head.

[–] Ironman54 8 years ago

"I'm ovulating ...".

[–] strntz 8 years ago

Don't know all of it, but it had something to do with a Shillelagh...

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

[–] PurpleProseOfCairo 8 years ago

I think people make too much of this, to be honest. Actors act, and I think it may well have just been in the script - "She whispers in his ear and they both run back to the cottage". Wayne's direction was most likely "appear surprised then run with her to cottage".

Movie people love anecdotes, they love to say that they improvised this or suggested that - I think that the solution here is probably the most obvious one.

[–] sportster_16301 8 years ago

I'm no lip reader but I feel pretty sure that the last 2 words she uttered was..."catch me." It might have been something like, "You can have me if you can catch me."

Take the sinners away from the saints and you'd be lucky to end up with Abraham Lincoln.- Hud

[–] pmac7902 8 years ago

I'd rather not find out. That way it's more one of those neat little things about a movie. If we find out the line, it will take the fun out of the moment.

~~~"Who do you think you're dealing with? Guess again."~~~