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.Duke had his gang like Ward Bond andJohn Ford, and I had my gang of Irish actors.We had that long scenewhere Duke had to drag me across the countryside, and we filmedpart of it on the golf course of Ashford castle where the grass waskept short by sheep grazing on it.So the field was covered in sheepmanure.There was Duke s gang kicking more and more manurealong the path he had to drag me, and my gang would go in and kickit out.But Duke s gang won, and he dragged me on my stomachthrough that sheep manure, and it just stank! Wayne recalled, Maureen and I rehearsed the whole of that scenewithout Pappy knowing because he wanted it all to be donespontaneously.But we planned the whole thing meticulously, sowhen we came to a bush, Maureen would lose a shoe, and at anotherspot she would go down on her butt and put the shoe back on.Andthen she d get up and take a swing at me and I would turn and kickher in the rear end.It was all planned and rehearsed, and then afterwe filmed it, Pappy said, When things aren t rehearsed and they respontaneous, you see how wonderful they are? 21184_ch01.qxd 12/18/03 1:43 PM Page 139QUIET IN IRELAND 139 You know, The Quiet Man was a simple enough story, but thatwas a goddamn hard script for me.For the first nine reels I wasplaying straight man to all those wonderful characters that peoplelike Ward Bond (as Father Lonergan), Barry Fitzgerald (MichaeleenFlynn), and Victor McLaglen (Will Danaher, Mary Kate s brother)got to play, and that s really hard. Ireland was just a beautiful place to be, and most evenings afterwork, I went fishing with Ward Bond.A little later we d go up theriver where there was a waterfall, and then I d go back to Ashfordcastle where we were staying, and I d play gin rummy with Pappywho d been out walking up the river with Maureen and the otherwomen.Victor would sit in a high-backed chair by the fire and fallasleep.It was like a holiday, except we had to work in the daytime.And I was able to have all four of my children with me for a while,and Pappy used them all in one little scene. Maureen recalled, Duke had such a great relationship with hischildren.He was wonderful with his boys.Michael, being the oldest,had to keep the other three in line.The youngest of the four wasMelinda, who would hide from Michael when he came looking forthem to send them to bed, and she d run up to me and say, Hide me,and I d hide her. Chata had also arrived in Ireland, and it fell to Maureen to try tokeep her happy while Wayne was working. When I had a day off, she said, I d take Chata to see the sights.There were monuments,old monasteries, castles we got on well together.But I could seethat she and Duke weren t happy. Victor McLaglen s son, Andrew, was assistant director on thepicture.I interviewed him at Pinewood Studios while he wasworking on North Sea Hijack in 1978 and he recalled, Duke had anafternoon off and went to a local pub.It was the only time he drankwhile making that picture, and he drank too much.That evening Iwent with Jack Ford to look for Duke, and we walked into that pub,and Duke was as drunk as I ve ever seen him.I mean, he was falling-down drunk.Jack told him, We were just checking that you reokay, and we left him to it.That night around twelve, I took somemilk and a sandwich up to Duke, and he had just the worst-everhangover.But by the morning he was perfectly okay. 21184_ch01.qxd 12/18/03 1:43 PM Page 140140 JOHN WAYNEMaureen had her memories of the idyllic location. I used to lieout in the long grass along with my makeup man and hairdresser. Most people s memories seemed to indicate that making TheQuiet Man was easy and always fun.But, according to Wayne, thatwas not the case. It was all wonderful stuff Pappy was getting onfilm, but when Herbert Yates saw it, he complained that thecountryside looked too green and that the humor was too Irish, andhe was so afraid that the film was not going to be commercial.Hebegan ordering Pappy to cut costs.He got on a plane and came overto Ireland to see what Pappy was spending his money on. Actually, Pappy wouldn t admit it, but he didn t know if he hada good picture or not, and he had quarreled with his son Pat who wasdirecting second unit, and he was so worried he developed a stomachproblem.He asked me to take over, which I loved doing because Iwas definitely of the mind that I wanted to become a director.I wasalready in discussions with Herbert Yates about The Alamo, which Iwas going to direct come hell or high water.I got to direct a scenewhere Maureen walked up from the beach, and when Yates saw it, Isaid, You see, I know how to direct. The son of a bitch said, Maureen O Hara walking up from the beach is not the same asfilming the battle of the Alamo. I always said he had no taste, and I was right.I knew where toput the camera and I knew how to work with the lighting cameraman,and all there was to know.It doesn t matter if you re directing asmall scene or a big scene, you still have to know where to put thegoddamn camera.But Yates knew nothing about filmmaking.Hegot me so damn mad, I got Ward Bond to climb up a tall tower withme with a piece of slate with the words Fuck Herb Yates scratchedon it. Anyway, Pappy got well and came back and took over again, andI was just an actor again.But I was still able to have some input
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