In Memoriam: Maureen O'Hara

I'm sad to learn that actress Maureen O'Hara has died in her sleep at the age of 95.

She always struck me as the quintessential Lady (with a capital 'L') of cinema.  So many of her peers and contemporaries were more or less corrupted by their experiences in Hollywood, but not Ms. O'Hara.  She never lost sight of who she was as a woman and a lady, and expected others to do likewise.  Her relationship with director John Ford in particular (which she described in a 2004 interview) was stormy, bewildering and complex, yet she rose above the difficulties to deliver her best performances for him.

I most enjoyed the films she made with John Wayne, particularly McClintock! and The Quiet Man.  She was probably the single most important influence that led him to convert to Catholicism shortly before his death from lung cancer.  They were the dearest of friends for many years.

I'm sorry Maureen O'Hara has left us, but she's earned her rest.  May she find it in heaven, in the company of those she knew so well, and all the people she helped to aspire to be better persons by imitating her example.

Peter