6 great movies to watch on St. Patrick’s Day

The Irish get plenty of kudos for their literature, music and fine spirits. But Ireland also has produced, and inspired, a number of great movies, from joyful paeans to beautiful countryside to mournful examinations of a troubled history. Celebrate the Emerald Isle with these fine Irish and Irish-themed films.

6. ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ (2006)

beyond sticking to a crash diet — at the film’s heart is an arresting 17-minute shot of unbroken conversation between Fassbender and a priest, making the film feel like an endurance trial in substance and style. It’s a striking display of exacting formalism and virtuoso acting.

4. ‘The Secret of Kells’ (2009) 2. ‘The Crying Game’ (1992)

Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan made a different kind of psychological thriller with this story about IRA foot soldier Fergus (Stephen Rea), who bonds with British prisoner Jody (Forest Whitaker) and promises that he’ll take care of his girlfriend Dil (Jaye Davidson) after he’s murdered by the group. The film has become a punchline for plot twists courtesy of an infamous turning point. But that twist isn’t all about shock value — it turns the film on its head, morphing a tale of political intrigue and reluctant heroism into a romance with a core of unexpected sweetness.

1. ‘The Quiet Man’ (1952)

John Wayne traded in his 10-gallon hat for a bowler to play Sean Thornton, an Irish-born American who leaves Pittsburgh for his homeland, where he woos and weds fiery redhead Mary Kate (Maureen O’Hara), who refuses her new husband until her disapproving brother relinquishes her dowry. Beautifully directed by frequent Wayne-collaborator John Ford, the film features lush photography of the verdant and dramatically wind-swept countryside.