How Green Was My Valley - Film

In 1939, Richard Llewllyn wrote How Green Was My Valley.  It soon became a best-seller, winning the National Book Award, awarded by the American Booksellers Association, for favorite novel of 1940.

Hollywood mogul, Darryl Zanuck, head of Fox Studios, bought the movie rights to make the novel into a movie for $300,000, more than any other to that time.  He dreamed of making an epic film as a response to David O. Selznick's making of Gone With The Wind (1939).  He wanted to film it in glorious color in Wales, where the novel was set.  He also wanted, and signed, William Wyler, considered the best Director, to direct the film.  However, World War II broke out in the United Kingdom (including Wales) in 1940, ruling out filming in Wales.  Delays meant William Wyler was free to pursue other films, which he did.

But Zanuck pressed on, deciding to film in the San Fernando Valley (in black and white since California's golden fields would not look like Wales in color), and settling for John Ford as the Director, famous for making many black and white films in the West.  The film went on to win 5 Academy Awards out of 10 nominations.  It won (in 1941) for:

• Best Picture (20th Century Fox)
• Best Director (John Ford)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (John Crisp - Mr. Morgan)
• Best Cinematography, Black & White (Arthur C. Miller)
• Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White (Richard Day, Nathan Juran Day, and Thomas Little)

The center gem of this film is the introduction of a very young Roddy McDowell.  He plays Huw, the central character who tells the story as an old man recalling his memories growing up.  So much of the story is told by simply watching the eyes and reactions of this very young character and actor, who carries the heart and plot of the film.

Another gem is the first of several appearances of Maureen O' Hara in a John Ford film, playing the part of Angharad.  She would go on to play many other parts in his films, perhaps most famously in the 1953 film, The Quiet Man.

However, many gems adorn this film with many stars such as Walter Pidgeon (Pastor Gruffydd), Donald Crisp (who, as I mentioned, won Best Supporting Actor), Sara Allgood (nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), Ana Lee (Bronwyn), Barry Fitzgerald (Cyfartha), and many others.

The story revolves around a Welsh family - the Morgans - as related to us by Huw.  They are coal miners, and a central conflict in the family is unionization.  However, that turns out to be a backdrop to many other issues such as Huw confronting and overcoming a serious illness, whether the local pastor who lives on a poverty basis, will marry Huw's sister or whether she will marry the rich local mineowner's son, whether that pastor will overcome the hasty judgments of his Deacon's Board, and especially what will become of the green valley when the slag heaps from the mines overcomes the green vibrant valley?

Another gem of this film is the music, by Alfred Newman, also nominated for an Academy Award, which features Welsh singing, a beauty to behold.

I am surprised to find, when I bring up this film, many are unfamiliar with it.  So I urge you to watch it if you haven't (or to watch it again if you haven't for a while) - it will feed your soul.  (You can watch it on NetFlix, find it at your video store or public library, or order it on Amazon.)   I will have more to say when I finish reading the original novel, which I am well into.

Recently, Turner Classic Movies presented this film as one of its Essentials.