How Green Was My Valley Movie Review 1941

Compelling story of the trials and tribulations of a Welsh mining family, from the youthful perspective of the youngest child (played by a 13-year-old McDowall). Spans 50 years, from the turn of the century, when coal mining was a difficult but fair-paying way of life, and ends, after unionization, strikes, deaths, and child abuse, with the demise of a town and its culture. Considered by many to be director Ford's finest work. When WWII prevented shooting on location, producer Zanuck built a facsimile Welsh valley in California (although Ford, born Sean Aloysius O'Fearna, was said to have been thinking of his story as taking place in Ireland rather than Wales). Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn.

Distribution

Baker & Taylor Inc., 2709 Water Ridge Pkwy., Ste. 500, Charlotte, NC 28217, Phone: (704)357-3500, Toll-free: 800-775-1800, Email: btinfo@btol.com, URL: http://www.btol.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 118 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Miners & Mining, Family Ties, Great Britain, Childhood Visions, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Philip Dunne

Cast

Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp, Anna Lee, Roddy McDowall, John Loder, Sara Allgood, Barry Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, Rhys Williams, Arthur Shields, Ann E. Todd, Mae Marsh

Cinematography

Arthur C. Miller

Director

John Ford

Music

Alfred Newman

Other

Irving Pichel

Awards

Oscars 1941: B&W Cinematog., Director (Ford), Picture, Support. Actor (Crisp), Natl. Film Reg. 1990;; N.Y. Film Critics 1941: Director (Ford).