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Memorable, crazy movie

A Masterpiece!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

When you've got Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp, and Barry Fitzgerald all in the same movie, you know it's going to take place in Ireland. How Green Was My Valley, a classic epic that won Best Picture during the 1941 ceremony, is one of the most beloved Irish classics of all time-except it's isn't Irish! It's supposed to take place in Wales!Donald Crisp is the strict but respectful patriarch of the poor, hardworking Welch family. His children include Maureen O'Hara, Roddy McDowell, Richard Fraser, Patric Knowles, and John Loder. As in many classic stories at that time, there are domestic clashes, star-crossed lovers, problems at school, and labor disputes at the coalmine. In case these themes sound familiar to you, it's probably because so many stories have copied this one!Donald Crisp, a very popular character actor at the time, won Best Supporting Actor for his role in this movie. When you start watching it, you might wonder why he won an Oscar, since he seems exactly the same as he always is-I'm not dissing his talent, I'm just saying he's consistent. But by the end of the movie, it'll become clear why the Academy decided to single out his performance in How Green Was My Valley. If you're looking for another great performance, check out Brother Orchid from 1940.By far, my favorite part of the movie is the sweet, innocent romance between Maureen O'Hara and Walter Pidgeon. They're such a darling couple, and they feed off each other very well. If you're in the mood for a tear-jerking epic, rent this John Ford classic. If you happen to have a heart of stone and the story doesn't get to you, Alfred Newman's music will surely tug on your heartstrings.

I think that the director Ford approached too biased themes in this movie. HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY shows the fifty range of reputable and hardworking Welsh family, which deals with mining of coal. The main theme of the socio-economic transience and decay of the family. The main protagonist of the memories tells us about his family, mine, which means life, culture and traditions of his valley. The atmosphere is uniform and gloomy. Every little joy threatens a tragedy. The story is raw. The cinematography is top notch. A small mining town looks impressive. Almost the entire film in retrospect, through the eyes of the main protagonists of the little boy, who in his sad childhood finds unquestionable virtues related to family, work ethic and love among people. Extremely impressive black-and-white photo of the scene of heavy mining life throws lyrical, impressionistic tone, references to Christian suffering mainly expressed through suggestive faces of the protagonists, and very artfully staged mass scenes departures miners to work and arrivals from work. The acting is pretty good. The team led by deeply sensitive and shy boy Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall). Authoritative and capable father Gwilym Morgan (Donald Crisp). Simple, fair and amorous priest Mr. Gruffydd (Walter Pidgeon). The mother Beth Morgan (Sara Algood), as a reason and pillar of the family. Unlucky in love with the beautiful daughter Angharad Morgan (Maureen O'Hara). Loyal Bronwyn (Anna Lee) daughter in law.I managed to scratch the surface and meet the virtuous and industrious miners who together with his city, culture and traditions disappear in time

As a picture forever been cursed by critics as "the one undeservedly trumped CITIZEN KANE (1941) for BEST PICTURE in the Oscar game", John Ford's traditional family chronicle about the Morgans in the South Wales Valleys based on Richard Llewellyn's 1939 eponymous novel, is truly born in the wrong year, for all we can see, it has a solemn rigour with first-rate camera compositions and Black-and-White cinematography, but tellingly it is also dated for its musty Protestant sense of worth in certain ways, say, the grating small- town parochiality is too overtly in-your-face, the socialism slamming is rather political and the puritan doctrine that a love-struck romance can be a man's undoing of his belief in God, thus he cannot marry the woman he loves simply because he chooses a lifestyle of austerity as a preacher, and doesn't reckon that she can tag along, only results in misery of both, it's all the same old story detached from our times. Starts with an euphonious voice-over (by an uncredited Irving Pichel), Huw Morgan (McDowall) recalls his earlier life with his parents Gwilym (Crisp) and Beth (Allgood), as well as his five elder brothers and an elder sister Angharad (O'Hara). His father and all his brothers work in a coal mine, and Angharad grows an affection towards the new preacher Mr. Gruffydd (Pidgeon), and the feeling is mutual. After a happy marriage of the eldest brother Ivor (Knowles) and Bronwyn (Lee), life begins to show a stern face towards the family. In the spirit of beating the drum for the traditional family values, the Morgans stick together, against all the havoc, and as parents, Gwilym and Beth have to accept the departures of their children when mining jobs slump and an enveloping danger regards to the danger index of this line of work. For Huw, his rite-of-passage is also composed of violence and prejudice, McDowall is the sole leading actor here, a staggering child performance with earnest compassion and empathy; Crisp portrays a quintessential steely father with benevolence under his rugged surface, and Allgood is a great scene-stealer as the tough mother, abiding by her family relentlessly, occasionally, she can also give audience a good laugh to appease the daunting reality, both nominated for Oscar and only Crisp won the trophy. Although Pidgeon and O'Hara are first billed, but their story doesn't fill up too much screen- time to be considered as the lead, Pidgeon's indignant deliverance in the church before he leaves embodies an archetype of Hollywood machination of hyping up a catharsis during its climax, considerably it was soul-inspiring to behold at then, but retrospectively speaking, its gloss has lessened since the method has become universally in the cinematic realm, now, it is barely an asset for new audience. Winning 5 Oscars, including BEST PICTURE, DIRECTOR and SUPPORTING ACTOR, the film can be listed as one of the most embarrassing winner, not a bad movie at all, only it revealingly reflects that the academy is not as prescient as what we give its credits for, which is a rather unfortunate gauge befalls on this one, otherwise, we could appreciate it more as a John Ford's brainchild.

Interesting look at life in Welsh coal-mining town in the early- 1900s.The story of a family, the Morgans, who live in a Welsh coal-mining town, told through the eyes of the youngest son, Huw (played by a 12-year old Roddy MacDowall). The father and four oldest sons all work in the colliery. Pretty much everything centres around the colliery - it is the life blood of the town, and the source of pain, ill-will and death. In addition, we see the relationships between the people in the town, how they develop and change. An interesting drama, showing the social impact on a town when it is dependent entirely on a single industry. The relationship side is interesting too. However, in trying to cover as much of what happens in the town as possible, there is a lack of focus. While the ending is reasonably profound, a much greater point could have been made. The landing is a bit soft.Great performances all round.How Green Was My Valley went on to win the 1942 Best Picture Oscar, beating out Citizen Kane (amongst others) to the award. Not that it is better: it can probably thank William Randolph Hearst's campaign against Citizen Kane for the award.