How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Philip Dunne (screenplay)
Richard Llewellyn (novel)

Release Date:

9 April 1942 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Rich is their humor! Deep are their passions! Reckless are their lives! Mighty is their story!

Plot:

At the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans (he stern, she gentle) raise coal-mining...

Plot Keywords:

Miner | Village | Wales | Gossip | Melodrama

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Walter Pidgeon	...	Mr. Gruffydd
Maureen O'Hara	...	Angharad
Anna Lee	...	Bronwyn
Donald Crisp	...	Mr. Morgan
Roddy McDowall	...	Huw (as Master Roddy McDowall)
John Loder	...	Ianto
Sara Allgood	...	Mrs. Morgan
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Cyfartha
Patric Knowles	...	Ivor
Welsh Singers	...	Themselves
Morton Lowry	...	Mr. Jonas
Arthur Shields	...	Mr. Parry
Ann E. Todd	...	Ceinwen (as Ann Todd)
Frederick Worlock	...	Dr. Richards
Richard Fraser	...	Davy
Evan S. Evans	...	Gwilym
James Monks	...	Owen
Rhys Williams	...	Dai Bando
Lionel Pape	...	Evans
Ethel Griffies	...	Mrs. Nicholas
Marten Lamont	...	Iestyn Evans
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dennis Hoey	...	Motschell (scenes deleted)
Una O'Connor	...	Undetermined Role (scenes deleted)
Frank Baker	...	(uncredited)
Ruth Clifford	...	Village Woman (uncredited)
Minta Durfee	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Herbert Evans	...	Postman (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	Eve (uncredited)
Pauline Garon	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Gossiper (uncredited)
Gibson Gowland	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ben Hall	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Miner (uncredited)
Tiny Jones	...	Mrs. Tossel (uncredited)
Eve March	...	Meillyn Lewis (uncredited)
Mae Marsh	...	Miner's Wife (uncredited)
Harry McKim	...	Child (uncredited)
Lydia McKim	...	Child (uncredited)
Peggy McKim	...	Child (uncredited)
Irving Pichel	...	Huw Morgan as an adult (voice) (uncredited)
Clifford Severn	...	Mervyn (uncredited)
Tudor Williams	...	Singer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Philip Dunne		(screenplay)
Richard Llewellyn		(novel)

Produced by
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
James B. Clark

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Nathan Juran

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Gwen Wakeling

Makeup Department
Guy Pearce	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gene Bryant	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Wingate Smith	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Chesley Bonestell	....	matte artist (uncredited)
W. Percy Day	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph LaShelle	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Pennick	....	assistant: John Ford (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Centfox (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Richard Llewellyn's How Green Was My Valley (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Welsh

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:U | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (certificate #7480) | Canada:G (video rating) | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

John Ford referred to Philip Dunne's script as "nearly perfect a script as could be possible".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Roddy McDowall's character comes home after being beaten by his teacher, there is no blood or marks on his back.

Quotes:

Ianto Morgan: We are not questioning your authority, sir, but if manners prevent our speaking the truth, we will be without manners.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bewitched: How Green Was My Grass (#4.24)" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Rhyfelgyrch Gwyr Harlech

A John Ford Masterpiece

John Ford's film of social and familial change details the chilling effects hard economic times have on a large, but tight-knit Welsh coal mining family around the turn of the last century. Told in narrative flashback by the youngest of seven children (5 young men and a young lady) it begins when the coalmines are new, the valley still green, and the village cohesive and close-knit. As economic times worsen, the family and community fray and slowly disintegrate. The backdrop village becomes darker and smokier as the family fights valiantly to remain together. But unlike the treatment the story would probably get today, the family does not lose its dignity.

There is not much, if anything, to criticize in this movie, it's one of the best ever.