In the late 1930s, a novel written by Richard Llewellyn called "How Green Was My Valley" flew off bookstore shelves with nearly the same enthusiasm as a little-known tome called "Gone With the Wind". Well, when the movie "Gone With the Wind" (1939) played to packed houses and won numerous awards, including eight Oscars, Darryl F. Zanuck envisioned a similar treatment for a movie based on this book: four-hour length, full Technicolor, shot on location in Wales. Well, plans have a tendency to change. When Nazi Germany decided to drop bombs all over the British Isles, production was still shot on location -- in Malibu, California. And this is why "How Green Was Valley" was filmed in black-and-white.
But, enough history. I figured I needed to explain briefly why a movie whose title literally screams "color" was shot in black-and-white. And, quite frankly, I find that to be the only real problem with this movie. I, for one, would have loved to have seen the Welsh countryside, complete with green valleys and daffodils and the growing coal slag over the course of the film. But sometimes you make do with what you have. Thanks to John Ford's deft and efficient direction, the final product "made do" just fine.
Starring a young Maureen O'Hara and an even younger Roddy McDowall, "How Green Was My Valley" successfully conveys the perspective of youth, especially in how McDowall's character, Huw Morgan, spends months in recovery after falling into a frozen stream, and how he looked up to Mr. Gruffydd (Donald Crisp), the town minister. O'Hara, whom I always knew to be a beautiful and talented woman, is perfectly cast as the Angharad, Huw's only sister. But the best performances to come from this film are those of Donald Crisp and Sara Allgood, as the Morgan parents. Crisp's Gwilym Morgan is a stern and noble man, who rarely raises his voice to get his point across. And Allgood's Beth Morgan is a hearty woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. And, though Donald Crisp did win Best Supporting Actor, I believe that Sara Allgood's performance is the best one in the film, especially during the scene in which she walks for the first time after she and Huw fell into the aforementioned frozen stream.
Okay, so "How Green Was My Valley" is in black-and-white and not in color, but don't hold that against it. It is still a worthwhile story, with strong performances and skilled direction only John Ford could deliver.
But, enough history. I figured I needed to explain briefly why a movie whose title literally screams "color" was shot in black-and-white. And, quite frankly, I find that to be the only real problem with this movie. I, for one, would have loved to have seen the Welsh countryside, complete with green valleys and daffodils and the growing coal slag over the course of the film. But sometimes you make do with what you have. Thanks to John Ford's deft and efficient direction, the final product "made do" just fine.
Starring a young Maureen O'Hara and an even younger Roddy McDowall, "How Green Was My Valley" successfully conveys the perspective of youth, especially in how McDowall's character, Huw Morgan, spends months in recovery after falling into a frozen stream, and how he looked up to Mr. Gruffydd (Donald Crisp), the town minister. O'Hara, whom I always knew to be a beautiful and talented woman, is perfectly cast as the Angharad, Huw's only sister. But the best performances to come from this film are those of Donald Crisp and Sara Allgood, as the Morgan parents. Crisp's Gwilym Morgan is a stern and noble man, who rarely raises his voice to get his point across. And Allgood's Beth Morgan is a hearty woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. And, though Donald Crisp did win Best Supporting Actor, I believe that Sara Allgood's performance is the best one in the film, especially during the scene in which she walks for the first time after she and Huw fell into the aforementioned frozen stream.
Okay, so "How Green Was My Valley" is in black-and-white and not in color, but don't hold that against it. It is still a worthwhile story, with strong performances and skilled direction only John Ford could deliver.