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How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Director(s) John Ford
Producer(s)

Darryl F. Zanuck

Top Genres Drama, Epic, Family
Top Topics Book-Based

How Green Was My Valley Featured Cast See Full Cast »

Walter Pidgeon
Walter Pidgeon(as Mr. Gruffydd)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Walter Pidgeon
(as Mr. Gruffydd)

Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara(as Angharad Morgan)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Maureen O'Hara
(as Angharad Morgan)

Anna Lee
Anna Lee(as Bronwyn)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Anna Lee
(as Bronwyn)

Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp(as Mr. Gwillym Morgan)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Donald Crisp
(as Mr. Gwillym Morgan)

Roddy McDowall
Roddy McDowall(as Huw Morgan)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Roddy McDowall
(as Huw Morgan)

John Loder
John Loder(as Ianto)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

John Loder
(as Ianto)

Sara Allgood
Sara Allgood(as Mrs. Beth Morgan)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Sara Allgood
(as Mrs. Beth Morgan)

Barry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald(as Cyfartha)

How Green Was My Valley

Released
1941

Barry Fitzgerald
(as Cyfartha)

How Green Was My Valley Overview:

How Green Was My Valley (1941) was a Drama - Family Film directed by John Ford and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Richard Llewellyn published in 1939.

SYNOPSIS

Ford's vivid recounting of a childhood spent in the lush hills of Wales. A Welsh coal-mining family experiences labor unrest and personal tragedy as their traditional way of life collides with the 20th century. Beautifully realized and deeply felt portrayal of the sustaining power of home and family. And O'Hara was never lovelier. The Oscars have solidified its place in history as one of the top tearjerkers of all time. Adapted from Richard Llewellyn's best-selling novel.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

.

How Green Was My Valley was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1990.

Academy Awards 1941 --- Ceremony Number 14 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorDonald CrispWon
Best Supporting ActressSara AllgoodNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Richard Day, Nathan Juran; Interior Decoration: Thomas LittleWon
Best CinematographyArthur MillerWon
Best DirectorJohn FordWon
Best Film EditingJames B. ClarkNominated
Best Picture20th Century-FoxWon
Best WritingPhilip DunneNominated
.

How Green Was My Valley BlogHub Articles:

Walter Pidgeon and Maureen O’Hara head the cast in “How Green Was My Valley”

By Stephen Reginald on Jun 10, 2021 From Classic Movie Man

Walter Pidgeon and Maureen O’Hara head the cast in “How Green Was My Valley” How Green Was My Valley (1941) was an American drama film directed by John Ford and starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, Donald Crisp, Anna Lee, and Roddy McDowall. It is based on the best-s... Read full article

How Green Was My Valley

By Michael on Sep 14, 2016 From Le Mot du Cinephiliaque

Editor’s note : this review is a translation of one of the first reviews to ever appear on this blog back in 2009. Those were less than a 150 words long and were written immediately after the viewing of each film. This is as aforementioned a translation and a longer edit of this original film ... Read full article

1001 Classic Movies: How Green Was My Valley

By Amanda Garrett on Aug 15, 2016 From Old Hollywood Films

How Green Was My Valley (1941) starring Walter Pidgeon and Roddy McDowall is one of the 1001 classic movies you should see. Each Monday, I'm going to recommend a classic movie you should see (for the reasons behind the 1001 series and reviews of earlier films covered go here). August's theme coin... Read full article

How Green Was My Valley

By Amanda Garrett on Feb 27, 2016 From Old Hollywood Films

Today, I'm reviewing How Green Was My Valley, starring Walter Pidgeon (left) and Roddy McDowall. This film about life in a Welsh coal-mining village won the 1941 Academy Award for best picture. This article is part of the 31 Days of Oscar blogathon hosted by Paula's Cinema Club, Outspoken & Fr... Read full article

Friday Fail: How Green Was My Valley (1941)

By Vanessa Buttino on Jun 13, 2014 From Stardust

Friday Fail: How Green Was My Valley (1941) It took me three days to watch John Ford's epic drama HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941). Three days! I had heard so much about this film from all of the classic movie bloggers that attended the TCM Film Fest this past April and I was really looking fo... Read full article

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How Green Was My Valley Quotes:

Dai Bando: A man is never too old to learn, is it, Mr. Jonas?
Mr. Jonas: [uncertainly] No.
Dai Bando: I was in school myself once, but no great one for knowledge.
Mr. Jonas: [angrily, shaking his cane] Look here, what do you want?
Dai Bando: Knowledge.
[taking Mr. Jonas' cane]
Dai Bando: How would you go about taking the measurement of a stick, Mr. Jonas?
Mr. Jonas: By its' length, of course.
Dai Bando: And how would you measure a man who would use a stick on a boy one-third his size?
[throws Mr. Jonas' cane aside]
Cyfartha: Tell us!
Dai Bando: Now, you are good in the use of a stick, but boxing is my subject... according to the rules laid down by the good Marquis of Queensbury.
Cyfartha: [saluting] God rest his soul!
Dai Bando: And happy I am to pass on my knowledge to you!
[backhands Mr. Jonas, sending him reeling]
Huw Morgan: There is no fence nor hedge around time that is gone. You can go back and have what you like of it, if you can remember. So I can close my eyes on my valley as it is today, and it is gone, and I see it as it was when I was a boy. Green it was, and possessed of the plenty of the Earth. In all Wales, there was none so beautiful. Everything I ever learned as a small boy came from my father and I never found anything he ever told me to be wrong or worthless. The simple lessons he taught me are as sharp and clear in my mind as if I had heard them only yesterday. In those days, the black slag, the waste of the coal pits, had only begun to cover the sides of our hill. Not yet enough to mar the countryside, nor blacken the beauty of our village, for the colliery had only begun to poke its skinny black fingers through the green.
Mr. Gruffydd: Huw, I thought when I was a young man that I would conquer the world with truth. I thought I would lead an army greater than Alexander ever dreamed of, not to conquer nations, but to liberate mankind. With truth. With the golden sound of the Word. But only a few of them heard. Only a few of you understood.
Ianto Morgan: We are not questioning your authority, sir, but if manners prevent our speaking the truth, we will be without manners.
Mr. Gruffydd: You've been lucky, Huw. Lucky to suffer and lucky to spend these weary months in bed. For so God has given you a chance to make the spirit within yourself. And as your father cleans his lamp to have good light, so keep clean your spirit... By prayer, Huw. And by prayer, I don't mean shouting, mumbling, and wallowing like a hog in religious sentiment. Prayer is only another name for good, clean, direct thinking. When you pray, think. Think well what you're saying. Make your thoughts into things that are solid. In that way, your prayer will have strength, and that strength will become a part of you, body, mind, and spirit.
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How Green Was My Valley Facts
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 21, 1942 with Walter Pidgeon, Donald Crisp, Maureen O'Hara, Roddy McDowall and Sara Allgood reprising their film roles.
The author of the novel, Richard Llewellyn had claimed to have based the book on his own knowledge of the Gilfach Goch area, but this was proven false, as Llewellyn was English-born and spent little time in Wales. As it turned out, he had actually gathered his facts from conversations with local mining families.
William Wyler went off to make The Little Foxes instead.
Darryl F. Zanuck paid $300,000 for the rights to the novel.
Cyfartha's final line, "'Tis a coward I am, but I will hold your coat," was added by Ford himself over the objections of screenwriter Philip Dunne.
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