How Green Was My Valley

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Sentimental? Definitely.

Bunk as history? Most likely.

The greatest American film every made? I believe so.

Discuss.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 05:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I have seen it dozens of times and it grows richer and more powerful with each viewing.

For all its sentiment it is a bitter and painful film in spots.

Its Oscars--best film, best direction, best supporting actor (Donald Crisp)--are the most deserved in history.

Wait, there was some other film made in 1941 you say? Come again?

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 05:56 (twenty-two years ago)

useless tad fact: i took an undergrad class on john ford's films.

this is one of my father's favorite movies of all time. the scene at the end, where they pull huw's (sp?) dad from the collapsed mine was scary when i was a little kid, and sad when i was an adult.

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 06:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw it at the Academy (everyone should see films there if they visit L.A.) a few months ago.

This is one of my top ten films of all time. I can't even really discuss it because it's so moving that I start getting all teary-eyed.

devastating lines: http://us.imdb.com/Quotes?0033729

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 06:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Bump. I hope I will have the energy to say more about this today.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 11:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I can never hear this title without imagining it being read in a terrible South Wales accent.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

'Twin Town' was better, as well as being one of the best films ever

― dave q, Tuesday, 8 July 2003 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

"Yes my son, I know you are there..."

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 10 July 2003 06:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Darryl Zanuck: "Ford was the best director in the history of motion piectures because his placement of the camera almost had the effect of making even good dialogue unnecessary or secondary."

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 10 July 2003 06:54 (twenty-two years ago)

"Tis a coward I am. But I will hold your coat."

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 10 July 2003 06:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I once showed The Grapes of Wrath to a literature class I was TAing. They hated it.

I once was chatting with a girl in our Student labor Action Coalition. Llewellyn's How Green... was her favorite novel. I mentioned that I loved the movie. She turned up her nose.

I don't think I could ever love anyone who couldn't love this movie.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 10 July 2003 06:57 (twenty-two years ago)

amateurist have you seen Ford's Mary of Scotland, with Kate Hepburn? TCM's showing it early this morning, if I catch it I'll post my thoughts on it tomorrow.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 10 July 2003 07:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Justyn could you tape it for me??? I have not TCM.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 10 July 2003 13:37 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

well mary of scotland has come out on dvd in france

also deluxe editions of several ford westerns

how green was my valley is still my favorite movie

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 12 December 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i bought mum my a video of this last year for christmas - its her favourite movie too which would normally put me off, but i'll give it a shot.

― jed (jed_e_3), Friday, 12 December 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

your mum has excellent taste!

really though, i don't mean to bias anyone, but one key to this film is how the famous nostalgia is suffused wth this terrible sense of people submitting in various ways to the destruction of their own way of life. the film is quite tragic, and the ending wouldn't be as powerful as it is without the knowledge of this tragedy.

i think if you get past some of the surface qualities this film does a great justice to the book--all of its themes are present, perhaps not in the same proportion or with the same explicitness, buut they are there, superbly articulated and resonant.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 12 December 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

eight years pass...

Kristin Thompson for the defense:

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2012/03/06/john-ford-and-the-citizen-kane-assumption/

― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:59 (thirteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.