How Green Was My Valley

In many people's opinion, the original novel by Richard Llewelyn was the closest thing to "The Great Welsh Novel" ever written. In adapting this work to the small screen, Stanley Baker (probably the greatest Welsh actor of his generation), writer Elaine Morgan and the other members of the cast and crew have achieved a remarkable feat.

The story is one of growing to maturity and overcoming adversity in the claustrophobic but gregarious environment of the Valleys (the coal-mining area of South Wales) in the early years of the twentieth century. Although centred on the character of Huw, the youngest of the Morgan family, there are numerous other siblings around which to weave plenty of sub-plots. There are tales of workers standing up to harsh oppression, of unrequited love affairs in plenty, of harsh choices to be made between principles and personal loyalties and of facing tragedy which so often struck in the unforgiving world of the mines.

The cast list is a roll of honour of the welsh actors and actresses of their day. Many have an authentically pinched and starved appearance, and hearing the accents of some of them (such as Gareth Thomas, who played the preacher Mr. Gruffydd) declaiming in full flow, will bring tears to the eyes of any expatriate Welshman.

Richard Llewelyn wove another three novels around the characters of "How Green was my Valley"; perhaps, a quarter of a century after this TV series appeared, it is time to show the last, "Green, green my Valley now". The BBC, take note.

The video came out this August 6, 2001, in PAL in general release in the UK. You can buy it online several places including amazon.co.uk which also has my review of it online. It's 300 minutes or five hours and it is indeed wonderful.

Can you play PAL?? If not, then write to whoever you buy videos from and request that they offer it in NTSC as soon as possible.

The information that Amazon.co.uk puts out is this

ASIN B00005MFJV catalogue # AVO213

The UPC symbol on the video I bought from Choices Direct in the UK says 03613 002137.

IF you cannot play PAL, perhaps you know someone who might be able to convert it for you.

This was my introduction to Stanley ("Zulu") Baker & to Sîan ("I, Clavdivs") Phillips, and a very pleasant one at that, and I enjoyed this version much more than the B&W 1940s Oscar winner. The acting was very convincing throughout, and it was evident that the production was a labor of love & Welsh pride, very much in keeping with the book.

Sadly, it's been a quarter century since I saw this on "Masterpiece Theater" and to my knowledge it has not been shown since, nor is it available on video cassette.

In 1975, the BBC brought HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY... John Ford's 1941 Oscar winning film that somehow beat CITIZEN KANE for best picture and (more insanely) best director... back home...

Here using the novelty of casting only Welsh actors in a miniseries about the hard-working 19th century Welsh people... primarily centering on an initially crippled son with his mine-working father, two brothers, two sisters and a strong mother involved in endless bad luck situations, taking up a total of six hours from six hour-long episodes...

Tragically, patriarch Stanley Baker, the most famous Welsh actor in the lot... having been a famous leading man for over a decade before slipping into secondary character roles... is literally and progressively dying before our eyes: beginning in his usual strapping manner, he's emaciated by the end, since, riddled with lung cancer diagnosed during filming, he winds up mostly propped up on a chair, makeup covering the gaunt, sallow jawline that had once been famously commanding...

In what's overall an intriguing binge series before there was just a thing, VALLEY plays like a period-piece soap opera combined with coming-of-age melodrama... the latter involving the young son bullied by private school students, and a teacher, before being taught to fight back by cool "uncles" John Clive and ex-boxer Ray Smith...

Meanwhile the primary romantic aspect concerns new young vicar Gareth Thomas, bringing a modern sort of Buddhist-like "make your own choices" Christianity despite the story taking place in the late-1800's...

He fends off advances from gorgeous youngest daughter Sue Jones-Davies, who marries a rich cad as abusive and lazy as her brothers are proud and hard-working... both who, played by humble/shy inventor Mike Gwilym countered by idealistic/stubborn Keith Drinkel, fall in love with the same girl (Victoria Plucknett) while their underline union troubles are dealt with in a preachy, anachronistic manner, He fends off advances from gorgeous youngest daughter Sue Jones-Davies, who marries a rich cad as abusive and lazy as her brothers are proud and hard-working... both who, played by humble/shy inventor Mike Gwilym countered by idealistic/stubborn Keith Drinkel, fall in love with the same girl (Victoria Plucknett) while their underline union troubles are dealt with in a preachy, anachronistic manner, catering to the liberal British 1970's...

Visually, while getting sporadic establishing-shot glimpses of the titular Welsh GREEN VALLEY, we're mostly set within fitfully grungy interiors, like the main house where the crowded/bickering family resides...

So while it's heartbreaking to witness Stanley Baker progressively losing his power... and he does turn in an effective, completely natural performance and is perfectly cast here... it's scene-stealer Siân Phillip as the assertively solid mother/wife who carries this above-average miniseries from beginning to end.

Hasn't worn too well, some corny bits for the 21st century but still a magnificent movie despite few of the lead actors sounding very Welsh. A stark picture of what life must have been like in a little Welsh mining village full of its prejudices & community spirit, a harsh life indeed.