O Coração não Envelhece

By now, Bette Davis was having her pick of the type of movies she wanted to make and was known to sacrifice looks for parts that were meaty and difficult. Playing Lily Moffatt must have been a breeze for her, because it allowed her to eliminate all of her grandiose trademark gestures, act in a more paused, restrained way, and let the character's own energy flow out of her and thus dictate how it wanted to convey itself on screen.

Acting against newcomer John Dall she comes off as an equal instead of the experiences actress she by then was: she allows Dall to express himself quite strongly, although at times his Welsh accent wavers in and out. It's too bad, however, that despite this strong debut, Oscar nominated for Supporting Actor, which was followed by ROPE and GUN CRAZY, Dall practically had nothing to hold onto when it came to movies and disappeared for the majority of the Fifties, returning only for SPARTACUS and a smattering of other films.

It's too bad, but one of the many stories of brief careers that make their mark in one or more movies. Speaking of which, Joan Lorring was another actress who took her role and ran with it. For her acting she was awarded, like Dall, a Supporting Actress nomination, but was little seen after 1948. If it weren't for this footnote in her career she'd be all but a forgotten supporting actress; she manages to eclipse Davis in two scenes in the movie, and her exit is also memorable.

Davis probably didn't get a nomination because by now it seemed she could phone in her emotions and play this kind of role in her sleep. Even so, it's a very good role, very understated, not very well remembered (except by her hardcore fans), and the last hit she would have because from 1946 on her movies would start losing money and be of varying quality, that is, until her great comeback as Margo Channing in ALL ABOUT EVE.

This fully vibrant adaptation of Emlyn Williams' successful stage play is at its best in its first half-watching Bette Davis sweep into a tiny town in the Welsh countryside and take over with her new world ideas makes you so grateful to see such a strong female character in such an old film (truth be told, seeing a strong woman was highly more likely in a wartime film in the forties, as opposed to the post-war-prosperity fifties when women were either Sandra Dee or Donna Reed). John Dall stars as the miner who turns out to be quite gifted in scholastic abilities, whom Davis pushes to reach for the stars academically. The second half of the film, which concerns itself with Dall's trying for Oxford and dealing with a few ‘domestic' problems, isn't as invigorating as the first, but on the whole it's a beautiful experience of a film, and one of the few Hollywood films of its time to accurately (if broadly) show a foreign culture and its common people. Remade with less success as a telefilm in 1979 with Katharine Hepburn and directed by George Cukor.

Bette Davis offers an interesting, more restrained performance than usual as Miss Moffat, the schoolteacher determined to help a brilliant student (John Dall) reach his full potential. Although handsomely photographed, the film has the look of a photographed stage play with its studio-bound outdoor sets--but the performances are all so vibrant that they become more important than any other ingredient.

John Dall is excellent in what was his first major role, as is Joan Lorring as Bessie (the girl who takes his mind off his studies). Nigel Bruce, Mildred Dunnock and Rosalind Ivan create fully rounded performances under Irving Rapper's sensitive direction. But it is Davis, of course, who holds the spotlight with one of her most tasteful performances--intelligent and yet full of feeling and emotion.

As I said earlier, all of it shows its stage origins and the singing of the Welsh miners is a bit too perfect for reality--but the film is both entertaining and thought-provoking, dealing as it does with some serious issues. Ahead of its time, in its out-of-wedlock theme.

The Corn is Green is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. Thoroughly engaging and full of comic as well as dramatic moments. Bette Davis is fantastic and is backed up by a varied and talented cast. It's sentimental and sharp. A perfect blend. It gets overlooked so often by "best lists" and it's a shame. I remember the first time I saw it back in the late 1980's. I wondered how such a treasure could be ignored for so long. I hope it gets released to DVD soon. Unfortunately the current print that's on VHS and shown on Turner Classic Movies is worn and looks like it's falling apart. Maybe that print is all that's available. No matter. Don't pass up a chance on seeing this cinematic gem. This is great movie making and theatre all in one.

I profess that I have a love for good films about teaching. This one stars Bette Davis as Lilly Moffatt, a spinster schoolteacher, whose desires for elevating the minds of young people who are destined to a life of coal mining in a Welsh community, becomes focused on the promising talents of Morgan Evans, a young man who shows a spark of superior intellect.

Miss Davis is well suited to her role, a woman of restrained passions. While watching her, there are moments when I sense similarities with the acting style of Meryl Streep.

The rest of the cast is quite good. John Dall, in his film debut, plays Mr. Evans. It is an inspired performance that earned an Academy Award nomination.

Based upon a true story, TCIG invites comparisons to "My Fair Lady" and, especially, "Spencer's Mountain" in regard to the central story about molding a young mind.

I have one criticism. The singing vocals are so strong that they are distracting. A small group of young, work-weary miners should not sound like the men's chorus at the Met, for example.

Miss Moffatt might be seen by some as selfless in her dedication to higher principles. She denies herself of so much in her pursuit of education. But hers is a selfish campaign for transformation-of a man, a town, perhaps a country. She trades something of lesser value for something of greater value, so she does not sacrifice, even in her final dramatic decision. And it is her pursuit of a greater purpose that gives her story nobility. And the pleasure she finds in her achievements can only be seen as justifiable and virtuous.