Hollywood Goes Welsh: How Green Was My Valley and The Corn Is Green

Maureen O'Hara and Walter Pidgeon.

How Green Was My Valley (1941). One of John Ford's most beloved movies, How Green Was My Valley won five Academy Awards including Best Picture. It ranks #75 in the 2007 edition of the American Film Institute's 100 Years…100 Movies. In 1990, the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry, recognizing it as a "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant work."

The film follows Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall) as he nostalgically recalls his childhood in a Welsh mining village, where his close‑knit family endures the hardships of dangerous coal‑pit labor, economic decline, and social upheaval. Through Huw’s eyes, the story traces the Morgans’ struggles with a miners’ strike, the fracturing of family unity, and the bittersweet passage from an idyllic green valley to an industrially scarred landscape.

Roddy McDowall.

His sister Angharad (Maureen O'Hara) falls in love with the village preacher, Mr. Gruffydd (Walter Pidgeon), but social pressure pushes her into an unhappy marriage. Huw witnesses his brothers leave the valley in search of better opportunities as wages fall and the mines grow more perilous. He endures his own hardships at school, where he faces bullying before proving his resilience. The central figures in the story, though, are his hard-working father (Donald Crisp) and his steadfast mother (Sara Allgood).

There is much to admire in Ford's family saga, from its outstanding sets and cinematography to the performances of Crisp, Allgood, McDowall, and O'Hara. However, Philip Dunne's adaptation of Richard Llewellyn's 1939 bestseller tries to cram too much plot into the two-hour running time. Characters, such as Huw's charming sister-in-law Bron, are introduced and then ignored for long stretches. A subplot about a local choir performing for Queen Victoria is left hanging. After a long opening narration by the adult Huw, the closing narration feels rushed and incomplete. According to some sources, producer Daryl F. Zanuck originally intended to make a three-hour epic. I think that would have worked better in this case.

How Green Was My Valley is a very good John Ford picture, but I wouldn't rank it with his best. Ford’s most enduring achievements—The Quiet Man and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance among them—derive their strength from a concentrated attention to a handful of characters. These films reveal how much more incisive Ford becomes when he works on a smaller emotional canvas, rather than the sweeping, ensemble-driven mode of How Green Was My Valley.

Bette Davis as Miss Moffat.

The Corn Is Green (1945). Set in the late 19th century, The Corn Is Green stars Bette Davis as L.C. Moffat, a determined English schoolteacher who moves to a struggling Welsh mining village and opens a school. The story centers on her discovery of a young miner, Morgan Evans, whose academic potential is waiting to be unlocked. As Morgan transforms from an unrefined laborer into a promising scholar, the film highlights themes of social mobility, the power of education, and the personal sacrifices required to change a life.

Adapted from Emlyn Williams' 1938 stage play, which starred Ethel Barrymore on Broadway, The Corn Is Green is a Bette Davis vehicle in every sense of the term. She dominates her scenes with the same conviction that Miss Moffat brings to her role as local educator. It may not be Ms. Davis's most subtle performance, but it's a passionate one that propels the plot and themes effectively. It helps that she is surrounded by polished supporting players, three of whom reprise their roles from the Broadway production: Rhys Williams and Mildred Dunnock whose characters are recruited as teachers, and Rosalind Ivan, who plays Miss Moffat's housekeeper.

Joan Lorring.

However, the only members of the cast nominated for Oscars were John Dall (Supporting Actor) and Joan Lorring (Supporting Actress). The latter has the film's showiest role as the housekeeper's dissatisfied daughter whose selfish desires alter the lives of Miss Moffat and her protege. Lorring pulls off the part with conviction, reminding me a little of Bette Davis's similar performance in Of Human Bondage (1934). Sadly, it was her most notable role in an abbreviated screen movie career.

John Dall provides the necessary earnestness and conflict as Morgan. He shines in a scene in which he recounts to his teacher the simple joy of having an intelligent conversation with a fellow scholar. Still, Dall seems miscast at times. He was a last minute replacement for Richard Waring, who originated the part on Broadway, but entered the Army during World War II. At age 25, Dall looks too old to pass for a teenager (Waring was even older!). The stage-trained actor also sounds too articulate despite his attempts to sound blue-collar. 

Director Irving Rapper directs efficiently, making no attempt to "open up" the stage play adaptation. He worked frequently with friend Bette Davis. Their other collaborations include Shining Victory (1941), Now, Voyager (1942), Deception (1946), and Another Man's Poison (1952).

George Cukor directed Katharine Hepburn in a 1979 made-for-TV adaptation of The Corn Is Green. Five years earlier, Bette Davis starred in a 1974 pre-Broadway musical adaptation called Miss Moffat. It was set in the Southern U.S. with Moffat teaching a young Black man. It closed out of town, never reaching Broadway.

Gun Crazy: Lovers That Go Together Like Guns and Ammunition

Peggy Cummins takes aim!

A film noir with a tragic love story involving the femme fatale and a gun-obsessed guy?

That's the unlikely premise of Gun Crazy, a 1950 "B" picture selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Film Registry in 1998. Although it made little noise when first released, it developed a quick cult reputation. By the 1960s, Gun Crazy was being hailed by noted critics and filmmakers, such as Francois Truffaut who famously recommended that Robert Benton and David Newman watch it. That duo was working on a script that would become Bonnie and Clyde--another landmark film often compared to Gun Crazy.

The opening scene is a stunner as fourteen-year-old Bart Tare (Russ Tamblyn) stands in the pouring rain on a neon-lit street and looks longingly at a handgun in a store window. He breaks the window with a brick and steals the gun and some ammunition. As he's running away, Bart falls down in a puddle and drops the gun, which slides over in front of the sheriff's feet.

John Dall as the adult Bart.

Bart's older sister tries to convince a judge that Bart is a good boy. She explains that he has always been fascinated by guns, but has killed nothing since he shot a chick at age 7 with a BB rifle. Despite her pleadings, the judge expresses concern with Bart's obsession with guns and sentences him to reform school.

When we next meet Bart (John Dall), he has returned home from serving as a marksmanship instructor in the Army. His pals take him to the carnival, where he witnesses a sharp-shooting display from Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins), one of the sideshow acts. Their "meet cute" sizzles with an undercurrent of sexual attraction, so rather than describe it, here's the scene (courtesy of the Cafe's YouTube channel):



Bart joins the carnival at Laurie's suggestion, though the situation creates a rivalry with Packett, the carny manager and Laurie's jealous boyfriend. Packett eventually confronts Laurie and threatens to tell Bart about the man she killed in St. Louis. Her response provides the first glimpse of her true nature: "You're going to hold that over my head for the rest of my life, aren't you?" Packett fires Annie and Bart, who hit the road and get married.

Post-honeymoon problems.

They live blissfully until Bart's savings run out. When Bart suggests that he get a job at Remington for $40 a week, Laurie confides that "she wants to do a little living" and "wants things...a lot of things." Threatening to leave him, Laurie convinces Bart to participate in an armed robbery--which signals the start of their fatalistic downfall.

Gun Crazy is an impeccably crafted film that benefits from two dazzling performances, deft direction, and a razor-sharp screenplay. John Dall, whom we have profiled in this blog, was an underrated actor who deserved better roles. He certainly got a juicy one in Gun Crazy and delivers as the reluctant robber who loves only two things in life: Laurie and guns.

The more surprising portrayal comes from Peggy Cummins, who is best remembered for romantic comedies (Always a Bride) and for playing the vanilla heroine in the later Curse of the Demon (1958). She exudes sexual energy with Dall while coming across as a cold, manipulative killer. But here's the beauty of her performance: Despite Laurie's bad girl persona and many faults, Cummins convinces the audience that her character truly loves Bart. It's a blessing that director Joseph H. Lewis was unsuccessful in casting his first choice for the role: Veronica Lake.

Laurie provides a distraction for the robbery.

Lewis was a journeyman director with a resume that included some interesting "B" movies (My Name is Julia Ross and So Dark the Night). But none of his work comes close to the innovative style employed in Gun Crazy. The film's highlight is a three-and-half minute bank robbery shot in a single take from the inside of the getaway car. The climax is almost as mesmerizing with Laurie and Bart hiding out in a fog-enshrouded swamp as they listen to their pursuers' footsteps in the water. Finally, I love how Lewis subtlety pushes the bounds of the production code by finding provocative ways to photograph Laurie (e.g., when she does a trick shot by bending down and shooting between her legs).

The lovers surrounded by fog.

As for the screenplay, it was credited to MacKinlay Kantor, whose original story appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, and Millard Kaufman. In the 1990s, Kaufman, who penned such classics as Bad Day at Black Rock, admitted he did not co-write Gun Crazy. He acted as a "front" for Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted at the time as one of the Hollywood Ten. Personally, I think the screenplay for Gun Crazy is one of the most quotable in all film noir, as evidenced by this passage delivered by Laurie prior to her wedding: "Bart, I've never been much good, at least up until now I haven't. You aren't getting any bargain. But I have a funny feeling I want to be good. I don't know...maybe I can't. But I'm going to try. I'll try hard, Bart. I'll try."

Laurie wants to be good.

Still, it's not just the dialogue that makes the Gun Crazy screenplay so compelling. The main characters, each destined for tragedy from the beginning, are what drive the film. Bart's love for Laurie is just as obsessive as his love for guns. As a youth, he couldn't stop himself from stealing the gun in the store window. As an adult, he can't stop himself from doing whatever is required to keep Laurie. In both instances, though, Bart overcomes his obsession when it comes to killing. It's the one thing he won't do for her. In the end, that's what separates Bart from her. Having been "kicked around," Laurie is willing to do anything--even commit murder--to get the things she thinks she deserves.

Gun Crazy is required viewing for any film noir fan. Film noir expert Eddie Mueller ranks it #18 on his list of the Top 25 Noir Films and calls it "the most exciting, dynamic and influential Noir movie ever made." The British Film Institute published a 96-page book devoted solely to it. Even the original movie poster, now valued at up to $2800, has its passionate admirers. So if you haven't seen Gun Crazy, what are you waiting for?


This review is part of the Femme Fatales of Film Noir Blogathon hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association. We encourage you to check out the other films in this blogathon by clicking here.

Five Hunks Who Coulda Been Stars!

Earlier this week, we profiled five lovely actresses who certainly had the looks to become major stars (click here to read that post). While some of them had solid careers, stardom eluded them. Sometimes, it's simply a matter of timing in the film business. Today, we turn our sights to five handsome actors who seemed destined for bigger things, but never quite made it.

Grant Williams. Best known for his first-rate performance in the sci fi classic The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), Williams seemed to be on the cusp of stardom in the 1950s. He signed with Warner Bros. in 1960 and became relegated to supporting roles in films like Susan Slade (he played Susan's mountain-climbing lover Conn White). Even worse, he was cast in the 1959-63 TV series Hawaiian Eye midway through its run. The overexposure did not help his screen career; his last major film role was in PT 109, in which he was listed fifth in the cast. Through the rest of the 1960s, he guest starred in TV series such as Perry Mason and Bonanza. His last screen appearance was in the low-budget sci fi film Brain of Blood. Williams, who had studied acting with Lee Strasberg, subsequently opened a drama school. He died at age 53 of peritonitis, an inflammation of the abdomen wall.

Tom Conway. With a debonair disposition and distinctive voice, Tom Conway seemed poised to follow his brother's path from "B" films to major motion pictures. But whereas his sibling, George Sanders, crafted a memorable career as a supporting player and occasional lead, Conway languished in low-budget mysteries and horror films. Some of his 1940s "B" films were first-rate, specifically The Falcon and the Co-eds and his three Val Lewton movies. Unfortunately, good roles became scarce in the 1950s and his career took a downturn. Alcholism took its toll in the 1960s and a newspaper article revealed that Conway was practically broke and living in a cheap flophouse. He died in 1967, at age 62, from cirrhosis of the liver.

Gardner McKay. After a short stint in a TV Western called Boots and Saddles, Gardner McKay was cast in Adventures in Paradise, a 1959-62 television series based on the works of James A Michener. He became an instant TV heartthrob and was sought after for film roles when the series ended. He turned down a chance to star opposite Marilyn Monroe in Something's Got to Give. Indeed, post-Paradise, McKay appeared in only two movies before retiring from acting. One of those films was The Pleasure Seekers, a pleasant remake of Three Coins in the Fountain, which highlighted his easygoing charm. McKay became a sculptor, novelist, and playwright. His art work has been displayed at the Museum of Modern Art and he won the L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Award for his play Sea Marks. He died of prostate cancer at age 69.

John Dall. He earned an Oscar nomination opposite Bette Davis for The Corn Is Green, had a major role in Hitchcock's Rope, and starred in a famous cult film (Gun Crazy). And yet, John Dall never achieved stardom and, in fact, appeared in only eight films during a 15-year acting career. That would lead one to assume that he focused on a stage career, but he only appeared in four Broadway plays. His biggest stage success was in Dear Ruth. He played the role of Lieutenant William Seawright in the original 1944 production for 680 performances--only to see the 1947 film role go to William Holden.

George Maharis. For those that question the handsome Maharis' acting ability, I recommend that you watch the first two seasons of Route 66. Maharis had the best role of his career as the street-smart, passionate Buz Murdock and shined in episodes like "Birdcage on My Foot" (which co-starred Robert Duvall as a drug addict trying to go "cold turkey"). Maharis abruptly left Route 66 during its third season, with the reasons varying as to why. Except for the tense thriller The Satan Bug (1965), his film choices were poor and he returned to television for the short-lived 1970 TV series The Most Deadly Game. He was arrested for "sexual perversion" in 1974, though he continued to act on television after that. His last film appearance was in 1993. He lives in Beverly Hills and New York City and creates impressionist paintings.

John Dall is the Cafe's Underrated Performer of the Month

He received an Oscar nomination opposite Bette Davis, played a key role in a Hitchcock picture, and starred in a famous cult film. And yet, John Dall never achieved stardom and, in fact, appeared in only eight films during a 15-year acting career.

Born John Jenner Thompson in New York City in 1918, he studied acting at the Theodora Irvine School of the Theatre, whose alumni include Anne Baxter, Marsha Hunt, and Cornel Wilde. (Note: The school is erroneously listed as Theodore Irvine in some sources; it's also known as the Theodora Irvine Studio of the Theatre and the Theodora Irvine Drama School).

Dall made his Broadway debut in 1941 and got his first lead role in Dear Ruth, which ran from 1944 to 1946. When Paramount made the play into a 1947 film, William Holden was cast in Dall's Broadway role as Lieutenant William Seacroft.

Dall with Bette Davis in The
Corn is Green.

In the meantime, Warner Bros. signed Dall for The Corn Is Green, which starred Bette Davis as a schoolteacher in a small Welsh mining town in 1895. Dall plays Morgan Evans, a young man in whom Davis' Miss Moffat sees the potential to earn a college degree. Dall earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance, but lost the Oscar to James Dunn for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Dall's follow-up was Something in the Wind, a Deanna Durbin musical in which he played the romantic leading man. He got a juicier part as a Civil War veteran in Another Part of the Forest, Lillian Hellman's prequel to The Little Foxes. Dall's star seemed to be on the rise when he was offered Rope in 1948.

He and Farley Granger played
murderers in Hitchcock's Rope.

Rope was based on a 1929 play, which was inspired by the chilling Loeb-Leopold "thrill murder" of 1924. Dall and Farley Granger played a pair of upper-class intellectuals who believe they can commit the perfect murder--and then host a dinner party with the corpse hidden in a trunk. With Hitchcock at the helm and James Stewart as the star, Rope has all the makings of a big hit--but it was a boxoffice disappointment. It has since become required viewing for film buffs due to Hitchcock's self-confessed "stunt" of using ten-minute takes to make the film look like one continuous shot.

Rope marked the end of Dall's Hollywood career. After a two-year hiatus, he appeared in the "B" film Deadly Is the Female (better known by its alternate title Gun Crazy). Dall stars as a young man fascinated with guns from childhood. When he meets Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins), a carnival sharpshooter, it's love at first sight. The only problem is that Annie's desire to lead the good life leads to a crime spree that leaves a few dead bodies in its wake. As the doomed lovers, Dall and Cummins generated plenty of sparks, but Gun Crazy flopped. It would take a couple of decades for it to be recognized as a classic film noir.

Dall and Peggy Cummins play newlyweds
pondering a life of crime in Gun Crazy.

Sadly, Dall's career stalled after Gun Crazy. He made just three more films: The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950); Spartacus (1960); and Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961). On Broadway, he starred in a revival of The Heiress in 1950 and the farce Champage Complex in 1955, although neither play lasted for longer than a month. He guest-starred on television sporadically, including four appearances on Perry Mason with Raymond Burr.

By 1965, his acting career was over. He died seven years later, age 52, from either a punctured lung or a heart attack (the accounts vary).

A talented actor with good looks, Dall seemed destined to become a star. Instead, he leaves us with three memorable performances and a reminder that acting is a fickle business where success can often be attributed to being in the right movies at the right time.