The Green Years

I find this film charming. As a 1950's Dublin kid, I loved the acting, direction, script and message of this film. I agree that it is a Scottish 'How green is my Valley'. I have always felt closer to Scotland than Wales, although not understanding why! Dean Stockwell and Tom Drake are especially wonderful. Nowadays, some follow ups would be certain. I would love to follow Robert Shannon's adulthood, after this film ended. I have always been a fan of Jessica Tandy and it was great to see her as a young girl, knowing what a successful career she had. This is a warm hearted Sunday afternoon film with feel good after-shocks. I don't know if a colour remake is possible but it's a black and white classic. Enjoy!

TCM screened this film recently and it was worth staying up past my bedtime to watch it. The film can be summed up in two words: Charles Coburn. He is magnificent as the perpetually inebriated yet good natured great grandfather. His dialogue is top notch and he delivers it to the hilt, at times funny, and others poignant. Dean Stockwell as the young boy is always interesting to watch, as are Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn. Fans of old films will recognize many stock players as well: the mother here is also the mother in The Fighting Sullivans and the school master turns up years later as the impresario for the Von Trapp children in the Sound of Music. It's fun to see him so young. The movie has a lot of the Goodbye Mr. Chips qualities I love in film. And keep your ears open and you'll hear strains of similar music from The Wizard of Oz - letting you know it's an MGM production. Throw in a bit of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist and you've got a fine movie. I won't give any more away.

The film is based on A.J. Cronin's bestselling novel. It boasts an exemplary cast and a very evenly-written script. Venerable character actor Charles Coburn, a favorite of many, receives top billing. And true, his performance could easily dominate the movie. But the screenwriter is careful to intersperse moments of Coburn's wily great-grandfather character throughout the narrative while keeping the rest of the ensemble in focus.

The cast includes real-life husband and wife Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy (though they do not play a married couple here). It also features child actor Dean Stockwell in the first half and matinée idol Tom Drake in the second half as the young protagonist.

The Green Years pulls at our heartstrings one moment, then makes us laugh uproariously the next (usually because of Coburn's antics). But throughout the story there is a valuable lesson about the importance of making sacrifices and celebrating life's triumphs.

The title is meant to suggest several possible meanings. I urge you to view the film and discover what it means for you.

I've only seen this movie on the TV and even then, it was years ago and its never been on TV again. I saw it before the days of VCR's. Its such a good movie, and unfortunate that it never came out on video or better still, on DVD. The movie was taken from the A.J. Cronin book of the same name. Dean Stockwell's performance was well done in the part of Robert Shannon a young Scottish boy. His father Hume Cronyn is the penny pinching father. Another favourite of mine is Jessica Tandy (Hume Cronyn's wife in real life, is also in the movie. As always and one of my favorite actors is Charles Coburn. Tom Drake plays the part of the older Robert Shannon. He wasn't in a lot of movies, but I always liked him. So far, it has never been on video or TV but if you ever see it listed in the TV Guide, watch it. Its very good.

A measure of this film's quality is that days after screening it I'm still thinking about it. It's a great multifaceted story with many and varied parallel plots and the performances will stay with you for a long time. Several scenes have become permanently engraved in my mind, too many to enumerate. Others have commented on Charles Coburn's performance and yes, it is outstanding, but not the only notable one. Hume Cronyn's miserly Papa Leckie is exasperating and even oddly sympathetic. Norman Lloyd who plays Papa's son is truly a chip off the old block if with more joviality. Gladys Cooper and Selena Royale are both excellent as always and Dean Stockwell gives a very nuanced performance, more so than in any other film I've seen him in. I should also mention Beverly Tyler whom I have never seen before if only for her singing voice which is truly angelic. And let's not forget another outstanding performance by Jessica Tandy in a complete role reversal from her previous outing in "The Valley of Decision". She is by far my favorite here even though she is not a headliner, with Coburn and Hume close seconds. If I have a gripe it's about the chronology. The story takes place in 19th century Scotland, a notoriously unhealthy place, yet it covers four generations. Coburn's grandpa is already an old man when Bobby comes to live with the Leckies yet he lives long enough to see Bobby to young adulthood a decade later. To top it all off he's an overweight alcoholic and his lifestyle is anything but healthy. That alone stretches all credulity although it is possible, if barely so. I think I'll have to read Cronin's novel on which the film is based to discover how the author handled this detail. Put that aside though and enjoy a great find.