How Green Was My Valley

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How Green Was My Valley

Released Dec 27, 1941

1h 58m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall), the academically inclined youngest son in a proud family of Welsh coal miners, witnesses the tumultuous events of his young life during a period of rapid social change. At the dawn of the 20th century, a miners' strike divides the Morgans: the sons demand improvements, and the father (Donald Crisp) doesn't want to rock the boat. Meanwhile, Huw's eldest sister, Angharad (Maureen O'Hara), pines for the new village preacher, Mr. Gruffydd (Walter Pidgeon).

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Critics Consensus

Nostalgic without becoming maudlin, this working-class drama is enlivened by a terrific cast and John Ford's ineffable directorial eye.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

John Ford's much-honored movie about the decline of a Welsh mining family is moving and impressive in a big-Hollywood-picture way.

Jul 28, 2022

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

The drama is no "made up" tale, but a panoramic glimpse of the small joys, the unmeasurable needs, the many griefs of a whole countryside. It is a story of life that is no more, but it is also a drama of people in every community.

Jul 26, 2022

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Katherine Howard

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

It is a cinema masterpiece of rare beauty. It brings the same thrilling experience as reading a fine piece of poetry or looking at an exquisite painting. You feel that they have come from the heart.

Jul 26, 2022

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This is best known among cineasts as the movie that beat Citizen Kane (and The Maltese Falcon) for the Best Picture Oscar, but that really shouldn’t be held against it (just against the petty and myopic Academy).

Rated: 3/4

Feb 18, 2025

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Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

Unfairly derided as one of the most undeserving Best Picture winners, John Ford's gorgeous, heartbreaking portrait of a Welsh coal-mining community represents the best sort of cinema.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 18, 2023

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

Core values, faith in God, and the importance of doing a good job well are at the center of this dreary and determined drama.

Jun 27, 2023

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Madam D

This historical fiction has a stellar cast. The plot shows the changes in late Victorian era Welsh coal mining via a large family.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

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Rosana B

Após a morte do autor Llewellyn, foi desmentido que se baseara em experiências pessoas, pois vivera pouco no País de Gales, apenas para reuniu material com famílias mineiras locais. Um adorável retrato do capitalismo selvagem vs o malfadado sindicato, ganhador de 5 Oscars, vencendo Citizen Kane como melhor filme, justo por usa importância, ambos criticam o poder desmedido, e uma crítica a como as mulheres eram tratadas a época, pelo divórcio, submissão, traições, belíssimo…

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/06/24

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Alejandro E

Inspired by the literary work, the story about the daily routine, and the many changes, in a Welsh community of miners, emits a scent of nostalgia that makes it a classic in its own right.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

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Grant H

Good but not great, and certainly not up there with Ford's classic The Grapes of Wrath. Episodic and without a core.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/08/24

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Alec B

It definitely needed to be longer but the movie remains a deeply sad nostalgia piece that's filled with surprising complexity.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

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Bob W

I'm a huge admirer of John Ford but this one just strikes me as treacly glorification of poverty. I'm definitely in the minority on this one so you should probably see it for yourself but, for me, this is near the bottom of the canon.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/22/23

Full Review

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John Ford

Director

Walter Pidgeon

Mr. Gruffydd, Village Preacher

Maureen O'Hara

Angharad Morgan, Eldest Daughter

Roddy McDowall

Huw Morgan, Youngest Son

Donald Crisp

Mr. Gwilym Morgan

Anna Lee

Bronwyn Morgan, Ivor's Wife

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Synopsis

Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall), the academically inclined youngest son in a proud family of Welsh coal miners, witnesses the tumultuous events of his young life during a period of rapid social change. At the dawn of the 20th century, a miners' strike divides the Morgans: the sons demand improvements, and the father (Donald Crisp) doesn't want to rock the boat. Meanwhile, Huw's eldest sister, Angharad (Maureen O'Hara), pines for the new village preacher, Mr. Gruffydd (Walter Pidgeon).

Director: John Ford
Producer: Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter: Philip Dunne
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 27, 1941, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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