2h 6min. // “How Green Was My Valley” is a 1941 movie directed by John Ford, based on the novel of the same name by Richard Llewellyn. The story is set in a small Welsh mining village in the late 19th century and follows the life of Huw Morgan, a young boy who grows up in a close-knit community of miners and their families.
As the story unfolds, we see how the lives of the villagers are intertwined, and how they struggle to survive in the face of the harsh realities of mining life. Huw’s family, in particular, faces many challenges, including his father’s injury in a mining accident, his brother’s struggle with the decision to leave the village and work in the mines, and his own growing awareness of the class divisions and injustices that exist in his world.
Through it all, Huw finds comfort in the love and support of his family, and in the beauty of the valley that surrounds them. But as the coal industry begins to decline, the villagers’ way of life is threatened, and they are forced to confront the harsh realities of an uncertain future.
In the end, the movie is a poignant tribute to the resilience and strength of a community facing profound change. Through its vivid portrayal of the lives and struggles of the people of the valley, “How Green Was My Valley” offers a powerful meditation on the enduring bonds of family, the importance of community, and the resilience of the human spirit.
