History Literature / HowGreenWasMyValley

''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, which was adapted into a 1941 Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox film directed by Creator/JohnFord and starring Creator/WalterPidgeon, Donald Crisp, Creator/MaureenOHara, and Creator/RoddyMcDowall, with a score by Music/AlfredNewman. It tells the story of Huw Morgan, the youngest son of a mining family in the Welsh village of Cwm Rhondda during the [[UsefulNotes/VictorianBritain Victorian era]]. Through his eyes, we see such events as his brother Ivor's wedding, the consequences of his sister Angharad's chaste romance with preacher Mr. Gruffydd (as well as her loveless and failed marriage into the mine owner's family), and a miner's strike in his town.

''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, which was adapted into a 1941 Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox film directed by Creator/JohnFord and starring Creator/WalterPidgeon, Donald Crisp, Creator/MaureenOHara, and Creator/RoddyMcDowall, with a score by Music/AlfredNewman. It tells the story of Huw Morgan, the youngest son of a mining family in the Welsh village of Cwm Rhondda. Through his eyes, we see such events as his brother Ivor's wedding, the consequences of his sister Angharad's chaste romance with preacher Mr. Gruffydd (as well as her loveless and failed marriage into the mine owner's family), and a miner's strike in his town.

* OutnumberedSibling: In the film adaptation, Angharad is the only daughter in the Morgan Family.

* CharacterNarrator: Huw Morgan is this as well as a NostalgicNarrator.

* CharacterNarrator: Huw Morgan.

* CharacterNarrator: Huw Morgan narrates in the first person.

The film was a great financial success and later won five [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]], including one of the most famous examples of the AwardSnub backlash: Winning Best Picture in 1942, which doesn't seem that much of a surprise, since it was well-received at its time, and still maintains a good reputation among film buffs. The problem? Also up for Best Picture in 1942 was a little picture by a [[Creator/OrsonWelles novice director]] called ''Film/CitizenKane'', widely regarded as one of, if not the, greatest films ever made; and another little ditty named ''Film/{{The Maltese Falcon|1941}}''. As a result, ''Valley'' is best known today as "[[AwardSnub that movie that won Best Picture over]] ''Film/CitizenKane''". In 1990, it was selected for inclusion in the UsefulNotes/NationalFilmRegistry of the Library of Congress.

* AdaptedOut: In the book, Huw had three sisters named, Angharad, Ceridwen, and Olwen; but in the film adaptation, Angharad was the only daughter in the family.

* BoxingLesson: To deal with the bullying Huw is getting - he's the poor kid at an upper-class school - his father gets boxing champion Dai Bando to teach Huw how to box. Huw's father also promises to pay Huw a certain amount for each bruise and black eye he comes home with.

* CutHimselfShaving: After Huw comes back home with a bloody face from being beaten at school he claims he "fell down on the mountain." Nobody believes it.

* DownerEnding: An ending that was unusually bleak for Hollywood films of the day. Huw's father is killed in the mine. His brothers have scattered off around the world due to the lack of good jobs in Wales. Mr. Gruffyd and Angharad don't get together--in fact, Mr. Gruffyd leaves the town, disgusted with the small-minded people in his congregation. And in the FramingDevice, when Huw is leaving the valley as an old man, it's been spoiled and befouled by the pollution of coal mining. The last line is "How green was my valley ''then''."

* InnocenceLost: Huw's growing up includes half his family driven away for their pro-union activities, his sister marrying a man she doesn't love, being forced by circumstances to take a job with coal mine, his town elders driving away the good priest who mentored Huw, and the death of his father in a mining accident. By the end of the movie and novel, his green valley is no more. [[BittersweetEnding All that remains are the memories of his loved ones]].

* MassiveNumberedSiblings: In the original book, Gwilym and Beth Morgan had six sons (Ivor, Ianto, Davy, Owen, Gwilym Jr. and Huw), and three daughters (Angharad, Ceridwen and Olwen). Although Ceridwen and Olwen get AdaptedOut in the film adapation, the trope still applies.

* PrecisionFStrike: Beth Morgan has a couple of 1941-style moments. First, she begins her ReasonYouSuckSpeech to the striking miners with, "I am Beth Morgan, as you damn well know!" Later, after Ivor is killed just before his child's birth she questions God's will. When Gwillym warns her about incurring God's wrath, she answers, "To Hell with the wrath!"

* ReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mr. Gruffydd's last sermon to his congregation, who are driving him out due to groundless rumors. He strongly criticizes them for hypocritically calling down God's vengeance, while forgetting God's love. Sadly, it seems like his words don't take. [[note]] [[AdviceBackfire Unsurprisingly.]] As he's incensed the people are motivated to come to the parish out of fear for God, not love. Their occupations down the hazardous mines ensure ''they only know fear'' and all too well, their place of work can easily become their tomb. Working from sunrise to sunrise, miners don't even see how green the valley is. So poor, they can only afford meat on Christmas.[[/note]]

* YourCheatingHeart: Averted. Despite her unhappy marriage to Mr. Evans's son, Angharad keeps her distance from her real love, Mr. Gruffyd. This doesn't stop Mrs. Nicholas from spreading malicious rumors about a divorce however.

* NothingIsScarier: After a mining accident, when any of the elevator cars [[OhCrap are empty]]...
* PrecisionFStrike: Beth Morgan has a couple of 1941-style moments. First, she begins her ReasonYouSuckSpeech to the striking miners with, "I am Beth Morgan, as you damn well know!" Later, after Ivor is killed just before his child's birth she questions God's will. When Gwillym warns her about incurring God's wrath, she answers, "To Hell with the wrath!"

''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, which was adapted into a 1941 Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox film directed by Creator/JohnFord and starring Creator/WalterPidgeon, Donald Crisp, Creator/MaureenOHara, and Creator/RoddyMcDowall, with a score by Creator/AlfredNewman. It tells the story of Huw Morgan, the youngest son of a mining family in the Welsh village of Cwm Rhondda. Through his eyes, we see such events as his brother Ivor's wedding, the consequences of his sister Angharad's chaste romance with preacher Mr. Gruffydd (as well as her loveless and failed marriage into the mine owner's family), and a miner's strike in his town.