Although I’d heard about the 1941 film “How Green Was My Valley,” I’d never gotten around to watching it. But ever since I’ve embarked on my recent one-man “John Ford Cinematic Appreciation Tour” (yes, I just made that up) adventure, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be pulled into its warm embrace. After watching the film, I’ll say that it reminds me of how versatile the legendary director was, despite often being minimized to the role of filmmaker of Westerns.
As a filmmaker myself, I understand that one of John Ford’s gifts lay in picking the right cast and crew for his productions. In this case, it was screenwriter Philip Dunne, who adapted author and playwright Richard Llewellyn’s immensely popular book of the same name (first published in 1939). Dunne’s brilliant adaptation is paired with one of the masters of black and white cinematography, Arthur C. Miller, with Ford’s vision (along with producer Darryl F. Zanuck), and an uber-talented cast to create a cinematic masterpiece. This is evidenced by one of the most beautifully poetic film openings in filmmaking history.
