I'm bound to get clobbered for this, but

[GMA]

just finished watching John Ford's "How Green Was My Valley" again and was struck--no surprise--by how cynical and one-dimensional we've become. People are complex, and terribly flawed people are capable of such good, while good people are capable of terrible weakness.

My dad was a Welshman, and a total mystery to me through most of his life. I came to understand him in the months before he died of cancer, as his gruff exterior fell away and let us all see the tender man inside. "How Green Was My Valley"--and "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Down A Mountain" (another great film about those stubborn Welsh)--remind me of the great honor, integrity, tenacity, and basic goodness my dad possessed and did his best to pass on.

My year just started out so much better for having watched this.

[drm604]

1. What did you think you would get clobbered for?

There's nothing controversial in your post that I can see. :shrug:

[GMA]

5. Why, thank you. I'm just always ready

for someone to get mad at me for something here!

[madmax]

6. LOL

;) :hug:

[Carni]

9. You mean I am not the only one prepared for that at all times?

I have posted some commentary that was about as benign as it could possibly be and there's typically always one smart ass who gets bent out of shape lol

[inna]

17. LOL!

sorry, that was just pretty funny. :)

[roguevalley]

22. agreed. wonderful op.

[vadawg]

23. the fact that hes part welsh is enough for him to deserve to be clobbered

bloody tom jones...

[Captain Hilts]

2. Great movie. Great thoughts. nt

[KittyWampus]

3. I read that book several times when I was little (I read grown up books as a child)

And last night I rang in the New Year watching Nick and Nora in black and white. It brought so much nostalgia... watching movies from the 30's, it's a link to my Grandparents who are now gone.

[asjr]

12. My parents and I saw all the Nick and Nora

movies. I still remember from eons ago one scene in which Nick and Nora are waiting to be asked into a house owned by a rich person. The butler answers the door and says "Walk this way." He is bent over walking slowly, holding his back. William Powell says okay and imitates the butler "walking this way" and that scene cracks me up to this day.

[KittyWampus]

16. Ah, that was the second movie with Jimmy Stewart playing the bad guy (but we don't know he's the bad

guy til the end.

:)

[lildreamer316]

31. Did you see the whole marathon on New Year's on TCM?

It was great. Husband wandered in from work at 4AM to see me still watching them and giggled at me.
Asta!!
I inherited my love for those from my father; born 1933.

[flygal]

28. Love the Nick and Nora series

wish there more.

[elocs]

4. For those with Netflix, "How Green Was My Valley" is available on their streaming videos.

"The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain" is also available at Netflix and should be easy to get.

[Siwsan]

7. I love that movie

I also have the book - a prized gift from my father. I've always had a wide, strong streak of Welsh pride, running through my veins.

I also suggest "The Corn Is Green". The movie was made twice - Once with Bette Davis, and once with Katharine Hepburn (a made for tv movie, but excellent.) And, "Very Annie Mary" with Rachel Griffith and Jonathan Pryce.

Ah, yes - I LOVE a good Welsh story.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Both films you mentioned are wonderful

I could watch them right now, back to back.

[virgdem]

10. There is no controversy in your post...

it is an eloquent, loving memory of your father and that is nothing to be ashamed of and anyone who has lost a close relative can relate to your post.

[havocmom]

20. ah, but OP hinted at the stark, black/white mindset of so many people now

Seems we have (as a culture) lost the willingness to expend the energy necessary to notice, acknowledge, try to understand the many facets and nuances of complex creatures like human beings. We (as a culture) want to be able to hurriedly sort, label, pigeon-hole people. We deny them, and ourselves, most of the humanity each possesses.

It is sad that we have been reduced (again, as a culture) to reducing each other and ourselves to such flat, narrow definitions. We miss all the color of the tapestry that is life.

Perhaps the OP expected a fight from the too-numerous people here on DU who too often insist someone is all bad all the time or all good until they make some bad, but entirely human, mistake. There has been more guilt by association and/or 'one act defines a life' / no redemption is possible sort of bickering around here of late.

The movie is great, and it is good OP got to finally understand his/her father toward the end, but what I got from the OP is we seem to miss the nuances and variability of each and every human being anymore. We are poorer for this tendency.

[BeatleBoot]

11. It won 5 Oscars

How Green Was my Valley

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033729/awards

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White

Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

Best Director

Best Picture

[DailyGrind51]

13. I saw both films and agree that they both pay tribute to the common man.

[OHdem10]

14. "There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the

best of us, that it hardly behooves any of us to talk
about the rest of us."

[Tesha]

15. your dad sounds very familiar

...my family was full of folks like him.
You watch those movies and remember... and smile.


Thanks for the reminder.:hug:

[G_j]

18. thank you

wonderful post!

[depakid]

19. Your father sounds very much like mine

Stubborn man of Welsh descent (and appearance)- outwardly stoic at times, but inwardly rich, and these words in particular apply:

"the great honor, integrity, tenacity, and basic goodness my dad possessed and did his best to pass on."

We are both very fortunate to have had such fathers.

My day (down under) has started much better for having been reminded of that.

Thanks for the post.

:thumbsup:

[eppur_se_muova]

21. Hmmm ... is this another Welsh-baiting thread?

Or would that be rarebaiting? :+

Consider this a very mild clobber. ;)

[omega minimo]

24. "Rarebaiting"

:rofl: "mild clobber......" :spray: I was wondering how to fit "clobber" in to a pun......... "... like some clobbered cream over your berries?"

Ah, here's to Welsh forbears and "a way with words."

[REP]

25. To quote Fowler, "Welsh rabbit is charming and correct; Welsh rarebit is stupid and wrong."

It's rabbit. It's only 'rarebit' to pretentious asses. HTH HAND.

[omega minimo]

27. To quote Glen Tilbrook

Sunday Breakfast Treat
(Tilbrook)
Grate a half pound of cheddar
Transfer into a pot 
With a spoonful of mustard 
You may like mild, I prefer hot
Put in a splash of Tabasco 
A tablespoon of Worcester sauce 
A cup of stale beer
Plus pepper and salt 
Mix it up and preparation's over 
All you have to do now is heat 
It's a proper Sunday Breakfast Treat
Put the pan on a low flame 
Take care to stir all the time 
Toast four slices of good bread 
And when the Welsh Rarebit mixture's melted, combine
Top it off with sliced tomato 
Serve it up with Earl Grey tea 
Read the Sunday papers 
Which you have bought previously 
It's a perfect start to a Sunday 
Lying in bed is hard to beat 
Doing nothing much is such a treat 

Now that that's finished and it's over 
What on earth is left for us to do 
I've had a great idea
Come here!


Hope nobody minds looking at Johnny Depp to hear the song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZEPjkedwzc

[REP]

26. Filmed in California, I believe

[Martin Eden]

29. Lovely movie with an even lovelier Maureen Ohara

The scene in which she expresses her love to Walter Pigeon makes me melt into a puddle of adoration for her beauty.

[omega minimo]

30. A kick for love puddles

:kick: