[Quick Summary: Told through the eyes of the youngest son, a Welsh mining family has split opinions over a mining strike.]
This is a famous film from director John Ford that has influenced many others. For example, see the classic, powerful framing in these stills: here, here, and here.
Though it's not one of my favorite stories, I was impressed how the writer brought out the theme of family in the story and subtle visuals.
For example:
- The scene below occurs after mother Beth has spoken up at a strikers' meeting,
- The strike has pitted her husband (anti-strike) against her adult sons (pro-strike).
- She spoke up in support of her husband, who was not present.
- She and her youngest son, Huw (protagonist) begin walking home in bad weather.
- Her other adult sons, Ianto and Davy, attended the meeting separately.
- She falls through the rotting bridge.
- The theme of family in the story: mother vs. sons at the meeting.
- The theme of family in the visuals: mother falls through the bridge; mother separated from sons; sons coming to aid of estranged parent.
- Note how theme is also in the conflict: Huw's brothers dismissed their mother's plea in the previous scene. Now, through Huw's point of view, we see he's barely hanging on. Where will his brothers' loyalties lie when there's an emergency?
The scene dissolves to a MOUNTAINSIDE. It is still night. Huw and Beth, almost totally exhausted, are stumbling down a steep place. It is raining fiercely and the wind shrieks through the trees above them. Beth is failing visibly. Huw puts his arm around her, struggling to support her.
HUW'S VOICE: Hours it seemed and no feeling or sense was in me - but I was crying to God to help me save my mother and I was helped sure or I could not tell where I found the strength -
The scene dissolves to a BRIDGE, as Beth and Huw stagger toward it. They reach the bridge. Beth clutches at the rail for support. The wood is rotten and breaks under her weight. She pitches forward into the icy water a few feet below the bridge. Huw gives a frightened gasp and throws himself in after her.
In the water Beth, inert, is slung around by the swift current. Huw struggles closer to her, as the current brings her up against a rocky point. Gasping with the cold Huw brings her head and shoulders clear of the water. He cannot leave the water himself, but must push against her with all his might to hold her clear of the racing stream.
HUW'S VOICE: So strong was the cold that for minutes I couldn't breathe--
Huw, his face contorted, is struggling to hold his mother up as he stands shoulder deep in the icy black water. A faint light appears upon Huw and the inert figure of Beth.
HUW'S VOICE: How long it was I cannot tell, but there was a weariness of time before I saw a light--
Huw is desperately holding on as the light grows stronger and dark figures appear in the rain. It is a group of men from the meeting, headed by Davy and Ianto. They have a lantern.
Huw turns, his eyes glistening in the light, and opens his mouth to shout.
HUW'S VOICE: I tried to shout but my voice was gone from my throat.
Davy, Ianto and the men, not seeing Huw and his mother, start to cross the bridge. Huw's mouth is open. He is trying to shout against the wind, but he cannot make himself heard. He begins to fail, to slip. Beth's head rolls and she almost goes under the water.
Ianto and Davy with the other men are on the bridge. They are about to leave the bridge and pass on when Ianto almost casually notices that the rail is broken. He stops for a second look, holding the lantern high. Huw is straining mightily to hold Beth above the water. Ianto starts to move away, then raises the lantern once more As he looks down the stream, his eyes widen in horror. He turns and shouts into the wind.
IANTO (shouting): Davy--
He puts down his lantern and plunges forward into the water where Huw is giving his last ounce of strength to hold up his mother until Ianto reaches them. As Ianto pulls them to the bank, Davy and the other men are there to help them to safety. The scene fades out.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: You don't have to hit the audience over the head with theme. Here, it is subtly baked into conflicts and drama.
In fact, it's so good that I didn't notice the subtle metaphor of the rotting bridge until much later.
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
by Philip Dunne
Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn
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