The Welsh Valleys are full of song and cheer. The mines are places of warmth and the occasional badly sung note. Ever so often a fight breaks out but that is as it always is when men talk of song. In to this mix comes David, a black American sailor looking for work and finding a people that take him in but its an exchange they desire. He can sing like honey, so they ask him to join their choir for the big competition.
The golden film era of film making and film magic. This is the British version of Wales and not to be confused with the American (Ford version) that would appear in the same year as How Green Was My Valley. Its a piece of gentle, naive, paternal fluff that tells a story of Welshmen as hard working miners that are also songsmiths. They are warm hearted and kind. They take any man as he is and do not utter offence. The film is short and sweet (Sometimes a little too sweet.) It leaves you with a warm heart but little else.
Paul Robeson is the talking point here as the man who was a political warrior in his later life. He made a film that was twee enough to appeal to his many idiological facets. The Blu Ray features some very good film extras. David Harewood insight into Robeson is clear and adds a layer to a man that could have been a characture. The selected tracks I also enjoyed greatly.
