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The Proud Valley

  • 1940
  • A
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
652
YOUR RATING
Paul Robeson in The Proud Valley (1940)
DramaMusic

In a Welsh coal mining valley, a young man with a beautiful singing voice is called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice when a pit disaster threatens.In a Welsh coal mining valley, a young man with a beautiful singing voice is called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice when a pit disaster threatens.In a Welsh coal mining valley, a young man with a beautiful singing voice is called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice when a pit disaster threatens.

  • Director
    • Pen Tennyson
  • Writers
    • Herbert Marshall
    • Alfredda Brilliant
    • Pen Tennyson
  • Stars
    • Paul Robeson
    • Edward Chapman
    • Simon Lack
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    652
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pen Tennyson
    • Writers
      • Herbert Marshall
      • Alfredda Brilliant
      • Pen Tennyson
    • Stars
      • Paul Robeson
      • Edward Chapman
      • Simon Lack
    • 16User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

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    Top cast26

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    Paul Robeson
    Paul Robeson
    • David
    Edward Chapman
    Edward Chapman
    • Dick Parry
    Simon Lack
    Simon Lack
    • Emlyn Parry
    Rachel Thomas
    • Mrs. Parry
    Edward Rigby
    Edward Rigby
    • Bert
    Dilys Thomas
    • Dilys
    Janet Johnson
    • Gwen Owen
    Charles Williams
    • Evans
    Jack Jones
    • Thomas
    Dilys Davies
    • Mrs. Owen
    Clifford Evans
    Clifford Evans
    • Seth Jones
    Allan Jeayes
    Allan Jeayes
    • Mr. Trevor
    • (as Alan Jeayes)
    George Merritt
    George Merritt
    • Mr. Lewis
    Edward Lexy
    Edward Lexy
    • Commissionaire
    John Glyn-Jones
    • Mr. Howes - Collector
    • (uncredited)
    Noel Howlett
    Noel Howlett
    • Company Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    Roddy Hughes
    Roddy Hughes
    • Lloyd - Miner
    • (uncredited)
    Mike Johnson
    • Cage Operator
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Pen Tennyson
    • Writers
      • Herbert Marshall
      • Alfredda Brilliant
      • Pen Tennyson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews16

    6.6652
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    Featured reviews

    philipdavies

    A film worth discovering.

    This film was recently shown to a large and very appreciative audience of all ages and backgrounds at the Paul Robeson Film Festival, organised by The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, a Department of The National Library of Wales (situated in the beautiful University town of Aberystwyth, on the mid-Wales coast).

    It is full of wonderful, humane performances, has very exciting and exceptionally well-realized scenes of underground peril in the coal mines of South Wales (when we had such long-forgotten things as mines), and a social conscience clearly influenced by the Soviet workers' epics of the period. Add to the mix a degree of seriousness in the treatment of the lives and problems of working-class communities, and of the real-life Welsh experience, and also of the experience of blacks in the workplace, and one has an English-produced film probably unique in its period for the range of its sympathies. The coming war obviously put the English of the time on their honour!

    Oh, yes - and the singing is very special, too!

    Of course, worker-manager relations are idealised to a degree, but not so much as to suppress quite a number of uncomfortable truths, that must have had smug metropolitan audiences of the period squirming in their seats. Altogether, a much truer, and therefore finer, treatment of the Welsh mining experience than anything to be found in that overblown, overhyped confection, 'How green was my valley'.

    Naturally, this excellent early Ealing feature is not generally available to the domestic market in Britain.

    However, since we know the value of these things in Wales, I understand that our Sales Department at The National Library of Wales is usually able to supply individual video copies of the film! Interested parties should make enquires directly to that institution.

    The Festival of films featuring Paul Robeson, of which the above is the first, continues in association with Aberystwyth Arts Centre Cinema until the 15th of July, 2003. The unreserved tickets are free. An interesting linked exhibition at The National Library of Wales, 'Let Paul Robeson Sing!', continues 'til the 25th of October 2003. The admission to this is also free.

    I'm sure this information will be of interest to IMDB patrons.
    dougdoepke

    United in Song

    I caught this 1930's curiosity on an outlying PBS channel at 2 a.m.— thank goodness for recorders, otherwise 5 people probably saw it at that hour. In all my years of old movie watching, I don't recall Proud Valley being shown in big market LA. My point is that for decades Robeson's few films were withheld for political reasons, and when finally released, had become dated curiosity pieces with graveyard show times. Too bad, because Robeson is a cultural treasure whose misfortune was to ally with one of the most aggressive anti-racist forces of his time, the American communist party. Whatever the wisdom of that move, given the circumstances, it was an understandable alliance, at least in my little book.

    Robeson's name may be above the title, but he really shares the starring role with the Welsh mining community he becomes a part of. I expect that's one reason this was his favorite film. He really has only one spotlight vocal, but it's a show-stopper, a terrifically moving version of the old spiritual Deep River. Otherwise, he blends into an ensemble cast, even though his sheer presence remains commanding throughout.

    It's a good story, about a community surviving the shutdown of its central coal mining industry. There are echoes of leftist styles here, particularly in the mobilized-crowd scenes with their banners, etc. Nonetheless, as another reviewer astutely points out, labor issues are folded into the larger war effort that was then breaking out (late 1939) along the Polish corridor. In fact, by the look of the latter sequences, I wouldn't be surprised if some re- editing and re-shooting were involved to keep abreast of fast moving global events.

    There are several arresting scenes. The set for the Robeson solo with the huge choral backdrop remains impressive even by today's standards and accentuates this, the film's emotional centerpiece. Another eye-catcher is the unemployed men picking over the mountainous slag heap like starving birds amid growing desperation. Also, the collapsing mine tunnel looks almost too real to be a "special effect", and I'm still wondering how they did it in those days before blue screens and digitalized computers.

    Anyway, here's hoping Turner Classic Movies finally decides to show a Robeson film, especially this one, at a decent hour, so a broader American public can catch up with a cultural treasure long denied them. Too bad, the great actor-singer-athlete had to go to Europe to find the kind of dignified roles he was so beautifully suited for.
    8planktonrules

    Exceptional.

    This is a very good film that gives a rare glimpse of Welsh life that has long since passed. The film begins in Wales just before WWII and a wandering American (Paul Robeson) wanders into town. Despite being a black man, almost everyone accepts him and he is soon a valued member of the community. He also is an important part of the local choral group--something VERY important in this culture. In fact, throughout the film is lots of lovely Welsh singing--and it's perhaps the best part of the movie. But, it's also a great portrait of a way of life that has passed--the grim life of a coal miner. Their struggle is chronicled in this film--with strikes, mining disasters and the like.

    This sort of plot is not at all surprising for Robeson, as he was a committed life-long socialist--with some communist sympathies. This is NOT meant as a criticism--just explaining his affinity towards the downtrodden and labor unions (which were important in providing a safe working environment for the miners). But I love that the film is not preachy about--it just shows their difficulties as well as their work ethic, values, belief in God and strong wills. A wonderful film and a nice film to see in a double-feature with "How Green Was My Valley"--which as a Hollywood and highly romanticized view of these people.

    All in all, one of Robeson's best films because he plays not a black man but a man--and a heck of a man at that.
    didi-5

    excellent thirties classic

    Pen Tennyson's best remembered film of the three 1930s movies he made before being killed in action in the Second World War, ‘The Proud Valley' concerns a mining village in Wales which faces change on two fronts – first in finding a new singer for their choir (American bass-baritone Paul Robeson just happens to be passing through Wales looking for a place to work); and second in dealing with a major disaster in the mines.

    While it may be stretching credibility to place Robeson in this setting, off the screen he developed a long-standing affinity with the people of Wales which lasted throughout his lifetime, and this was the one film he made of which he was truly proud. Whether singing ‘Deep River' with the choir, or working underground with his comrades from the village, he fits in just fine. There is a strong number of character actors in support. Little seen but unlike any other film, ‘The Proud Valley' is a fine testament both to British film-making and the huge community spirit of the Valleys.
    10loza-1

    All Lovers of Music Should See this Film

    Don't get me wrong, I liked the film. The story, of an African-American who finds himself working in the pits in Wales, is perfectly passable, and was as leftwards as it was going to get to thread its way through the British film censors. But we know what we are going to watch this film for - to hear Paul Robeson sing.

    During the 1980s, the British Bass, Robert Lloyd, listed his big four bass singers of all time. Robeson was among them. (The others were Fyodor Shalyapin, Cesare Siepi and Ezzio Pinza.) The BBC2 programme he did this for, also featured a few seconds of footage from proud valley.

    The big scene comes just after his friend has been killed in a mining accident. The local Eisteddfod - a Welsh festival of music and poetry - takes place. Robeson gets up and sings "Deep River". I have heard Robeson's 78 rpm recording of this song. This version is nothing like it. It is magnificent. As Robeson performs, the shivers go up the spine and the tears come rolling down the cheeks. This is so good that only Paderewski's performance in "Moonlight Sonata" can be compared to it.

    Because of this performance, no one who watches this film will be disappointed.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film originally ended with the miners taking over the mine, but the onset of World War ll changed this.
    • Quotes

      Emlyn Parry: Lovely, everything's going to be all right soon.

      Gwen Owen: Not if you keep on getting into scraps all the time.

      Emlyn Parry: You like a bit of a scrap yourself don't you.

      Gwen Owen: You'll know more about that when we're married my boy. I'll be ready to take you on any day.

      Emlyn Parry: Not in my working clothes, eh?

      Gwen Owen: Don't talk soft out here, Em.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits prologue: South Wales 1938
    • Connections
      Featured in Arena: Cinema (1977)
    • Soundtracks
      You Can't Stop Us Singing
      (uncredited)

      Written by Mai Jones and Lyn Joshua

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    FAQ13

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 28, 1942 (Sweden)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • David Goliath
    • Filming locations
      • Neath, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK
    • Production companies
      • CAPAD
      • Ealing Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 16 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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