My Great Great Grandmother - Sweet Shop

My Great, Great Grandmother on my Dad's paternal side had a sweet shop. I believe it was in Rhye, North Wales. As part of the trade she wore a conical black hat, similar to the popular depiction of a pointed Witches hat, but flat at the top. You can see an image of this in the 1948 film "How Green Was My Valley".

These hats, the pointed ones, had been worn for centuries by women who sold ale in busy market places so they could be seen more easily. They were known as "alewives." They brewed their ale in large black cauldrons and kept a broom, made of sticks, outside the door of their shops. It was, for reasons unknown to me, a sign of their trade. The black cats were kept to help ward off the mice who ate the grain meant for the ale. 

As the ale business became more centralized in the 1600's, the larger companies, owned by men, tried to run off their independent, smaller competitors by spreading rumors of witchcraft. At the time sorcery, or witchcraft, was punishable by banishment and even death. Many of these "Alewives" particularly in Wales, went into the sweets business. The tools of the trade were similar. The black cauldron now held sugar and water for making rock candy, which made the black cat still indispensable for warding off the mice. 

By the late 19th century the look of the Aleswife and Sweet Seller had been altered for good. In 10 more years, thanks to novels and then film, the history of their trade had been completely co-opted. And Frank Baum wrote "The Wizard of Oz". 

"How Green Was My Valley" with Maureen O'Hara, Roddy McDowall and Donald Crisp

One of the most remarkable things about this film is that it was filmed in California. Unlike John Ford's later classic, "The Quiet Man", which would be filmed on location in Ireland, this one was filmed in America due to the Second World War, which had already begun in Europe, making it almost impossible to ship the actors, equipment and technicians safely to Wales. But, with John Ford directing, magic could be created anywhere.

This is the story of a Welsh coal mining family, living outside of Cardiff at the turn of the century. The Morgan's were a coal mining family; they always had been; and it was expected that they always would be. They lived in an idyllic town with all the things that were necessary to live a decent, if not hard, life. Mr. Morgan, played by Donald Crisp, and his wife, Sara, played by Sara Allgood, have 4 sons. The youngest, Huw, is played by Roddy McDowall, whose character also serves as the narrator, looking back on his time as a child in the valley. The Morgan's also have a daughter, Angharad, played by Maureen O'Hara.

The paradise of Huw's youth is interrupted when men from another town, who are out of work, come to Huw's village looking for jobs. Taking advantage of the glut in labor on the market, the owners of the mine choose to reduce wages, prompting the men of the town to form a Union and go on strike. The elder Mr. Morgan is aghast at the prospect and even outraged when his own sons decide to take part in that effort.

When Mr. Morgan is threatened over this issue, by the very men he has worked alongside for so many years, his wife, Sara, who has learned of a secret Union meeting that night, gets Huw to take her to the place where the meeting is being held. It is winter, and a snowstorm rages as Mrs. Morgan lambasts the men as cowardly in their actions towards her husband. After venting her rage at the men she leaves, with Huw, in the midst of the storm.

As the men, who are now somewhat ashamed of themselves, make their way back to their homes, they hear a cry for help. Mrs. Morgan has fallen into the stream, with Huw holding her head above the freezing waters. The men save her, and Huw, returning them to their home. It is months before the two recover from the events of that night, with Huw having to learn to walk again.

In the middle of all of this there is also the story of the Preacher, played with acidic cruelty by Arthur Shields, one of the finest actors to ever grace the stage or screen. He is a fire and brimstone preacher, who shows his true colors when he attempts to cast out a girl from the village who is unwed and pregnant. Only the brave protestations of Mrs. Morgan and Angharad save her from being exiled for the crime of being human and falling short of "God's glory."

While the Preacher is a vengeful man, his assistant, Mr. Gruffydd, played with great sensitivity by Walter Pidgeon, is just the opposite. He is kind and understanding. He is the one who helps Huw learn to walk again after that freezing night in the stream. He brings Huw all of the classics to read, things like "Treasure Island", which transport the boy beyond his limited world and sufferings. When Huw has recovered he is able to gain entrance to a Public School, opening the way for him to go beyond the coal mines to make a living. But the boy will have none of it, instead choosing to work beside his father and brothers in the mines.

When Angharad falls in love with Mr. Gruffydd, he gently lets her down, explaining that he has given his life to God. This sets the stage for her to marry the mine owner's son, which should give her happiness, but does not fill the hole she carries in her heart for her true love.

When the price of coal drops and the mines reduce wages again, 2 of the sons leave for America, breaking their mother's heart. The movie largely resembles some of my family's own background. They were Welsh, living just outside of Cardiff, at about the same time this story takes place. Perhaps that is why this movie strikes such a chord with me.

The film is filled with the imagery and hard work which was the way of life in Wales back then. Director John Ford, using wide sweeping panoramas, as well as tight close-ups, conveys all the joy, and hardships, of an era that tested the hearts and souls of all who struggled through those times. With the added attraction of the Welsh Singers, who play themselves, along with the antics of Barry Fitzgerald as the town "sportsman", Cyfartha, this film garnered 5 Academy Awards, and 5 additional nominations. From start to finish, this is a movie that will resonate with the viewer forever.

"Directed by John Ford" Directed by Peter Bogdanovich

This documentary, which was first released in 1974 and directed by Peter Bogdanovich, has been updated and restored, with added footage and interviews with the actors, writers, other directors and generally anyone who has been influenced by the works of the legendary Director, John Ford.

Exploring films such as “Stagecoach”, “Young Mr. Lincoln”, “Grapes of Wrath”, “The Quiet Man”, “How Green Was My Valley”, and “”The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, along with a score of other films, gives you an idea of just how diverse John Ford’s films are.

A gruff man by nature, he forged relationships with some of Hollywood’s most enduring actors. The 1969 interviews with John Wayne are particularly interesting, as are the ones with Henry Fonda and James Stewart. The stories they relate are at once funny, informative and still manage to give us a close look at this most unusual man.

Also weighing in on the life of John Ford are some current directors who were in their 20’s when this film was originally released in 1974. Both Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese talk about the influences of Mr. Ford’s films on their early years as movie fans, and the later influence that these same films had on their own careers as Directors.

The interview with Mr. Ford, done in the desert at the site that served as the backdrop for so many of his films, is a wonderful insight into the man. His monosyllabic answers to complex questions underscore his irascibility. He knew he was difficult. He knew he was temperamental. That was the best part of the man, his unwillingness to compromise who he was. He dressed in Safari clothes and smoked huge cigars. He once knocked out Henry Fonda. This was a most unusual man. And it shows in his films.

The film also delves into his World War Two years making wartime films to stoke the fires of victory. He was wounded at the Battle of Midway while making a documentary film. He was also on the beach at Normandy, recording the landing. That film would be used for training in future amphibious landings. He served in the Navy holding the rank of Commander.

A four time Oscar winning Director, Mr. Ford was one of the early proponents of location shooting and the long shot, in which the star is filmed with a vast panoramic background.

Born John Michael Feeney in Maine to Irish parents, he moved to Hollywood in 1914, following on the heels of his older brother Francis Ford, who was already making films for Thomas Edison. Francis went on to become a Director in his own right.

John adopted his brothers stage name of Ford and made his screen debut in 1914. In 1915 he played a Klansman in D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation.” By 1917 he was a Director, and by the time talkies made their debut he had over 60 films under his belt. As his career rose, his brothers declined. You can see Francis Ford in “The Quiet Man”, he plays the old man in the tavern.

John Ford made some of the most beautiful movies ever to come out of Hollywood. Look at “How Green Was My Valley” with Roddy McDowall. The scenery is beautiful; the camera captures it all in broad sweeps, as well as tight close-ups. His direction of the actors is equally mesmerizing, making us believe that we are in Wales. Unlike “The Quiet Man”, which was shot on location, “How Green Was My Valley”, which swept the Oscars that year (1941), was not shot on location, but instead it was filmed in the hills outside of Hollywood due to concerns about the war in Europe, which we would soon join. The magic of that film is timeless, as is the message.

One of the best things about John Ford’s films is the incredible talent that was available to him through the old “studio contract” system. His “stable” included such notables as, Harry Carey, who appeared in over 25 of Mr. Ford’s films. There were also the legendary character actors such as Thomas Mitchell, Arthur Shields, Barry Fitzgerald, Maureen O’Hara, John Wayne, Vera Miles, James Stewart, John Qualen, John Carridine, Ward Bond , Victor McLaglen and Richard Widmark. These actors and actresses were sometimes referred to as the John Ford Stock Company.

This is an engaging and entertaining documentary on one of the greatest film makers of all time.