TV MINISERIES 'HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY' WITH STANLEY BAKER

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY Year: 1975 Rating: ****

In 1975, the BBC brought HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY... John Ford's 1941 Oscar winning film that somehow beat CITIZEN KANE for best  picture and (more insanely) best director... back home... 

Here using the novelty of casting only Welsh actors in a miniseries about the hard-working 19th century Welsh people... primarily centering on an initially crippled son with his mine-working father, two brothers, two sisters and a strong mother involved in endless bad luck situations, taking up a total of six hours from six hour-long episodes... 

Stanley Baker and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Tragically, patriarch Stanley Baker, the most famous Welsh actor in the lot... having been a famous leading man for over a decade before slipping into secondary character roles... is literally and progressively dying before our eyes: beginning in his usual strapping manner, he's emaciated by the end, since, riddled with lung cancer diagnosed during filming, he winds up mostly propped up on a chair, makeup covering the gaunt, sallow jawline that had once been famously commanding...

In what's overall an intriguing binge series before there was just a thing, VALLEY plays like a period-piece soap opera combined with coming-of-age melodrama... the latter involving the young son bullied by private school students, and a teacher, before being taught to fight back by cool "uncles" John Clive and ex-boxer Ray Smith... 

Ray Smith, Gareth Edwards and John Clive in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Meanwhile the primary romantic aspect concerns new young vicar Gareth Thomas,  bringing a modern sort of Buddhist-like "make your own choices" Christianity despite the story taking place in the late-1800's...

He fends off advances from gorgeous youngest daughter Sue Jones-Davies, who marries a rich cad as abusive and lazy as her brothers are proud and hard-working... both who, played by humble/shy inventor Mike Gwilym countered by idealistic/stubborn Keith Drinkel, fall in love with the same girl (Victoria Plucknett) while their underline union troubles are dealt with in a preachy, anachronistic manner, catering to the liberal British 1970's...

Stanley Baker and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Visually, while getting sporadic establishing-shot glimpses of the titular Welsh GREEN VALLEY, we're mostly set within fitfully grungy interiors, like the main house where the crowded/bickering family resides...

So while it's heartbreaking to witness Stanley Baker progressively losing his power... and he does turn in an effective, completely natural performance and is perfectly cast here... it's scene-stealer Siân Phillip as the assertively solid mother/wife who carries this above-average miniseries from beginning to end.

Keith Drinkel, Mike Gwilym and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Sue Jones-Davies in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Nerys Hughes and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Sue Jones-Davies in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Sue Jones-Davies in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Rhys Powys in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Sue Jones-Davies and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Victoria Plucknett in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Victoria Plucknett in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY with Keith Drinkel

Stanley Baker amd Gareth Thomas in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Keith Drinkel in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Victoria Plucknett in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Victoria Plucknett in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY with Mike Gwilym

Victoria Plucknett in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY with Keith Drinkel

Stanley Baker and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker amd Sue Jones-Davies in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Rhys Powys and Siân Phillips in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

Stanley Baker in HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY