Rating of
2.5/4
Secondary version of Grapes of Wraith
Ichabod Crane - wrote on 02/18/09
This film seems to be best known for beating Citizen Kane for Best Picture. It might have been because Grapes of Wraith was not given best picture because they are similar in many ways except that Grapes of Wraith is better. Both are shot perfectly after all that is what John Ford does best. They are both acted just as well, but they diverge with the story. Grapes of Wraith story is focused and crisp and clear, whereas How Green was my valley is the opposite. There are scenes that do not go any where tonal shifts. The scenes involving the school is where the tonal shifts occur. The biggest problem is the lead who is the kid played by a very young Roddy Mcdowall. He is fine but is too much of a your standard wide eyed kid character to be truly compelling. That leaves no else to be well developed except the father who is played perfectly. So is it good, no its okay should citizen Kane have won, well Welles should have won director but I preferred The Maltese Falcon as a picture.
