Customer Reviews

Corn Is Green [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great, old style drama which sees Bette Davis in the role of L.C. Moffat, an English school marm who has inherited a house in Wales. Highly educated for her time, Ms. Moffat, moved by the squalor, poverty and ignorance of an illiterate people, takes pains to start up a local school, much to the consternation of the local yokels. Soon her efforts bear fruit, as she comes upon a diamond in the rough in the form of Morgan Evans, an orphan who is struggling to survive in the mines, but is gifted with a native intelligence and sensitivity which belies his surroundings. Well acted by John Dall, Morgan has glimpsed the world outside his rural village through the magic of the books provided by Ms. Moffat. It is she who is enlarging his world view. Enlisting the aid of the local squire, she grooms Morgan for a scholarship at Oxford.

Ms. Davis gives a compelling performance, as does the rest of the cast. The movie is a wonderful portrayal of the relationship that has formed between a very special teacher and a gifted student, who, but for that teacher, may never have realized his potential. Ms. Davis always plays strong, stalwart women with a cutting edge to them, and in this role she plays true to form. She is absolutely magnificent. John Dall is superb as the coltish Morgan Evans. Nigel Bruce is perfect as the pompous, but kindly, local squire who is manipulated by Ms. Moffat to sponsor Morgan in his bid for Oxford. Joan Lorring is wonderful as the sly and lascivious cockney girl, Bettie Watty, who almost derails Morgan's future when she become pregnant with his child. Rosalind Ivan is marvelous as Bessie's mother, Mrs. Watty. Rhys Williams and Mildred Dunnock are superlative in their roles of the assistant school teachers, Mr. Jones and Ms. Ronberry. This is truly a movie well worth having in one's collection.

Bette Davis stars as Miss Moffat, who inherits a home in a Welsh mining town and decides that she will educate the young, especially the boys, who are otherwise doomed to a life in the mines. One student, played by John Dall, gets her attention when he reveals depth beyond what she expected, and before long, they are working hard towards getting him a scholarship to Oxford. However, the housekeeper's conniving daughter threatens to ruin everything. Davis is very good as the crusading, very emotionally controlled middle-aged teacher, only once in a while letting us see her act. The supporting cast are all good, with Dall especially strong as the student fighting against his background. There is the occasional moment of stiff dialogue, but there are also some terrific lines as the intense relationship between teacher and student is explored. Irving Rapper doesn't have much punch as a director in this or any of his other films that I have seen, but the story is the kind that will draw you in and having you rooting for the underdog.

Bette Davis does a commendable job portraying L.C. Moffat, the prim, spinsterish English school teacher who comes to the small village of Glensarno, Wales to claim a house she's inherited. Moffat is appalled at the lack of education received by the young men who live in ignorance and squalor in the mining community, so she decides to set up her own school and teach what she can to those who are willing to learn. Miss Moffat's prize pupil is Morgan Evans (John Dall, his debut) who shows natural intelligence, perhaps genius...Rosalind Ivan does well as Watty, the reformed shoplifter who has become an activist in a militant religious group. Joan Lorring also made her debut in the movies playing - with considerable skill - Bessie, Watty's strumpet daughter who eventually complicates matters with her feminine "charms". Davis is so terribly noble and plays the martyr with such conviction that you are only subconsciously aware of the sexual undercurrent between the student and teacher; her devotion to Evans is at once gently heartfelt and and poignantly bitter. Mildred Dunnock borders on being a pain as the prim Miss Ronberry and Rys Williams is adequately square as Mr. Jones, the shop clerk. Nigel Bruce does well enough as the pompous Squire, a landowner who is ultimately "won-over" by the "charm" of Miss Moffat (did she resort to using clever psychology perchance?).

This movie should have a universal appeal for anyone who teaches or admires teachers. In a moving way illustrates the tremendous satisfaction a teacher gets from contributing to the success of an outstanding student. Davis is great.

It is only when an actress takes the risk of portraying a character whose persona does not already reside wholly within her but must be constructed from experience and talent, can one be classified as a truly great actress. Davis's portrayal of the caring school teacher is believeable and touching, in part because she has an edge to her that makes one believe that she could live this rather harsh existence in Wales with pride and dignity. I find it refreshing to see a performance which is risky for the perfomer because everyone grows from it and the fan gets a new glimpse of real talent. I will always hold this performance of Davis's as a most special one because, although one senses she can bite if needed, the dialogue is not her typical "chip on the shoulder" jargon. Lovely movie, great story, refreshing performances.

"A full, ripe ear of emotion and enjoyment"

-New York Herald Tribune

Bette Davis gives a sharp, vital interpretation of Miss Moffat(the spinster teacher fighting to educate the poor children of a Welsh mining village)...by remaining true to its legitimate stage counterpart," adds the Hearld Tribune.

The story, based on Emlyn Williams' autobiographical play, focuses on the relationship between Miss Moffat and her gifted young prodigy from the mines, Morgan Evans (John Dall). "Consumed by inward fire, by the sheer joy of imparting knowledge" (London Picture Post), she molds him into a legitimate candidate for an Oxford scholarship in the remarkably short span of two years. Despite the disaster of Morgan's seduction by trouble-making Bessie (Joan Lorring), the mutual struggle between teacher and pupil becomes a glorious triumph of the human spirit.

"Only Bette Davis....could have combatted so successfully the obvious intention of the adaptors of the play to make frustrated sex the mainspring of the plot."

-Picture Post

The movie opens as the Welsh miners return from a day in the pits. One wonders why they aren't all carving out for themselves careers in the arts, since the combined force of their voices as they merrily sing their way across hill and dale rivals the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for sound. Of course, if you happen to live in Wales, this kind of virtuosic performance would probably be a fact of everyday life to you. As would those strained, tortured accents. Rhys Williams has a few amusing moments, but one worries about his apparent identity complex-he can't seem to make up his mind whether he is Welsh or Irish, so he throws in a little of both just to be sure. Similarly, John Dall (who would nowadays be largely forgotten were it not for his role as one of the notorious killers in Hitchcock's 'Rope') tries desperately to convince Bette Davis that he is just a poor kid who all his life knew nothing other than impoverished village life in the heart of Wales, but his accent gives him away-he was obviously brought up in America, with brief stints in Ireland and Scotland, before being transported to his current locale.

Mocking aside, this is a good movie. We can forgive Hollywood for the awful attempts at Welsh accents (any Americans reading this review are probably sitting there bemused, thinking, What, so they don't really talk like that in Wales? Yeh, sure-and all the Londoners I know sound just like Dick Van Dyke). It is a moving story of an early feminist who takes it upon herself to educate the deprived children of a small mining community. She faces opposition from the local Squire (the ever-loveable Nigel Bruce) and from the ignorant masses (don't worry-they grow to love her), but still bravely ploughs on to introduce the town to the joys of Shakespeare, the benefits of arithmetic, and the charms of good grammar. She takes a young lad (Dall) under her wing and in him recognizes the seeds of a genius, so sets about gaining him a scholarship at Oxford. The picture ends on a good note with a little melancholy thrown in for good measure. It is actually a very thoughtful story, that set me thinking about sacrifice, servanthood and dedication. Production values are generally high, and the whole thing is played out with a good sense of humour and at a nice pace.

This is a great classic film based an a classic play with incredible characters, endearing plot and a wonderful performance by Bette Davis playing a beloved character. I don't understand why this film has not been released as a DVD. It is a charming story with a restrained and very effective performance by Bette Davis. I saw this films many years ago on TV and used to own the VHS. The film is very memorable and I hope someday to have the DVD. There are lesser Bette Davis movies on DVD, so why not release this great one!

The Corn Is Green is fine film by the renown Ms.Davis, that gives us a look at the life
of a teacher and her students in 19th century Wales.
With the exception of How Green was My Valley, (who's plot line runs similar.) there aren't many film set in that beautiful country.
But my question is, Why hasn't this wonderful movie been included in a Bette Davis
dvd film collection yet? Or offered as a dvd single?

I give this movie 3 stars and no more or a B rating at best.
Why not a better movie rating ? Well the last 15 mins Miss Moffet Aka Davis does not know how to handle the black mailing girl who had baby out of wed lock Morgan Evans. It been better if has had tried to encourge to girl to marry Morgan Evans and raise that child. But No she Miss Moffet was to concerned about poor old Evans getting into Oxford. The movie ends with trying to keep the dark secert from town and viewer is left wondering what will happen to the child will Morgan come back and do his fatherly duties as he should will Miss Moffet be able to raise a child at advance age? Will the evil Miss Wattey get hers ? The movie certainly could have ended better. Rent it before you buy it.