THE CORN IS GREEN

US, 1945, 1945, 115 minutes, Black and white
Bette Davis, John Dall, Joan Lorring, Nigel Bruce, Rhys Williams, Mildred Dunnock, Arthur Shields.
Directed by Irving Rapper.

The Corn is Green was a successful film for Bette Davis in the mid-40s. It was directed by Irving Rapper who directed her in the Oscar-nominated Now Voyager and was to direct her in Deception and Another Man’s Poison. Rapper made a number of religious films including Born Again.

The film was based on a play by author-actor Emlyn Williams, partly autobiographical. The play was a great success on Broadway and travelled extensively. This version was made in 1945 and George Cukor directed a remake for television in 1979 with Katharine Hepburn in the central role.

The film is one about education. Bette Davis plays Miss Lilly Moffat, a schoolteacher in Wales, singling out particular students and training them for success. She has the touch of the Miss Jean Brodie as well as the reserve of a Welsh village.

The film is complex in its presentation of the young man that she singles out for training. He is played by John Dall in his first role (gaining an Oscar nomination) as did Joan Lorring as the easy young woman around the town. The film also includes themes of pregnancy, an unmarried mother, and what seems to be a rather harsh ending with Miss Moffat refusing to allow her student to see his illegitimate son for whom she cares.

The film is strong on dialogue, coming from the stage version. However, it is a tour-de-force performance by Bette Davis, rather restrained from her usual mannerisms. Nigel Bruce is the local squire, Rhys Williams and Mildred Dunnock are the teachers along with Miss Moffat.

The film takes its place alongside the many films which focus on the value of education and personal tuition.

1. The quality of the film, its lasting impact? In its time?

2. The film based on a play, the transition to the screen, retaining the strength of characters and dialogue?

3. The film as a Bette Davis vehicle, her performing as an Englishwoman, accent? Her role at Warner Bros and her career?

4. The Welsh setting, the re-creation of the period, the score? The world of the 19th century, 20th century? In the mining town, the mines, the hard work, the drinking, the ignorance? Yet the Welsh and their language, song, religion? The visualising of life in Wales?

5. The setting of the town, the house, the squire, Miss Ronberry and Mr Jones? The school? The preparation for Miss Moffat’s arrival? The revelation?

6. The character of Miss Moffat, Bette Davis’s performance, her background, arrival, the bike? Her books, her teaching hopes? The interaction with the squire? The help of Miss Ronberry and Mr Jones? The lessons and the men? The content, the style? Washing? Writing, lessons? The difficulties? The inevitable clash with the squire, his obtuseness? Her acceptance in the town? Morgan Evans? Her ambitions, teaching, the pressures? The treatment of the children? The effect on them? The various clashes and hurt? Her singling out Morgan? The scholarship? Her wheedling the squire and twisting his arm? The other classes? The effect of the town on her? Her hope and detachment? Bessie and her mother? The interactions with Bessie? Bessie’s pregnancy, sent away, the money? The truth and Morgan’s preparation for the exam? The return and his success? The baby and its future? Miss Moffat as a spinster, yet finding love in caring for the child? Her vicarious motherhood through her students?

7. Morgan as an ordinary young man, at work in the town, his essay, the lessons, Miss Moffat seeing his potential, his hopes and zeal, reading? The taunts? His drinking, the relationship with Bessie? Her pregnancy? The clash, his leaving, the return, talking with Miss Moffat, the exam? His being sent away? His work at the university, his success?

8. The character of Bessie, her role in the town, slatternly? Her mother and her influence? Her relationship with Morgan, pregnancy, the child, the child taken away?

9. The characters of Miss Romberry and Mr Jones, their age, experience, help, reliable? Their wisdom? Their role in the adoption?

10. The squire and his place in the town, his character, his arrogance and ignorance? The confrontations with Miss Moffat? Her getting the better of him?

11. The people of the town, the traditions, education and lack of education, ignorance, the ordinary way of life, the people in a rut?

12. The themes of education and possibilities? The new world for Morgan? Oxford?

13. A film of human values? The issue at the end with the adoption of the child and Morgan not seeing it? As portraying the attitudes of the times? In retrospect?