THE VALLEY OF DECISION

US, 1944, 118 minutes, Black and white.
Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Donald Crisp, Lionel Barrymore, Preston Foster, Gladys Cooper, Jessica Tandy, Dan Duryea, Marsha Hunt, Reginald Owen, Marshall Thompson.
Directed by Tay Garnett.

The Valley of Decision is a very well made soap opera of the forties. MGM made this kind of film giving them fine black and white production values which contributed to strong atmosphere The casting was strong. It was based on a very popular novel my Marcia Davenport.

It is a period piece set in Pittsburgh of the 1970s and the beginnings of the steel industry in America, a portrait of the 'two families, one wealthy and one in service. Mary Rafferty, the daughter of an iron miner, enters into this way of life and has an effect on it. The behaviour of some of the people is dignified, even though there are alcoholic sons, ambitions, marriage and divorces. These are suggested in the very dignified manner of the forties.

The films is a Greer Garson vehicle and she is very good as Mary. The young Gregory Peck is also quite striking in the central role of Paul Scott, the wealthy son who travels to England and learns the ways of unions and fights for more just treatment of workers. The cast is quite imposing with Donald Crisp and Gladys Cooper as the Scots and Lionel Barrymore as Pat Rafferty. Jessica Tandy, who appeared more in theatre in these decades, has an unsympathetic role. Directed by Tay Garnett who was about to make The Postman Always Rings Twice.

1. The quality of this long film as entertainment a piece of Americana. American history, human melodrama? The combination of these themes into popular entertainment?

2. The adaptation of a best selling popular novel to the screen? The style of the treatment, the narrative. the complexity of the characters, the social and historical themes and background? The technical flair of M.G.M. in the forties: black and white photography, costumes and settings, musical score, finesse?

3. The meaning of the title, the indication of themes and the serious tone of this story?

4. The contribution of the narrative technique - from the part of Paul, from Mary? The two different social settings? Engaging audience sympathies in their listening to these narratives? The sympathy primarily with Mary?

5. The recreation of Pittsburgh in the 1870s? The explanation of the American heritage and pioneers, the mills, the importance of steel and the development of techniques of steel? comparison with European and German production? Pioneering families, their wealth, their growing status? The contrast with the workers and their homes, poverty? The background of industry and unions? How well did this film blend these various atmospheres to take the audience back convincingly to those times?

6. The portrait of the Scott family, the background, the heritage? William Scott as a successful pioneer? Clarissa Scott as a gracious lady? The presentation of the family and its place in Pittsburgh society, manners, servants, style? The danger of affluence, snobbery? The wastrels of the next generation?

7. The contrast with the Raffertys and their poverty? Pat Rafferty and his being crippled, his hostility? His daughters and their poverty and his reaction to Mary’s going into service especially with the Scotts? The contrast of William Scott and Pat Rafferty and their places in Pittsburgh history and industry? The intertwining of their lives and of their deaths? The contrast with the next generation, the intertwining of the lives of Paul and Mary, their growing apart before coming together? The ironies of the hatred of one generation on the love of the next?

8. Mary as the central character? Greer Garson's impact? The strengths of Mary's character, her home life, relationship with her father especially in view of his later rejections and curses? Her ambitions and hopes to be a maid? Her waiting and discovering the nature of the family (and the audience doing this with her?), the initial dinner and her announcing it with Paul's help. her coping with the younger children especially Connie? Mrs Scott and her graciousness and the bond between the two? Mr Scott and his later influence, in bringing her back for Paul? The encounters with Paul and the growing love? Her being part of the family especially with the advice to Connie The strengths of character, her work, her support? The trip and her watching over Connie? Her enthusing and encouraging Paul and the wills especially with her story about Robert Bruce and the development of the steel?

9. Paul and Gregory Peck's style? His family background, his work in the mills, trip to England? The egalitarian tone of his experience with the workers? The strength of his experience and loyalty to the mills? His encounter with Pat Rafferty and experiencing his hostility? His work with Jim Brennan? The bonds with Mary and growing in love with her?

10. How well portrayed was the love story? Strengths, delicacy? The failure and its repercussions? Mary and the background of her going to England, Paul's letters. her being summoned home and the future opening up only to be dashed by the background of hatred?

11. The change of tone in the film with Mary's return, the troubles? The build-up to union confrontation - Jim Brennan and his role, violent death? William Scott’s promise to listen to Paul? The irresponsibility of his other sons in calling in the strike-breakers and the drinking and the message not being delivered? The sons being responsible for their father's death? Mary's decision to avoid Paul? The two daughters opening the shop with Mrs Scott's help?

12. Louise always in the background, the contrast with Mary? Her snobbery? Self-seeking? The funeral sequence and the two hands joined and the lead-in to the ten years of their marriage? Paul and his presence - his father taking him to the mills, his mother's self-centred attitudes? The scenes of hostility between the two?

13. Mrs Scott and her regrets, her visits to Mary, the last visit and the explanation of the will? Her illness and Mary's presence in the house, her death and the irony of her talking to Paul and Louise announcing it harshly? The decisions about the will, the family discussion and the selfishness, Mary and her influence especially on Connie? Ensuring her future? The ending and the significance of the title?

14. The portrait of the younger generation, spoilt lives and irresponsibility? Connie’s marriage and her fortune in getting a duke but a good husband? The businessman and his moving away from Pittsburgh? The wastrel son and his drinking?

15. The contrast with the second generation of Raffertys: and their hard work? Jim Brennan as an example of the hard working generation?

16. How interesting were the presentation of the union troubles, the strike-breakers etc., the conditions for agreement between Scott and the workers?

17. The sadness and joys in family life, the generations? The discreet presentation of the harshness of the times?

18. The impact of the film in the forties, new? The continued interest in human and social themes?