How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Walter Pidgeon: Mr. Gruffydd

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mr. Gruffydd : You've been lucky, Huw. Lucky to suffer and lucky to spend these weary months in bed. For so God has given you a chance to make the spirit within yourself. And as your father cleans his lamp to have good light, so keep clean your spirit... By prayer, Huw. And by prayer, I don't mean shouting, mumbling, and wallowing like a hog in religious sentiment. Prayer is only another name for good, clean, direct thinking. When you pray, think. Think well what you're saying. Make your thoughts into things that are solid. In that way, your prayer will have strength, and that strength will become a part of you, body, mind, and spirit.

• Angharad : Look now, you are king in the chapel. But I will be queen in my own kitchen.

  Mr. Gruffydd : You will be queen wherever you walk.

  Angharad : What does that mean?

  Mr. Gruffydd : ...I should not have said it.

  Angharad : Why?

  Mr. Gruffydd : I have no right to speak to you so.

  [he leaves] 

  Angharad : [stopping him]  Mr. Gruffydd, if the right is mine to give, you have it.

• Mr. Gruffydd : Huw, I thought when I was a young man that I would conquer the world with truth. I thought I would lead an army greater than Alexander ever dreamed of, not to conquer nations, but to liberate mankind. With truth. With the golden sound of the Word. But only a few of them heard. Only a few of you understood.

• Mr. Gruffydd : But remember, with strength goes responsibility - to others and to yourselves. For you cannot conquer injustice with more injustice - only with justice and the help of God.

• Mr. Gruffydd : I know why you have come - I have seen it in your faces Sunday after Sunday as I've stood here before you. Fear has brought you here. Horrible, superstitious fear. Fear of divine retribution a bolt of fire from the skies. The vengeance of the Lord and the justice of God. But you have forgotten the love of Jesus. You disregard His sacrifice. Death, fear, flames, horror and black clothes. Hold your meeting then, but know if you do this in the name of God and in the house of God, you blaspheme against Him and His Word.

• Mr. Gruffydd : Who is for Gwilym Morgan and the others?

  Dai Bando : I, for one. He is the blood of my heart. Come, Cyfartha.

  Cyfartha : ...'Tis a coward I am. But I will hold your coat.

• [after the church elders castigate an unwed mother] 

  Angharad : How could you stand there and watch them? Cruel old men, groaning and nodding to hurt her more. That is not the Word of God! "Go now and sin no more," Jesus said!

  Mr. Gruffydd : Angharad! You know your Bible too well, and life too little.

  Angharad : I know enough of life to know that Meillyn Lewis is no worse than I am!

  Mr. Gruffydd : Angharad!

  Angharad : What do the deacons know about it? What do you know about what could happen to a poor girl when she loves a man so much that even to lose sight of him for a moment is torture!

• Mr. Gruffydd : Prayer is only another name for good, clean, direct thinking. When you pray, think well what you are saying, and make your thoughts into things that are solid. In that manner, your prayer will have strength, and that strength shall become part of you, mind, body, and spirit.

• Angharad : I couldn't spend another night without knowing. What has happened? Is anything wrong?

  Mr. Gruffydd : Wrong?

  Angharad : You know what I mean. Why have you changed towards me? Why am I a stranger now? Have I done anything?

  Mr. Gruffydd : No... the blame is mine. Your mother spoke to me after Chapel. She is happy to think you will be having plenty all your days.

  Angharad : [scornfully]  Iestyn Evans?

  Mr. Gruffydd : You could do no better.

  Angharad : I don't want him. I want you.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Angharad... I have spent nights too, trying to think this out. When I took up this work, I knew what it meant - it meant sacrifice and devotion and making it my whole life to the exclusion of everything else. That I was perfectly willing to do. But to share it with another... Do you think I will have you going threadbare all your life? Depending on the charity of others for your good meals? Our children growing up in cast-off clothing - and ourselves thanking God for parenthood in a house full of bits? No. I can bear with such a life for the sake of my work. But I think I would start to kill if I saw the white come to your hair twenty years before its time.

  Angharad : [softly]  Why? Why would you start to kill? Are you a man or a saint?

  Mr. Gruffydd : I am no saint, but I have a duty towards you. Let me do it.

  [Angharad kisses him, and leaves] 

• Mr. Gruffydd : Where is the light I thought to see in your eye? Are you afraid, boy? You heard what the doctor said?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : And you believed it?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : You want to walk again, don't you?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Then you must have faith. And if you have, you will walk again, no matter what all the doctors say.

  Huw Morgan : But he said nature must take her course.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Nature is the hand-maiden of the Lord. I remember on one or two occasions when she was given orders to change her course. You know your Scriptures, boy?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Then you know that what's been done before can be done again - for you. Do you believe me, Huw?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Good. You will see the first daffodil out on the mountain. Will you?

  Huw Morgan : Yes, sir.

  Mr. Gruffydd : Then you will.