IMDb RATING
7.0/10
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An orphaned young boy is guided by his great-grandfather and strives to go to university to become a doctor. However, the boy's harsh grandfather stands in his way.An orphaned young boy is guided by his great-grandfather and strives to go to university to become a doctor. However, the boy's harsh grandfather stands in his way.An orphaned young boy is guided by his great-grandfather and strives to go to university to become a doctor. However, the boy's harsh grandfather stands in his way.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 2 nominations total
Henry H. Daniels Jr.
- Gavin Blair (as a young man)
- (as Hank Daniels)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReal life husband and wife Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy portray father and daughter in this film. Not only that, Tandy is in reality two years older than Cronyn. Tandy gave birth to their second child, Tandy Cronyn, on the 26th of November 1945, the day after filming concluded.
- GoofsWhen Grandma Leckie decides to make little Robert a suit, the pattern piece she holds up to his back is actually for a pants leg, not a jacket.
- Quotes
Alexander Gow: You're in the Green Years Robbie, you suffer the critical disease of being young. The Lord deliver me from ever having to go through that again.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership (1949)
Featured review
Sort of like Scotland's answer to HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY
HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY was one of the best films of the 1940s and really did a lot to bring to life the Welsh experience at the end of the 19th century. The film featured brilliant writing, acting and John Ford's deft direction. Now five years later, MGM returns with a film that reminded me, in many ways, of this earlier film--though it is set in Scotland just a decade or so after HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY.
One major difference was that the main character (initially played by Dean Stockwell) was actually Scotch-Irish and when orphaned he was sent from Ireland to live with family in Scotland. Unfortunately, not everyone in the family was happy to see the kid--as the stingy (both financially and emotionally) grandfather (played exceptionally well by Hume Cronyn) saw the kid as a burden and obligation instead of kin. Also, the fact that the boy was Catholic didn't help matters. However, the great-grandfather (Charles Coburn) was quite different. Despite at first seeming a bit gruff, he became the boy's greatest friend and ally. Through the course of the film, we see the boy grow from childhood to young manhood (where he is played by Tom Drake).
The film has a nice touch to it--with really nice acting and direction. About the only negative is that perhaps they tried too hard to stick with the original book, as there were so many story elements that seemed unnecessary and distracting, while several characters were never fully developed. A good example was the friend being hit by a train--it came from no where and did NOTHING to further the story. Also several family members' motivations and behaviors seemed oddly difficult to predict. A good re-write and streamlining of the novel would have improved things. Now I am NOT suggesting they should have shortened the film--just devoted more time to character development. Still, this is a lovely and entertaining film.
One major difference was that the main character (initially played by Dean Stockwell) was actually Scotch-Irish and when orphaned he was sent from Ireland to live with family in Scotland. Unfortunately, not everyone in the family was happy to see the kid--as the stingy (both financially and emotionally) grandfather (played exceptionally well by Hume Cronyn) saw the kid as a burden and obligation instead of kin. Also, the fact that the boy was Catholic didn't help matters. However, the great-grandfather (Charles Coburn) was quite different. Despite at first seeming a bit gruff, he became the boy's greatest friend and ally. Through the course of the film, we see the boy grow from childhood to young manhood (where he is played by Tom Drake).
The film has a nice touch to it--with really nice acting and direction. About the only negative is that perhaps they tried too hard to stick with the original book, as there were so many story elements that seemed unnecessary and distracting, while several characters were never fully developed. A good example was the friend being hit by a train--it came from no where and did NOTHING to further the story. Also several family members' motivations and behaviors seemed oddly difficult to predict. A good re-write and streamlining of the novel would have improved things. Now I am NOT suggesting they should have shortened the film--just devoted more time to character development. Still, this is a lovely and entertaining film.
helpful•322
- planktonrules
- Feb 10, 2008
- How long is The Green Years?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- A.J. Cronin's The Green Years
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,280,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 7 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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