The Corn Is Green (1945 film)
| The Corn Is Green | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Irving Rapper |
| Written by | Emlyn Williams (play) Frank Cavett Casey Robinson |
| Produced by | Jack Chertok |
| Starring | Bette Davis Nigel Bruce John Dall |
| Cinematography | Sol Polito |
| Edited by | Frederick Richards |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Corn Is Green is a 1945 drama film starring Bette Davis as a schoolteacher determined to bring education to a Welsh coal mining town, despite great opposition. It was adapted from the play of the same name by Emlyn Williams starring Ethel Barrymore.
John Dall and Joan Lorring were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively.
Plot
Middle-aged Lily Cristobel Moffatt (Bette Davis) sets up a school in a Welsh coal mining town, despite the determined opposition of the local squire (Nigel Bruce). Eventually, she considers giving up. Then she discovers a promising student, Morgan Evans, a miner seemingly destined for a life of hard work and heavy drink. With renewed hope, she works hard to help him realise his potential.
Through diligence and perseverance, Morgan gets the opportunity to take an examination for Oxford University with, hopefully, a prized scholarship. Moffatt, the rest of the teachers, and their students are hopeful Morgan will pass the Oxford interview, and so he does.
However, Bessie Watty (Joan Lorring), a young woman who has recently given birth to Morgan's child, blackmails the faculty into giving her part of Morgan's scholarship money in order to help raise the baby. The scheming young woman has designs on another male suitor. Instead, Moffatt agrees to adopt the child so that Morgan's academic future will not be ruined and Watty will be free to marry another man, unfettered by her responsibility to the child (since she and her affianced never really cared for it in the first place). Morgan quickly hears about Watty's scandalous, self-serving motives, and insists upon raising the child himself. Through a heartfelt and persuasive conversation, Moffatt convinces the young man to continue his higher education and contribute something to the world.
Cast
- Bette Davis as Lily Cristobel Moffatt. The character was supposed to be in her 50s. To help her look the part, the thirty-six-year-old Davis wore a gray wig and a "fat suit" that added 30 pounds (14 kg).
- Nigel Bruce as the Squire
- John Dall as Morgan Evans. Richard Waring was originally cast for the part, but was drafted for World War II.
- Rhys Williams as Mr. Jones
- Rosalind Ivan as Mrs. Watty
- Mildred Dunnock as Miss Ronberry
- Arthur Shields as Glyn Thomas
- Gwyneth Hughes as Sarah Pugh
- Thomas Louden as Old Tom
- Joan Lorring as Bessie Watty
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