Born on 9/17/28- yesterday was the birthday of the inspirational Roddy McDowall. He left us in 1998 but will forever live on the screen as Huw Morgan in John Ford’s masterpiece How Green Was My Valley (1941)—where Mr. Gruffydd (Screen great Walter Pidgeon) keeps his promise to the fearful that he will never walk again bed ridden young Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall): “you will see the first daffodil out on the mountain.” —in a great scene where he later takes the lad up a daffodil laden local hill—and with the intervention of faith and perseverance as well as Ford’s divine camera and Roddy’s fine acting, Huw is able to walk down the hill with Mr. Gruffydd, a moment that will live forever for us classic movie lovers.
Lawrence of Cinema 