The Valley of Decision

This article is about a film. For the Biblical place, see Valley of Decision. For other uses, see Valley of Decision (disambiguation).

The Valley of Decision
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Tay Garnett
Screenplay by	Sonya Levien John Meehan
Based on	The Valley of Decision 1942 novel by Marcia Davenport
Produced by	Edwin H. Knopf
Starring	Greer Garson Gregory Peck Donald Crisp Lionel Barrymore Preston Foster Marsha Hunt Gladys Cooper Reginald Owen Dan Duryea Jessica Tandy Barbara Everest Marshall Thompson
Cinematography	Joseph Ruttenberg
Edited by	Blanche Sewell
Music by	Herbert Stothart
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn Mayer
Release date	May 3, 1945 (1945-05-03)
Running time	119 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2,165,000
Box office	$9.132 million

The Valley of Decision is a 1945 film directed by Tay Garnett, adapted by Sonya Levien and John Meehan from Marcia Davenport's 1942 novel of the same name. Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the 1870s, it stars Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Greer Garson) and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. This was Garson's sixth nomination and her fifth consecutive, a record for most consecutive Best Actress nominations that still stands (tied with Bette Davis). The Allegheny City railroad station is misspelled as Alleghany City.

Plot

A young Irish house maid, Mary Rafferty, falls in love with Paul Scott, the son of her employer, a Pittsburgh steel mill owner. Their romance is endangered when Mary's family and friends, all steel mill workers, go on strike against Paul's father as the local steel industry is bought out by bigger concerns. When the Scott family refuses to sell their mill, Paul, the only son who cares about the mill and the workers, tries to intervene amid rumors the union is calling for violence under threat of strikebreakers. The Scott family, Mary and her father, and the union leader try to reach an agreement despite opposition from Paul’s brother.

Cast

• Greer Garson as Mary Rafferty
• Gregory Peck as Paul Scott
• Donald Crisp as William Scott
• Lionel Barrymore as Pat Rafferty
• Preston Foster as Jim Brennan
• Marsha Hunt as Constance Scott
• Gladys Cooper as Clarissa Scott
• Reginald Owen as McCready
• Dan Duryea as William Scott, Jr.
• Jessica Tandy as Louise Kane
• Barbara Everest as Delia
• Marshall Thompson as Ted Scott
• Geraldine Wall as Kate Shannon
• Evelyn Dockson as Mrs. Callahan
• John Warburton as Giles
• Russell Hicks as Mr. Laurence Gaylord
• Mary Lord as Julia Gaylord
• Arthur Shields as Callahan
• Dean Stockwell as Paulie
• Mary Currier as Mrs. Laurence Gaylord

Reception

Bosley Crowther wrote, "the early phases of the picture are rather studiously on the 'cute' side" and "the middle phases are also somewhat artificially contrived...but the final phase...does have authority and depth;"

TV Guide said it is "huge (and) sprawling ... the realism of the sets is a tribute to the art directors and set decorators...three out of five stars." The film was a massive hit, earning $4,566,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $3,530,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $3,480,000.

External links

• The Valley of Decision at IMDb
• The Valley of Decision at the TCM Movie Database
• The Valley of Decision at AllMovie
• The Valley of Decision at the American Film Institute Catalog