David (1951)

Told by way of a gentle reflective retrospective, we are introduced to the kindly school caretaker "Rhys" (Dafyyd Griffiths), a budding poet, who has an habit of helping out the children at his school when they get into mischief. It's the young "Ifor" (John Davies) that he is currently befriending and it's to him that he tells the story of his youth in this traditional Welsh mining community. He left school at twelve and began his working life underground surrounded by others who all read voraciously in their spare time. An accident below ground and a tragedy above it didn't dampen his innate humanity as he encourages this young lad to take advantage of the opportunities his education can offer him. It's presented in a documentary style and has a clear message of having pride in your country and yourself and is based on a real character whose respect for his fellow men and desire to improve his own and subsequent generations' lots in life is quite a resounding appraisal of so many of the original working class who believed in betterment under their own steam. The production is all basic, but when they burst into song or take a view of a now dilapidated pit, it becomes a potent, considered, film to watch.