Boddi Dolwyn


Boddi Dolwyn

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

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-The film "The Last Days Of Dolwyn"

-opens with a shot of a reservoir.

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-The camera focuses on a monument

-marking where the village stood.

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-The village was drowned in 1892.

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-At five years of age,

-I remember standing by the lake...

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-..with my father and older brother.

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-The cameras were behind us.

-People told me not to look back.

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-But I kept looking back.

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-I remember them

-having to shoot several takes.

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-I was amazed

-at how good the film was.

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-It had so much passion.

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-Many people remember the film

-and who was in it.

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-Local people acted in it.

-It has created a wonderful myth.

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-We're all going to be deported -

-to England!

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-We see the old village as it was,

-and I get to see my old dog.

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-It was a film made in our village -

-part of our heritage.

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-THE DROWNING OF DOLWYN

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-Fifty years ago,

-the "The Last Days Of Dolwyn"...

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-..was filmed at Rhyd-y-main,

-near Dolgellau.

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-Many local people

-have sweet memories of this film.

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-It was to change the lives

-of those who were involved in it.

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-My brother, Richard Burton,

-took part in this film.

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-This was his first

-screen appearance.

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-Rich's mentor and friend,

-Emlyn Williams...

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-..wrote and directed the film.

-He also played a leading role.

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-Many famous Welsh actors

-appeared in it...

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-..as Emlyn Williams tried to portray

-a 19th century Welsh village.

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-Local residents

-made a valuable contribution...

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-..both seen and unseen.

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-In the film, I was in charge

-of the dog, Mot, and the sheep.

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-I had to make sure that Mot

-kept an eye on these sheep.

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-Maurice Browning, a monoglot

-Englishman, was a shepherd.

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-He had to sing a Welsh folk song

-on the riverbank.

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-My job was to make sure

-Mot and the sheep kept quiet.

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-It wasn't easy.

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-We had to do it more than once.

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-The dog and the sheep

-had to be quiet.

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-The weather wasn't good

-when they were filming in July.

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-What did you do?

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-What did you do?

-

-I hid behind a hedge.

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-Mot knew I was there

-but he stayed and watched the sheep.

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-We had to stay there until

-the film people were satisfied.

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-The children of Rhyd-y-main school

-also joined in the excitement.

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-I lived in this house behind me...

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-..so I was a favourite for a part.

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-There were three of us from

-the school, two boys and one girl.

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-I played ball with him.

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-I remember the ball was colourful

-and filled with cotton wool.

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-We were by the river,

-playing with the ball.

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-When Hugh Griffith left the village

-on a horse and cart...

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-..Meinir and I were playing

-by the wall and I raised my arm.

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-You can see it in the film.

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-My friend Dewi

-was in the window of our house.

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-I was lucky to be out playing.

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-Clem Owen from Dolgellau got the

-job of driving the stars around...

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-..in a big American Chrysler.

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-I worked in a garage at that time,

-just after the War.

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-One day, we had a call to go down

-to the vestry in Bontddu...

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-..to fetch the stars

-and take them to Rhyd-y-main.

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-A film was being made there.

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-It was very new to me and I didn't

-really understand what was going on.

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-I was feeling quite nervous

-at the thought of it.

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-I had heard of Emlyn Williams.

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-But I had only seen him on film.

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-Believe me, I felt quite nervous.

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-My brother and sister

-were extras in the film...

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-..with a boy from the USA

-who was here on holiday.

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-They said, "Goodnight"

-to Edith Evans after the service.

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-But you barely saw them.

-If you blinked, you missed them.

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-My brother, his wife, and their son

-had come over from America.

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-They stayed with us in the village

-for a few days.

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-Emlyn Williams

-asked if he'd like to take part.

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-He was so delighted.

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-They never saw the film in Wales,

-but they saw it in Chicago.

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-That gave them great pleasure.

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-I'm pretty sure I'm the one

-at the back of the chapel...

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-..being held in someone's arms.

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-It looks like me at that age -

-but of course it's a long time ago.

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-Relatives say it

-is

-me.

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-There was great enthusiasm here.

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-I was one of seven girls.

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-We had to walk from Rhyd-y-main Hall

-down to the village.

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-That's when they filmed us.

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-Two were from Dolgellau

-and five were from Rhyd-y-main.

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-The total sum was three pounds -

-a huge sum for an 11-year-old then.

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-It was enough to buy a bike!

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-I remember the excitement.

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-The village centre was full of

-people and action and noise.

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-Many people were shouting

-at each other.

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-People were in their costumes.

-I had to dress up for the part.

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-I had to wear braids and so on -

-which was strange.

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-We were eager to see the film stars.

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-There was no television

-in those days.

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-Russell Lloyd,

-Associate Director

-On one oc

- the unit

-were invited to have tea...

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-..about six of us went to have tea

-with Mrs Roberts.

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-During the conversation,

-somebody said...

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-.."Mrs Roberts, we're going to go

-to chapel tomorrow"...

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-.."but I don't know

-that we'll understand too much".

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-She said, "Yes, the whole service

-is in Welsh"...

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-.."except for the collection"!

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-I came here with Hugh

-when he was doing the film.

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-There was a lot of excitement here.

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-Elen Roger Jones,

-Hugh Griffith's sister Peop

-

-

-in period costumes.

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-It was something new -

-something special.

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-I've often wondered

-why they chose Rhyd-y-main...

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-..and not some other area.

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-Emlyn Williams had looked at sixty

-villages in north and mid Wales...

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-..before discovering Rhyd-y-main as

-he travelled from Dolgellau to Bala.

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-Here, he found what he wanted.

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-A small, neat village

-on the banks of a stream...

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-..with no modern buildings.

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-Workmen turned it

-into one large film set.

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-In front of the house

-was a lamp and a well.

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-This bridge had been covered in wood

-which made it look old-fashioned.

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-Then there was the Dolwyn Arms.

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-In real life, a chapel deacon and

-his wife lived in the Dolwyn Arms.

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-We're standing here

-in front of the Dolwyn Arms.

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-There was no tavern in the village.

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-They had put a small porch

-on pillars here.

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-It had "Dolwyn Arms"

-written above it.

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-People came down from chapel

-and in through this door.

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-Straight from chapel to the pub?

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-Straight from chapel to the pub?

-

-Yes!

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-If you look

-on the upper part of this wall...

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-..you can still see traces of the

-mouldings they did during filming...

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-..to make the upper part of the wall

-match the lower part.

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-The only building which didn't

-please Emlyn was the chapel.

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-It was too large and too modern.

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-The chapel was camouflaged.

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-The roof was completely covered

-with bracken and vegetation.

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-They painted one side of the chapel.

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-In front of it they placed trees.

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-You could swear

-they had grown there naturally.

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-They were there for some weeks.

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-The chapel blended in perfectly

-with the trees in the background.

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-They had camouflaged it well.

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-In placing pillars

-outside the Dolwyn Arms...

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-..Emlyn must have been influenced

-by houses in nearby Llanfachreth.

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-He also borrowed the image

-of the church at Llanfachreth...

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-..for the old church

-that stands above Dolwyn.

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-Rhyd-y-main chapel

-remains hidden in the film.

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-But this chapel, Bethel Llanfachreth

-is an important location.

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-Here, I can hear echoes

-of Emlyn's childhood...

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-..in a Flintshire village.

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-He would sit in chapel, listening

-to the preachers' performances.

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-Preachers at important services

-made a deep impression on Emlyn.

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-Richard was certainly influenced by

-our local chapel, Noddfa, Taibach.

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-I've a theory that if I or

-Hugh Griffith or Emlyn Williams...

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-..had been born forty years earlier,

-we would all have become preachers.

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-Until about 1925, there were

-no Welsh actors that I know of.

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-The most important Welsh dramatic

-figure then was Emlyn Williams.

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-If Emlyn could do it, so could we.

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-At this time, Welsh actors started

-moving into the professional world.

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-Think about them -

-Clifford Evans, Richard...

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-..Emlyn, Hugh Griffith,

-Stanley Baker.

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-I don't know why a group of them

-suddenly appeared.

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-There was no nepotism.

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-No-one said,

-"Why don't you give my mate a job?".

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-We all came together

-at the right time.

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-To discover what Emlyn had in mind

-when he filmed "Dolwyn"...

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-..I looked at his scrapbooks -

-now kept at the National Library.

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-He had collected press cuttings

-and photographs of the production.

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-Meredith Edwards' name is missing

-from the list of actors.

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-I was just starting on my career.

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-I'd heard about this film.

-I was in Liverpool at the time.

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-I was doing 'The Cherry Orchard'

-at the old St James's Theatre.

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-I wrote to Emlyn, and fair play,

-he said, "Come and see me".

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-The first time I met Emlyn Williams,

-he was in bed...

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-..eating his breakfast,

-taking the top off his egg!

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-"Sorry, but I've been working

-all night," he said.

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-I said, "I'd heard

-you were making a film".

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-"I'm very sorry," he said,

-"but it's cast".

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-"But I would like you

-to have been in it."

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-"You go back and get

-as much experience as you can."

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-"Perhaps we could work

-together again."

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-I did work with him, towards

-the end of his life, on television.

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-Brook Williams,

-Emlyn Williams' Son

-He didn't

-

-y much.

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-But he found them restful.

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-While waiting in his dressing room,

-he used to write.

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-He had no idea what was going on

-when he wasn't on the set.

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-He'd go out, they'd put him

-on a mark, he'd say his lines...

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-..then he'd go back and write

-another scene for his next play.

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-A chap called Russell Lloyd

-was a tremendous help to Emlyn.

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-He knew films

-and could also direct...

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-..or stand behind the camera

-and direct Emlyn.

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-I was credited with being

-Associate Director.

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-In fact, Emlyn rehearsed the scene

-with the artists...

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-..but it was up to me to decide the

-set-ups, the artists' movements...

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-..when they did this

-and when they did that.

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-Also, the great thing of saying,

-"Action!" and "Cut!" at the end.

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-I remember one wet day,

-when nothing was happening.

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-Everyone was feeling fed up.

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-I went to the car to have a snooze.

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-Suddenly, I heard a noise

-in the back of the car.

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-I looked behind me -

-and it was Emlyn Williams.

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-He'd gone there for a snooze too.

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-He told me he wouldn't mind

-changing jobs with me.

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-He couldn't do anything

-in such bad weather.

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-I told him

-I didn't think he'd like my job.

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-With Emlyn, it wasn't so much

-the conversation...

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-..but the way he looked at you.

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-You didn't have to regard him

-as some important man...

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-..and yet he was important.

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-That's probably why

-he was such a great man.

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-Emlyn Williams

-used to come to this cottage.

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-He came here every day

-and my mother would give him tea...

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-..and a sort of pancake.

-That was a real treat.

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-That's what we'd give him

-as a real treat.

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-Were you rewarded

-at the end of the day?

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-Yes. A crate of grapes from London.

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-He was a very kind man.

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-He always knew how to treat people.

-He got the best out of everyone.

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-No-one refused him anything.

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-There was great cooperation

-between everyone.

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-The original script

-is also at the Library.

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-It's full of Emlyn's notes.

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-There's a lot of Welsh in it -

-something Emlyn had to battle for.

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-In his later life, I worked with him

-on a film in Anglesey.

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-I got to know him.

-He was a wonderful man.

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-I told him I'd seen

-"The Last Days Of Dolwyn"...

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-..and was amazed

-at how much Welsh there was in it.

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-He said he'd had trouble

-with the producer.

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-He'd say,

-"Is this Welsh? It's got to go".

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-"Don't want that rubbish."

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-Emlyn said, "If that goes,

-then the film's not made".

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-This was the first film

-Emlyn directed.

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-He had invested a lot in it.

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-It would have been so easy to say,

-"Oh, alright, then".

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-At that time, there was

-no Welsh Language Society...

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-..no fuss about the language.

-We all had to compromise.

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-Emlyn made a stand.

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

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-In 1943, Emlyn Williams gave Rich

-his first professional stage part.

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-Five years later, it was

-Williams who put him on screen.

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-That was the beginning for Rich.

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-Verdun Jenkins: Burton's brother

-Emlyn Williams gave him the break

-in "The

-

-olwyn".

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-I couldn't have been happier.

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-In general, it is remembered

-because it was Burton's first film.

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-He was very striking -

-handsome and photogenic.

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-For me, the one who stood

-out was Richard Burton.

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-He stood out with out a doubt.

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-His voice was remarkable -

-when he spoke and when he sang.

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-You could tell from his voice

-he would go far.

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-It was also a significant time

-in Rich's personal life.

0:22:040:22:09

-He met Sybil Williams,

-a young Welsh actress.

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-She had a lovely personality.

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-Emlyn Williams initiated it all

-and soon they were in love.

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-Sybil was an extra -

-a Welsh peasant lady.

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-She told me this story later...

0:22:310:22:34

-At the end of the day, the extras

-would queue up for their money.

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-I don't know what they were getting.

-Not much - about 2 10s.

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-She'd queue up

-to be paid by the day.

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-She realised there were

-quite a lot of extras.

0:23:000:23:04

-So, she said to another girl,

-"Lend me your bonnet".

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-She swapped bonnets with the girl

-and Sybil got in the line again...

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-..and got another 2 10s

-as a different person.

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-That's when she met Richard.

-He was tickled by the idea.

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-It wasn't all hard work.

0:23:350:23:37

-Emlyn gave the actors

-a taste of Welsh culture.

0:23:370:23:41

-Clem Owen remembers

-one trip in particular.

0:23:420:23:45

-I took them to Penybont Fawr,

-home of the harpist, Nancy Richards.

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-My passengers were Emlyn Williams,

-Richard Burton and Hugh Griffith.

0:23:560:24:02

-They were all singing - I remember

-Richard singing 'Aderyn Pur'.

0:24:060:24:12

-He had a great singing voice.

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-Then, the roads became steeper

-and the fog a little thicker.

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-On the right, there was a big

-drop and Richard was scared.

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-He said "Clem, you're

-a better singer than driver".

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-I'm sure he was afraid of the drop.

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-Also making his debut

-was the actor, Dafydd Havard.

0:24:470:24:53

-I was proud to work on the film -

-glad to work on any film.

0:24:580:25:02

-When Emlyn Williams asked

-for a taxi, I said...

0:25:120:25:16

-I was there for a week instead of

-a day because it rained.

0:25:220:25:28

-I was paid at the end

-of every day on location.

0:25:330:25:39

-I said, "Every time it rains,

-I can buy a new suit".

0:25:410:25:44

-After a week, Emlyn said, "You'll be

-able to buy lots of new suits now".

0:25:440:25:50

-Emlyn Williams asked me to help

-Dame Edith Evans...

0:25:530:25:58

-..to master the Welsh accent.

0:25:590:26:02

-She came from south-east England.

0:26:020:26:05

-She picked up the accent

-very quickly.

0:26:070:26:11

-She was a great actress

-and she prepared herself well...

0:26:110:26:16

-..to pronounce her lines

-with a natural Welsh accent.

0:26:170:26:22

-She was the chapel cleaner.

0:26:230:26:26

-I remember her being

-very stately and grand.

0:26:270:26:30

-Most chapel cleaners

-are quite ordinary women.

0:26:330:26:38

-I'm not so sure if she'd captured

-the essence of such a character.

0:26:380:26:44

-She had a strong personality.

0:26:440:26:46

-In one scene, where Emlyn meets

-Edith Evans in the chapel...

0:26:490:26:55

-..I wanted Edith up in the pulpit

-and Emlyn sitting down.

0:26:580:27:04

-Emlyn said it made her

-more important than him.

0:27:040:27:09

-I said, "That is exactly

-what I want to happen.

0:27:100:27:13

-For her to be more important than

-him but not play as if she knew."

0:27:140:27:20

-That is how the scene was done.

0:27:220:27:26

-It was film debut

-of the famous stage actress.

0:27:350:27:39

-The extras' union was the FAA -

-Film Artists' Association.

0:27:410:27:46

-One of the extras asked Dame Edith

-if she was a member.

0:27:460:27:50

-She went to Emlyn and said...

0:27:510:27:54

-"Emlyn, they say I can't work

-in pictures...

0:27:560:27:59

-..unless I'm a member of the FAA."

0:27:590:28:03

-What is the FAA?"

0:28:030:28:06

-Despite his limited film work...

0:28:070:28:10

-..Hugh Griffith was given

-a key role in "Dolwyn" by Emlyn.

0:28:100:28:15

-This pleased his mother who wanted

-him to keep his job at the bank.

0:28:160:28:22

-Mam was very worried when

-he left the bank to go to RADA...

0:28:240:28:30

-..but when she heard he had a part

-in a film with a Welsh theme...

0:28:310:28:37

-..she changed her mind a little.

0:28:370:28:41

-Hugh was a character.

0:28:410:28:45

-He played himself a lot - he had

-this magnificent face and eyes.

0:28:450:28:51

-I loved his expression.

0:28:540:28:56

-He looked as though he'd kill you.

0:28:570:29:00

-Fifty years on,

-I can still see those eyes.

0:29:000:29:05

-Such penetrating eyes.

0:29:060:29:09

-Was he mad or not?

0:29:100:29:13

-Whichever, he was a great friend.

0:29:150:29:18

-Every actor must be a bit

-of a rogue or a vagabond.

0:29:200:29:24

-That what they used to be.

0:29:260:29:29

-It's essential to be a rogue

-in order to act.

0:29:300:29:35

-That's why I don't understand why

-preachers and ministers act so well.

0:29:350:29:41

-Despite playing comic characters,

-Hugh had strong political beliefs.

0:29:500:29:56

-He always spoke up for Wales.

0:29:580:30:01

-I knew "The Last Days Of Dolwyn"

-was being filmed in Rhyd-y-main...

0:30:020:30:07

-..and that Hugh Griffith was there.

0:30:080:30:11

-So, I arranged a Plaid Cymru

-meeting in Dolgellau...

0:30:120:30:18

-..with Hugh Griffith

-as guest speaker.

0:30:180:30:21

-I contacted him

-and he was keen to take part.

0:30:220:30:26

-I organised the meeting

-at the library for eight o'clock...

0:30:260:30:32

-..and he said,

-"Come to dinner with me beforehand".

0:30:340:30:38

-Sitting opposite us at the table

-was Richard Burton.

0:30:390:30:45

-He was young and very handsome

-and on the brink of stardom...

0:30:480:30:54

-..in "The Last Days Of Dolwyn".

0:30:550:30:57

-He was extremely friendly.

0:30:580:31:02

-I plucked up the courage to ask

-him to join us at the meeting.

0:31:030:31:09

-"Alright", he said.

0:31:100:31:12

-Hugh Griffith

-gave a brilliant speech.

0:31:130:31:16

-At the end, he said,

-"Richard Burton is with us tonight".

0:31:180:31:23

-"He is a young actor

-who will be famous one day."

0:31:230:31:29

-"Richard, come here" he said.

0:31:310:31:33

-"Right, I will", he said.

0:31:340:31:36

-He spoke a little in Welsh

-before he lost his confidence...

0:31:370:31:43

-..and changed to English.

0:31:440:31:47

-However, his love of Wales

-came through in his words.

0:31:470:31:52

-I felt he was truly with us.

0:31:540:31:58

-I'll never forget that evening.

0:31:590:32:02

-Coincidentally, Hugh also speaks

-at a public meeting in the film.

0:32:040:32:10

-His words now seem prophetic.

0:32:190:32:22

-Who could have foreseen the sad irony

-in Emlyn's work of fiction?

0:32:220:32:28

-Emlyn Williams' inspiration

-came during a dry summer...

0:32:310:32:36

-..when he saw the remains of a

-village at the bottom of a reservoir.

0:32:370:32:42

-Fifty years ago, water wasn't

-as controversial as it is today.

0:32:450:32:51

-It became a political matter

-when a few miles from Rhydymain...

0:32:510:32:55

-..the village of Capel Celyn in

-the valley of Tryweryn was drowned.

0:32:550:33:01

-The Tryweryn business

-came to remind us...

0:33:280:33:31

-..when Tryweryn

-near Bala was drowned...

0:33:310:33:34

-..it made us think of

-"The Last Days Of Dolwyn".

0:33:350:33:39

-There were many similarities.

-There was some connection there.

0:33:390:33:45

-Just seven years after

-"The Last Days Of Dolwyn"...

0:33:450:33:51

-..that is exactly what happened.

0:33:520:33:55

-Rumours were rife that

-Liverpool was to drown Tryweryn.

0:33:560:34:01

-It was incredible -

-totally prophetic.

0:34:030:34:07

-Every time I pass Tryweryn lake...

0:34:070:34:10

-..I always think of

-"The Last Days Of Dolwyn".

0:34:110:34:15

-Subtitles

0:34:220:34:22

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:34:220:34:24

-After six weeks, it was time for

-Emlyn and the crew to say goodbye.

0:34:260:34:32

-I was asked to go to Bontddu...

0:34:360:34:39

-..to pick up Richard Burton.

0:34:400:34:44

-The filming for "The Last Days

-Of Dolwyn" had finished.

0:34:440:34:48

-We were on our way to Dolgellau.

0:34:500:34:52

-I helped Richard with his cases

-on to the platform.

0:34:550:35:01

-I can see him now

-putting his hand into his pocket...

0:35:020:35:06

-"Clem, here's a pound note

-for a pint", he said.

0:35:060:35:10

-I'll never forget it.

0:35:110:35:14

-If I'd made him sign it,

-it would be worth a lot now...

0:35:150:35:20

-..but a pound in those days

-was a lot too.

0:35:220:35:25

-Wages were low -

-a pound was a great help.

0:35:270:35:32

-Some of the houses in Rhyd-y-main

-were re-created in the studio.

0:35:350:35:41

-Emlyn's son recalls being let loose

-on the set during his holidays.

0:35:440:35:50

-I was dressed up as a little boy.

0:35:520:35:54

-If I appeared in a scene

-by mistake...

0:35:550:35:58

-..if I wandered off,

-it would be alright...

0:36:020:36:04

-..because I looked like one

-of the kids in the village.

0:36:040:36:10

-I had quite a good time - we were

-told to play games in the street...

0:36:110:36:17

-..and pretend

-the camera wasn't there.

0:36:180:36:23

-The most boring thing was

-the fact that the camera was there.

0:36:230:36:27

-People would shout "Quiet, Please!".

0:36:280:36:31

-The film was released in early 1949.

0:36:330:36:36

-Many remember seeing it -

-for different reasons.

0:36:370:36:41

-When the film was shown in Bangor...

0:36:420:36:47

-..a bus full of locals

-went to see it.

0:36:480:36:52

-It was an exciting day.

0:36:540:36:56

-I remember going to Bangor

-to see the film.

0:36:570:37:02

-It was so exciting

-and we had free admission.

0:37:030:37:08

-Cis said to me...

0:37:090:37:10

-.."Verd, our Rich's film

-is at the Plaza in Swansea".

0:37:140:37:18

-Let's all go and see it.

0:37:190:37:21

-We were thrilled.

-The whole family queued up.

0:37:210:37:26

-Someone knew my sister, Hilda.

0:37:260:37:30

-"That's Richard Burton's sister!"

0:37:300:37:34

-He was Richard Jenkins then,

-of course.

0:37:360:37:39

-We all went in without paying

-a penny - what a night!

0:37:400:37:46

-I saw it at the cinema in Bala...

0:37:470:37:51

-..and I took my two children.

0:37:520:37:55

-It was a new thing for them.

0:37:570:37:59

-By then, their grandmother

-had moved to the village.

0:38:000:38:05

-They were familiar with Rhyd-y-main.

0:38:060:38:09

-In the scene

-where the flooding begins...

0:38:130:38:17

-..and the water thunders

-through the village...

0:38:180:38:21

-..and into the houses

-and through the houses...

0:38:220:38:26

-..my children were frightened -

-they were shouting and screaming.

0:38:280:38:33

-They were so frightened

-I had to take them out.

0:38:340:38:38

-Gwilym Hughes is

-in The Guinness Book of Records...

0:38:390:38:45

-..for having watched

-the highest number of films ever.

0:38:450:38:49

-Gwilym Hughes, Film Expert

-I've seen "The Last Days

-Of Dol

-

-es.

0:38:490:38:55

-What do you think of the film?

0:38:560:38:59

-It's not Oscar material

-but it is a piece of history.

0:38:590:39:03

-It's a historical document.

0:39:040:39:07

-"Dolwyn" has a clever script.

-It is deceptively complex.

0:39:090:39:15

-Some might expect a tale

-of English against Welsh...

0:39:160:39:21

-..but it's not that simple.

0:39:210:39:24

-The villain of the piece

-is a Welshman.

0:39:260:39:29

-Emlyn Williams' plays a Welshman

-who's turned his back on his people.

0:39:300:39:35

-When asked if he's a Welshman,

-he replies...

0:39:360:39:40

-"I've been out of Wales for

-twenty years. I'm a cosmopolitan."

0:39:400:39:44

-"Dolwyn" is a tale about

-a man who takes revenge...

0:39:440:39:48

-..on the village that disowned him

-for stealing from chapel as a boy.

0:39:490:39:53

-Years later, he returns

-to take his revenge.

0:39:540:39:57

-I found it a very realistic film.

0:39:580:40:01

-It never got the credit it deserved.

0:40:030:40:07

-Russell Lloyd, Associate Producer

-I enjoyed it as much as any film.

0:40:080:40:13

-It may be looked upon now

-as a bit old-fashioned...

0:40:140:40:17

-..but then it was old-fashioned

-in those days.

0:40:180:40:22

-I enjoyed it...

0:40:240:40:27

-..but there was too much

-melodrama and singing.

0:40:280:40:33

-Some singing was needed

-but not so much of it.

0:40:350:40:41

-Today, I look at the film

-in a different way.

0:40:440:40:48

-I feel nostalgic.

0:40:500:40:52

-The strong acting

-still comes across today.

0:40:540:40:58

-It's fifty years

-since Rhyd-y-main became famous.

0:40:590:41:03

-Fifty years is a big slice

-of anyone's life.

0:41:070:41:11

-The young have become grandparents...

0:41:120:41:16

-..and young actors have grown old.

0:41:200:41:23

-The stars are now screen legends.

0:41:230:41:26

-Hugh Griffith became a famous actor.

0:41:280:41:32

-He won an Oscar for 'Ben Hur'.

0:41:340:41:37

-Emlyn Williams worked mainly

-in theatre.

0:41:380:41:42

-"The Last Days Of Dolwyn" was

-his first and last film as director.

0:41:420:41:48

-The one who received the greatest

-career boost was my brother, Rich.

0:41:480:41:54

-Years later, I saw him -

-when he'd gone to America...

0:41:570:42:02

-..and I said to myself,

-"You were right".

0:42:050:42:09

-We're lucky -

-Richard was born in the south...

0:42:100:42:16

-..but in a way,

-he was born in the north too...

0:42:170:42:20

-..since he made his first film

-in north Wales.

0:42:210:42:23

-We should be proud

-that we can all share him.

0:42:240:42:27

-Actors and authors know a story must

-have a beginning, middle and end.

0:42:300:42:36

-Life is also like that...

0:42:380:42:40

-..with birth, life and death...

0:42:410:42:43

-..a beginning, a middle, and an end.

0:42:440:42:46

-My brother's story begins

-at Pontrhydyfen in 1925...

0:42:480:42:52

-..and ends in Switzerland

-58 years later.

0:42:540:42:58

-The family feels it that Rhyd-y-main

-was the turning point in his career.

0:43:000:43:06

-That's when his career

-started in earnest.

0:43:070:43:13

-I remember seeing Rich

-at Stratford-on-Avon in 'Henry V'.

0:43:140:43:20

-He came on stage and stood still -

-no movement at all.

0:43:210:43:27

-Everyone was looking at him.

0:43:270:43:30

-I thought, thank you, Emlyn Williams

-for "The Last Days Of Dolwyn".

0:43:300:43:36

-I'm glad Rich had his screen break

-in a film with a Welsh theme.

0:43:430:43:48

-Despite making some 60 other films,

-only one other, 'Under Milk Wood'...

0:43:490:43:55

-..was filmed in Wales.

0:43:560:43:58

-Despite being fifty years old...

0:43:590:44:02

-.."The Last Days Of Dolwyn"

-still has its own charm.

0:44:020:44:06

-I think it's a lovely film.

0:44:060:44:09

-It's a classic of a kind

-and a part of history.

0:44:100:44:16

-It was the first chance

-to see Welsh actors...

0:44:170:44:21

-..in this lovely village.

-Isn't it lovely?

0:44:230:44:27

-I'm glad Emlyn has had recognition.

0:44:270:44:30

-I unveiled this plaque for him.

0:44:310:44:34

-I'm glad they remembered Emlyn.

0:44:350:44:38

-It was a golden age for Wales when

-the Welsh made the film "Dolwyn".

0:44:390:44:45

-Lovely - I hope it lasts forever.

0:44:470:44:50

-.

0:44:500:44:50

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