I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

How sad is this?

Best movie ever!

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

This movie presents a great saga about a wealthy steel-producing family in 1870s Pittsburgh. It also presents a clash between a laboring Irish immigrant family (the Raffertys) and a manufacturing family (the Scotts). The families come to know each other after a crippled mill worker's daughter, Mary (Greer Garson), is forced to take a job as a servant in the mill owner's household. Mary's father is Patrick Rafferty (Lionel Barrymore), who is extremely bitter after having lost the use of his legs due to a mill accident. Specifically, he blames the mill owner's family (the Scotts) for his loss. Although Mary has fears that she will not fit into the family's household, they are soon overcome by the family's dependence on her as well as her acceptance of the family matriarch, Clarissa (Gladys Cooper), and eventually its patriarch, William (Donald Crisp). Though most of the Scott children are self-centered, Paul (Gregory Peck) is not. In addition, he more than any of the other children, is totally devoted to the steel mill and its future and following into his father's footsteps. The saga of these two families evolves over several years and includes: Mary working for one of the Scott daughters and her husband in England and Paul marrying his life-long friend and having a child by her. Mary eventually returns to Pittsburgh, when there are rumors of labor- management problems that may drive further wedges between the two families. Mary is the only one who might be able to bring these two families together---eventually.

"The Valley of Decision" (1945) stars two of Hollywood's finest actors; Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. There are some impressive supporting players as well - unfortunately that is about all it has. Garson stars as a working class Irish woman who goes to work for the wealthy Scott family - all of them are tied to the steel mill, circa late 1800's Pittsburgh. Garson's father (Lionel Barrymore, in a cantankerous performance) has been disabled by the steel mill, blaming the wealthy Scotts. Garson begins to fall in love with one of the Scott sons (a young Gregory Peck). Needless to say, class distinctions keep them apart and then there is a strike at the mill, leading to disaster, and on and on. The movie is primarily hampered by the lack of chemistry between its two main stars. Garson was already 40-ish when she played this role, Peck about 29. Besides the age thing, the two just do not seem to fit together. Garson gives a game effort here, but Peck seems like he would rather be elsewhere. The story at times drags, and much of it is predictable and flat. Gladys Cooper does give a good performance as the loving and kind Mrs. Scott, as does Donald Crisp as the fair-minded and decent Mr. Scott. And there are a few others - Jessica Tandy plays a young snotty society girl who marries Peck and then regrets it. But all of these are not enough to raise this film above anything more than ordinary. It is not remembered as a classic nor should it be. Fortunately, Garson and Peck will be remembered for much better films.

she was miscast in this movie. I haven't read the book but she seems about 20 years too old at the beginning of the movie when she takes the job in the Scott house. People accused Cary Grant of always playing himself but you could also say the same about Miss Garson. Goodbye Mr Chips, Mrs Miniver, Blossoms In The Dust, this movie. Had she been about 25 instead of 40 she would have been perfect.But Gregory Peck is another matter. Even in movies I like such as Roman Holiday, Spellbound, Cape Fear or The Omen, he's always seemed too wooden. The exception to that is Mockingbird but I think his underplaying the role of Finch was perfect. In this movie I never saw the spark that would interest Garson. I know this is a minority view but I've never been a big fan of Peck and this movie didn't change my mind.The story of Mary Rafferty (Garson) taking a job as a maid for the wealthy Scott family and falling in love with the son (Peck) is pretty standard melodrama. Donald Crisp is smooth as Peck's father and Marsha Hunt is enjoyable in a small role as Peck's sister. But Lionel Barrymore is over the top as Garson's embittered father who was injured in the Scott steel mill and blames Peck's father for losing his legs.The movie takes place after the civil war and it's unlikely a wealthy family would treat the hired help the way they would a long lost cousin. Then there's the fact that Peck's father would continue to pay Barrymore full wages after he got hurt. If companies had done that in the 19th century we never would have the rise of the labor unions in the 20th century.But the biggest fish to swallow was the ending. Peck has married another woman and they have a young son. But when Peck's mother dies, suddenly Garson and Peck rekindle their love for each other and the fact that he has a wife already is no big deal so Peck and Garson can live happily ever after. I'm not an expert on 19th century divorce laws in Pennsylvania but somehow I think there may have been more to do than just tell your wife she can't take the kid to Boston.The talent in this movie is immense. The director, Tay Garnett did a perfect job with The Postman Always Rings Twice. Garson, Peck (despite my feelings) Crisp, Barrymore, Hunt, Dan Duryea and Jessica Tandy were all terrific actors. Greer Garson's talent by itself is worth 5 stars. But this movie is not on the level of her best work. Come to think of it, everyone connected to this has done better.

"The Valley of Decision" (I have no idea what the title means), is a competently told melodrama that is about too many things. Romance, class struggles, capitalism, etc. In fact it is about too many things. Chief among them is that it's about 20 minutes longer than it needs to be, and tries to address and resolve all of the minor plot lines.It's not a bad film, it's just not a good film. It doesn't help that there is little chemistry between Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. I believe that part of this has to do with Garson being much too old to play this part(she was 40 at the time the movie was filmed). Peck was 11 years her junior, and by this time had only had a couple of other pictures to his credit.Still, she is lovely, and it is obvious that he will be a star. Good supporting work from Thomas Mitchell, Gladys Cooper and Marsha Hunt.6 out of 10