the british film resource
    
 
the british film resourceThe Stars Look Down / The Proud Valley - Conflict and Unity
the british film resourceAuthor:Anton Duchesne 
 
 
Introduction Introduction
Family Conflict Family Conflict
Family Unity Family Unity
Physical / Mental Unity Physical / Mental Unity
Dysfunctional Families Dysfunctional Families
Relationships Relationships
Community Unity Community Unity
Community Conflict Community Conflict
Class Conflict Class Conflict
The Coal Industry The Coal Industry
 
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Introduction
Both The Stars Look Down and The Proud Valley were released in 1940. Both are tragic melodramas, focussing on small mining communities and the social effects of unemployment, poverty and tragedy within them. Given this, one would expect two very similar films. Surprisingly however, the films are very different in their treatment of the subject matter.

These differences can broadly be categorised under the headings 'conflict' and 'unity'. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate these differences by examining the representations of family and community within the films.

 
Family Conflict
 
 
 
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