They can't stop us singing
They can't stop us singing
Overhead
the stars are shining
All through the night
They can't stop us singing
They can't stop us singing
All through the night
So still keep on singing
They can't stop us singing
For in the darkness
we are singing
Morning sun we'll
soon be greeting
All through the night
They can't stop us singing
Through the night
Here, here, here.
What the hell do you think you're doing, eh?
- Sorry, friend. I didn't see you.
- Didn't see me? You ought to have known I was here.
I've been catching this train up the valley
regular for the past 10 years. Anybody'll tell you.
My fault.
I've never been up this way before.
All right.
But don't let it happen again.
- Okay, chief.
- Hmm.
- Off a ship by the look of ya.
- Yeah. Stoker. Seagull. 13,000 tons.
- Laid at up at Cardiff three months ago.
- You've been looking for work ever since. I know.
Think there's a chance
to get a job in one of these pits?
Well, maybe. There was a colored bloke.
Blackie Ellis they called him.
Used to work in the Glen Colliery.
Work!
Now, you wouldn't think I was
a rich man, would you?
- No, not to look at.
- I'm married, and how much do you think I pay my old woman?
Two quid a week.
Yes. I was surprised myself
when the court made the order.
How do you manage it?
Company promotion?
No, chum.
I toils not, neither do I speak.
- Grinding's my game.
- Grinding?
- Blimey, don't tell me you've never heard of it.
- No.
Art related to psychology.
That's what it is.
You touch people's feelings
by offending their ears.
I find a nice little stretch of gutter
in front of the right kind of houses.
Off comes me hat - humble -
and I start singing.
I pick a well-known tune,
and I murders it.
Now listen.
And when your friends desert you
At the time of your downfall
You'll find that your mother
Is the best friend of them all
Surely the people in these valleys
won't stand for that noise.
Why, this is one of my best districts.
The more you work 'em,
the quicker they pay you to go away.
These Welsh are daft about music...
and as open-handed as the sun.
- Why don't you join me, eh?
- No, thanks.
I'd rather work for my living.
- Work? It's a disease.
- Well, I wish I could catch it.
That's why I'm on my way to that new
armament factory in Darren Valley.
Well, the special will take you
as far as Blaendy Colliery.
But you're leaving Egypt
where the corn is, my son...
and going right into the winds.
That hooter means they're changing shifts.
You're telling me. I worked down in the mine
for five years back in the States.
Well, we better lie doggo for a bit, son.
- Here. Have a bit of cheese.
- Thanks.
They're coming up.
- Why did we lose the last competition then?
- We didn't get fair play.
I never knew a losing choir who did.
- Too many flaming crooners in the choir. That's what's wrong.
- Who you getting at?
Get out of that cage. Do you want to
go back down, stead of these chaps?
Aye, go on.
Snip-snapping like a lot of kids.
More neck oil.
That's what the choir wants, boy.
Neck oil be damned!
It was you basses that let us down
at the last competition.
- Look here -
- Give it a rest, you two.
- I'm fed up with you and - - And I'm fed up
with this fellow chewing the fat about us basses.
- And haven't you been chewing the fat about us tenors?
- Oh, shut up, man.
What I want is more singing
and less talking in the Blaendy Choir.
I'm going through that Elijah chorus tonight.
See that you're all there at practice at 8:00 sharp.
- I'll be there.
- Yes, and so will I.
Stop gabbing then.
I'll be able to use all the voice you've got tonight.
Oh, Jim, tell my boy, Emlyn,
that I've gone on home, will you?
- All right, Dick.
- Like a lot of kids.
- My dad up yet?
- Aye. He's just gone on with Nick Evans and Seth Jones, arguing the toss.
What? Are they at it again?
I'm entitled to my say.
If the choir's no good, neither is the conductor.
- You wasn't man enough to say that when Dick Parry was here.
- I'm man enough for two Dick Parrys.
It'll pay you to
keep your mouth off Dick Parry.
It's all right, Em.
I'm attending to him.
- No, no, Nick. Don't bother with him, for he's not worth it.
- Not worth it?
- Why, you-
- Nick.
My turn now.
Hey, Dick.
What's wrong over by the pit?
Oh, a couple of them hotheads of mine
got stuck into each other.
Mam, there's fighting
over at the pithead.
Yes, and I wouldn't be surprised
if it wasn't that Emlyn of yours again.
- Oh, dear.
- Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Gwen. Gwen, come back here!
Go on, Em.
You ought to be ashamed of yourselves,
behaving like a pair of blackguards.
I don't see anything to laugh at either.
- I expect it was you started it.
- Not him. He couldn't start a toy train.
- Now, Emlyn.
- Go on. Take him off home to mother.
- Why, I'll -
- Em, please.
- That's a nasty cut over your eye.
- Oh, that's nothing.
Come across to the shop
for me to see to it.
You silly boy.
I'll give that fella such a plastering
before the night's out.
Drop it now.
- Thought you were taking me out tonight.
- I've got to attend choir practice, lovely.
- Well, the competition's only a month off.
- Yeah.
With choir practice,
mining classes in the night school -
If it isn't one thing it's another.
Never mind, lovely.
Everything's going to be all right soon.
Not if you keep on
getting into scraps all the time.
You like a bit of a scrap yourself, don't you?
You'll know more about that
when we're married, my boy.
- I'll be ready to take you on any day.
- But not in my working clothes, eh?
Don't talk soft out here, Em.
Coming in for a minute?
Oh, no, for your mother
wouldn't like it if I came in like this.
Oh, Emlyn. Here's that letter
from the School of Mines.
- Come in and read it.
- Yes, yes. In you go, my boy.
In here. It's more private than the shop.
- It looks fat enough to hold a certificate.
- Oh, no such luck. You open it, Gwen.
It is. It is!
Look, Mam!
His manager's certificate.
Yes. Be careful with it, my girl,
for you'll want to frame it one day.
- Don't I get a look? It took me three years to get that.
- No, I'll hold it for you.
Oh. It isn't much to look at, is it?
There's only one place we could hang that.
Of course. In the front parlor of your little
house when you get married, my boy.
Well, it's glad I am that you'll be
getting a good job now soon.
But as I was saying to Gwen,
what a difference there is...
between Mrs. Bowen,
the manager's wife, with her nice little car...
and the wife of a collier, like your mother,
with a house full of children.
- Oh, Mam, you mustn't.
- No disrespect to your mother, Emlyn bach...
- for she's a hardworking woman who's had to
make one shilling do the work of two.
I'll go, Gwen bach.
You mustn't take any notice of Mam,
for you know how she talks.
Oh, I don't mind her.
Not now anyway.
Wash your face then,
and I'll give you a kiss.
I said wash your face.
- Four, five, six, seven.
- Well, that ain't so dusty.
- How was I doing?
- Very nice.
You've got a big future in this game,
my boy, but it don't pay to be shy.
Let 'em have it.
And when your friends
Desert you
In the time of your downfall
Lamentations! Somebody must have
been run over by the sound of it!
Lamentations! I thought something was the matter
when I heard the noise you were making.
Shut up, good boys, and go from here before
you frighten the children out of their senses.
Go, for it's a worse noise
than the wild beast showl
Go! Go, before I send for
John, the policeman.
- Spare a copper, lady?
- Payment you expect for making such a noise?
- That's the only way to get rid of them, Mrs. Owen.
- To encourage them, more like.
Well, we've all got to live.
Oh, thank you, kind lady.
Hear and answer
Hear and answer, Baal
Mark how the scorner derideth us
Derideth us
Derideth us
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Baal, hear and answer
Hear and answer
- Hear and answer
- No, no, no.
There's your weakness.
You first tenors.
Our kettle sings better.
Open your mouth, will you?
Aye. There is an opening there.
- Very little voice comes out of it.
- There's as much -
Shut up. Or else I'll have a length
of rubber tubing put down your throat...
see if I can get any sound out of that.
Here, Syd. As they come into that place
where they crack, try and cover 'em up.
Give 'em plenty of that.
I've heard better first tenors
singing on trees.
Oh, so you've condescended to come
at last, have you?
- Sorry I'm late, Dad.
- Oh, get to your place, man.
I don't suppose our celebrated bass soloist,
Mr. Ben Jenkins, has turned up yet.
I'm afraid he's met with
a bit of an accident, Dad.
"Accident. "
You had nothing to do with it, huh?
I think he ran his face into something.
Well, we're not gonna wait for him any longer.
Get into your positions, please.
Come on. Hurry up.
This is a choir practice, not a funeral.
Emlyn, come here.
Was it a good scrap, Son?
- Aye. All right, Dad.
- Good boy.
Now listen, everybody.
We'll go straight through.
As Ben isn't here, I'll beat the time
for the solo part myself.
Come on now, lads.
Give me everything you've got.
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer, Baal
Mark how the scorner derideth us
Derideth us
Derideth us
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer, Baal
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Baal
Baal
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
Hear and answer
- One, two, three, four.
- Hear and answer
One, two, three, four. One.
Lord God of Abraham
Isaac and Israel
This day let it be known
- Here. Steady, mate. Steady.
- That thou art God
And that I am thy servant
Lord God
Of Abraham
Hear
O hear me, Lord
And answer me
O hear me, Lord
and answer me
Lord God of Abraham
Isaac and Israel
O hear me
O hear me
And answer me
And show this people
That thou art Lord God
- And let their hearts again be turned
- And let their hearts again be turned
And let their hearts again
Be turned
Lord God
Of Abraham
- Here. Was that you?
- Yeah.
- Was it all right?
- Oh, come up here. We want to talk to you.
No, come on.
Come on up, friend.
- Come on up, friend.
- No, thanks.
I'll stick to me own line.
But that's where you ought to be.
Well, so long, chum.
So long, and good luck.
And the same to you.
And when your friends desert you
At the time of your downfall
Mam, I tell you,
he's got a bottom bass like an organ.
The finest I ever heard in these valleys.
Oh! It floated in that hall like -
like thunder from a distance.
Here. Steady, mate. Steady.
Oh. It's either all or nothing with him.
Boy, I tell you, with you in the choir
we can't lose at the Eisteddfod.
Maybe. But I gotta find a job.
That's why I'm on my way to Darren Valley.
- Darren Valley?
- Like a red rag to a bull...
since they beat him
at the last Eisteddfod.
No, you can't go there.
I'll - I'll find you work in the pit with me.
- Mam, he'll stay here with us.
- With us?
- Mmml
- What you talking about?
- Where with us? I'd like to know.
- Oh, we'll find room for him somewhere.
- Somewhere? Dick Parry-
- Hmm?
Have you forgot that we have five children
of our own sleeping in this house?
- No.
- Well, well. I don't know what to make of you.
- Oh, come now, Mam.
- Think what'll it mean to the choir.
You and your old choir. Why don't you bring
all the members of your choir to sleep here?
Make a barracks of my house
and have done with it.
- Come now, lovely.
- Don't think you can get over me this time with your old nonsense.
- Oh, come now.
- Let me go!
- Listen now.
- Too much I have listened to you.
Well, I think I'd better be going too.
No, no. You stay where you are now.
Let me have a talk with her.
- The stranger's all alone now.
- Where's Dad then?
Gone after our mam.
She's in her tantrums.
I'm going to talk to the stranger.
- You watch yourself, our Dilys.
- I should be all right.
Hello.
- Hello.
- I'm Dilys. What's your name?
I'm David Goliath.
Ooh, I know. Same as in the story
teacher told us in Sunday school.
There's high up you are.
There. I'm not so high up now.
Our mam's in her tantrums.
But never you mind.
She'll be all right when she's had her bang-out.
Yes. I see.
- I tell you I can't manage it.
- Oh.
Mr. Parry.
I just wanted to thank you for the cup of tea
and the bite to eat, 'cause I'm going along now.
Indeed! I'm not gonna let you go
at this time of night.
We'll find somewhere for you to sleep.
Aye. He can sleep on the sofa
in the front room, can't he?
- Yes. To be sure.
- There.
Here. Here.
Didn't I tell you she'd be all right?
- Yes.
- Dilysl
- Get back to bed this minute!
- Oh, no, Mam. Let her stay.
Oh, I do wish you'd been
down there to hear him tonight.
A bottom bass like an organ.
- He sounded -
- Hello, Mam. Hello, Dad.
- Em, I was telling your mother about our practice tonight.
- Aye. Great.
- But I have something more important to tell Mam.
- Oh?
Mam, we've got that little house
on Mountain Row.
And Gwen's mother is willing for her
to be married a month next Monday.
- Isn't it grand?
- Yes, Emlyn. Of course it is.
Oh, I don't know.
- But there. Perhaps I worry too much.
- What's the matter, our Mam?
There's nothing I wanted so much as to see you
married to Gwen and in a home of your own.
- Well?
- But things have been so slack at the pits lately...
and, well, I don't know
how we're going to manage without your help.
We'll manage, my girl.
We managed afore he started work,
and we'll manage after he gets married.
- Oh, I expect we will.
- I know. We'll have David here as a lodger.
- Yes!
- He can have Emlyn's room and pay his share.
Fine. You get me work,
and I'll do it, all right.
- But you'll find I've got an outsize appetite.
- She'll take care of that, won't you, Mam?
Come on now. Let's celebrate.
- Dilys, you go and get that bottle of rhubarb wine, eh?
- Yes, Dad!
Well now, Son.
You left it later than me and your mother did.
Let me see now, lovely.
We had a baby before I was Emlyn's age, didn't we?
I don't know about you,
but I had one and another coming.
Aye. And a good mother
you've been to them all.
- Here you are, my lovely.
- Ah. Now let us drink...
to the success of the male voice choir
at the Eisteddfod.
- Emlyn and Gwen first, Dad.
- Oh, aye. To be sure. I forgot.
Joy to Emlyn and Gwen.
They're coming up.
- Hey. What's the matter, Seth?
- Where's Dick Parry and that new butty of his?
- Why? What do you want with him?
- You call him, and then you'll see.
Hey, Dick.
- If you don't want us, we'll go down.
- Wait a minute.
- Oh? What for?
- Where is that new butty of yours?
- Well, he'll be along soon.
- Ever heard of the seniority rule, Dick Parry?
Oh, so that's what you're getting at.
Bringing that big stranger
to work in the pit.
Aye. What about that?
- On top of that, you give him Ben's solo part in the choir.
- That's what's stuck in your gizzard, Seth.
Now listen, lads. Am I the first
to break the seniority rule then?
- We've always kept it in Blaendy, Dick.
- No fear, we haven't done it.
- Here, Will. Remember when your brother was conducting the colliery band?
- Yes.
Didn't he bring three fellows from Yorkshire
to work in this pit so they could play for him?
What my brother done
is nothing to do with me.
You, Seth. You know as well as I do
those three tenors that walloped us...
at last year's Eisteddfod were
brought in from outside Darren Valley.
- Isn't that right, man? Answer.
- Ah. Stumped you, has he, Seth?
Anyway, they were white.
- This fellow brought a black man to work down the pit.
- Well?
What about it?
All right, David.
Leave me to deal with him.
Now listen, lads.
Dave here is more than a good singer.
He's as good a butty
as ever worked down a pit with me.
Aye. And he's a decent chap
into the bargain.
Here's Seth talking about him being black.
Damn and blast it, man.
Aren't we all black down that pit?
Aye. Take a look at yourselves.
This fella's as good a pal as any of you.
Well? Anybody else got anything to say
before me and my butty go down the pit?
Haven't you chaps
finished chewing the fat?
What about a bit of work?
Keep the home fires burning.
Aye. Come on, lads.
Another eight hours, savage amusement.
- Don't let that lot worry you, Dave.
- They don't worry me.
Nobody takes any notice of them.
I think it would have been better if you'd
let me go on my way that first night I came.
No fear, it wouldn't, man.
I know what'll drive that out of your head.
Hey, lads. What shall we sing?
- What about the Eisteddfod test piece?
- Fine.
Come on, David, man.
Give 'em a lead.
Back to work with no repining
All through the night
Overhead the stars are shining
All through the night we're singing
dd
Morning sun brings fervent greeting
Sing we then our song of greeting
All through the night
Ooh!
Mam! Mam! Mam! Mam!
The bus for Eisteddfod is outside.
- What? Already?
- If you don't believe me, come and see.
I must get those children ready
before your father comes home.
- Fetch them in from the back.
- Righto, Mam.
- Hello, girl.
- Hello. Come in.
Hurried I have with my breath in my fist,
for they've only just come.
- Let me see them.
- And I wanted the children to go looking tidy tonight.
- Don't you think they're lovely?
- Indeed they are.
- And with a bit of trimming they'll do fine for the wedding.
- Yes. They'll be nice.
But I don't know when
I shall be able to pay you for them.
Have I said anything about payment?
Oh, that is kind of you.
We're as good as one family, my girl.
So you can pay me for these things
a shilling at a time.
- Thank you very much indeed.
- And I won't charge you the credit price either.
Come through quietly
so Mam won't hear you.
Shh!
- Oh! Look at the state of those children!
- Good gracious!
Whatever have you
been doing with yourselves?
They've been playing
"working in the pit," Mam.
Oh, dear.
Come on, for me to wash you.
- Of all the dirty little flamers I've ever seen!
- Dilys, I'll give you swearing in a minute! Stay there.
- Where did you hear that, I'd like to know?
- It was our dad who I heard saying it, and he said it isn't swearing. So there!
Dick does let off steam sometimes.
He forgets there's children present.
- Come on, Johnny.
- Come on.
How's the time, Dave?
I've had about enough for this shift.
- We only got 10 minutes to go.
- Good.
Pass me that drinking jack, will you?
Ah. Thank you.
- The air's thick in here today.
- Yeah, it's hot as hell.
Aye. It's always warmish in Klondyke.
Then send me a roll
of brattice cloth down.
- Right away, you damn fool.
- What's the hurry?
Oh, the air's a bit dirty in Klondyke today.
That chap in the stores
on top's as dull as a sledge.
Hello, Ned.
What are you doing back here?
There's a small pocket of gas
down in Klondyke, sir.
How many times have I told you to keep
brattice cloth on the spot in the workings?
- I thought -
- Go and tell those men to come out at once.
Less than 10 minutes to go anyway.
- I wish your dad would come.
- Will Dad's choir lose marks if he's late, Mam?
No, I don't think so. Will you sit still, Johnny.
What's the matter with you?
- Emlyn, what you looking at?
- You'll see in a minute, my girl.
- Hello, lovely.
- Hello, Em.
- You look great.
- Like it?
- You bet.
- Hello, everybody.
- Hello, Gwen!
- Doesn't she look nice?
Are you entering for the Eisteddfod, Gwen?
Don't be silly.
It isn't a beauty competition.
- Are those sunflowers?
- Yes.
It's very nice, but it's a bit on the short side.
Why, you Little Miss Particular.
Get out of the way, all of you, and let your mam
have a look at her future daughter-in-law.
Indeed, Gwen. It's -
- Pit!
- Dad!
Oh, my God!
- I'm going down with the rescue team.
- Em, be careful.
I'll be all right.
You stay and look after Mam.
Don't worry, Mam.
We'll be back.
Mr. Trevor wants
Number 2 Rescue Team down at once.
Come on, boys. Down below.
Hurry up!
- You'd better get some more help.
- Very good, sir.
If we don't stop this fire spreading,
we shall have the whole pit down on top of us.
Come on. Hurry up now.
Come on!
- Seth. Seen my dad?
- Sorry, Emlyn.
There's no news yet.
Nick, where's my dad?
- You won't get much out of him.
- Do you know?
I don't know who's out or who's in.
Number 2 Rescue Team, sir.
Right. Get your equipment off,
and give me a hand with this wall, quick.
- Where do you think you're going?
- In there, to look for my dad.
- Not if I know it.
- You're not stopping me, Mr. Trevor.
Now listen, son.
There's Sam James and Nat Llewelyn.
- They went in with Number 1 Rescue Team.
- I don't care. I'm going.
- It's suicide, I tell you. Don't be a young fool.
- Let me go!
- Get hold of him.
- Let me go!
- You fool.
- Look!
Ned, leave him to them.
- Are you all right?
- Careful.
I'm all right.
Steady.
Steady, boy.
Something for his head.
Dad.
- It's my dad.
- I'm afraid there's nothing much we can do for him.
Dad, it's me, Emlyn.
Hello, Emlyn.
I've copped out.
Bit of bad luck. That's all.
Me coppin' out like this.
Only 10 minutes to go.
It's the Eisteddfod.
Time we was there.
Em.
Tell your mam I -
Tell your mam I -
He's gone.
We would like to
thank the committee...
for postponing this Eisteddfod
so as to give us a chance to compete.
But we do not feel we can do so...
for the loss of our conductor,
my father...
and those who died with him...
is too fresh in our minds.
I didn't know Dick Parry for long...
but I lived and worked with him enough
to realize that he was a man.
Every inch ofhim.
Sometimes when we were alone
I used to sing him this song...
which we are now
going to sing for you.
dd
Deep
River
My home is
OverJordan
Deep
River
Lord
I want to cross over
Into campground
Deep
River
My home is
OverJordan
Deep
River
Lord
I want to cross over
Into campground
Oh, don't you want to go
To that gospel feast
That promised
Land
Where all
Is peace
Oh, deep
River
Lord
I want to cross over
Into
Campground
What a game.
Oh, carry on and stop grousing. Gotta be
going soon, down to the labor exchange.
Aye. And you'd better get a move on, Nick,
or you won't get back in time to sign on.
- That flaming labor exchange.
- It's a good job we've got it.
Better dole money than no money at all.
This " half a loaf's better than none" talk
makes me sick.
Nearly a year since the explosion.
And we've been no more than numbers
on the books of the labor exchange.
- Like a lot of flaming convicts.
- Keep working, and forget it.
You call this work?
Burrowing like rabbits...
day after day, just to get
enough coal to keep the kettle boiling.
- You like a cup of tea, don't you, Nick?
- Enough to drive a chap daft.
Here we are,
strutting for a few bits of slaggy coal...
whilst down Blaendy pits there's millions
of tons of best Welsh coal waiting to be worked.
What I want to know is, why can't we get to
the coal face through the sealed section?
- Because it's chock-full of gas, I expect.
- If only they'd let us have a shot at it.
- You may get your chance yet, Nick.
- Still got faith in that letter, have you?
You're daft if you think
the owners will take any notice of that.
- You and your letters.
- The last letter Emlyn sent...
was signed by the Miners' Federation,
the Chamber ofTrade and -
- Aye, aye. And Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
- We'll get an answer from London yet.
If we do, it'll be as they says in Parliament:
In the negative.
Ah, forget it, Nick.
Come on. Let's get goin'.
Come on, Dave.
Give us a lift up with this sack.
- Comin', boys?
- Coming, Dave.
Come on, boys.
On, lads.
Don't spare the horses.
Let me have another pennyworth of tea
on old account, till pension day.
Since the pits closed, nobody comes in here
with money in their hands.
- It's all old accounts.
- I know.
It's awful.
Some of the people round here, well...
you can't trust them
any further than you can see 'em.
But you know I'm as safe as a bank.
Now, go now, Phoebe.
This old account business will have to stop.
Thank you, Catrin.
But you know I'm as safe as a bank.
Safe as a bank.
Oh, you can wait a minute.
Shop!
Good day, Mrs. Owen. Let's have a packet
of Woodbines till the weather breaks.
Such cheek!
You better go before I break you!
Oh, come on. Come on.
Woodbines without the money indeed.
- Sure you wouldn't like a box of cigars?
- Damn. I didn't know you sold cigars.
Lamentations! Outside!
- Oh, but, Mrs. Owen. Now don't -
- Outside I said!
All right.
- Where's your mother?
- I'm sorry, Mr. Howells.
- Mam won't be able to pay you today.
- You tell your mother-
- Oh, but I can't, Mr. Howells.
- Why? Isn't she in?
Yes, but she's bad in bed.
- Mam, who's that man -
- Shh!
It's her head.
It's splitting in four ways.
Now you tell your mother from me that unless
she pays me something next week...
it's in the county court I'll be putting her.
- Yes, Mr. Howells.
- Where's your mother?
- She's bad in bed.
- Then I'll go up.
- But you can't -
- Oh, get out of my way.
Oh, it's you.
Come in and sit down for a minute.
Thank you.
I'd rather stand.
- Take the children upstairs, will you?
- All right, Mam. Come on.
I've come to settle this thing
once and for all.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Don't you?
Well, from now on, my Gwen is going to have
nothing more to do with that boy of yours.
Perhaps the young people themselves
will have something to say about that.
Gwen won't.
I'm not letting her wait any longer.
If the pits hadn't been closed,
they'd have been married.
Lf. Lf.
No girl of mine's going gray...
waiting for a boy on the dole
without a penny to his name.
- A lot of good-for-nothing -
- Don't you dare call my boy good-for-nothing.
Why, he's breaking his heart
because he can't get work.
Nobody's done more
to get the pits opened again.
I know. Letters to the owners.
- Well?
- All right.
Would you like me to tell you
what happened to that last letter?
Yes. What?
Emlyn's come.
I hope he gives her what for.
- Come on. Tell us.
- I'll tell you.
The owners have written to say
that your scheme is no good.
- No, not worth that.
- How do you know?
Never you mind.
I know.
Why, you're no better
than a Peeping Tom.
- Don't bother with her, Mam.
- Such cheekl
Shut up!
So we're right up against it again.
Well, Em,
we've been up against it before.
- Let's have another try.
- Try?
We're about sick and tired
of you and your trying.
- Speak for yourself.
- Listen to me, Emlyn Parry.
My girl is a qualified postal clerk...
and I had to pay for her training
in the technical college.
Me, a widow, on my feet
in that little shop...
from early morning till late every night.
And now the place is my own property,
and money in the bank I've got too.
If you think I'm fool enough
to let you drag her down...
till she's a pauper like the rest of you,
then you're very much mistaken.
That's enough, Catrin Owen.
There's the door.
I'm going.
And let me tell you this.
Before very long, me and my girl will have
cleared right out of this poverty-stricken hole.
Suppose you clear out of my house
for a start?
Go, go, before I forget myself!
Well, that's that.
- Here, Em.
- It's no use, Dave.
The people of Blaendy
are properly in the cart.
You ought to get out of this place.
Why? I pay my way.
There's my 17-bob dole money.
I do my bit on the slag heap.
I try not to eat too much.
If you had any sense, you'd go.
- Try the Darren Valley.
- No, Em.
Get to Cardiff. Find a ship.
Why are you staying?
I'll tell you.
Because of Mam and the kids.
- They're my responsibility.
- Not altogether, Em.
Listen, son.
Your father was my friend.
He took me in,
gave me food and shelter, found me work.
What kind of a man would I be if I left now
when things are bad?
- Let's don't talk about it anymore.
- All right, Dave.
That old thing from the post office
won't come back here again in a hurry.
Oh, no. Not after what I told her
out there in front of all the children.
Dilys, children,
come on now to your food.
Oh, you don't miss much, do you?
We were only waiting for you
to call us to supper, Mam.
Yes, with one eye to the keyhole.
Come on. Eat your food.
Coming here with her own cheek.
Paupers indeed.
My boy not good enough
for her Gwen.
Mam, we may as well face it.
She was right.
- Right? What do you mean?
- We are finished, scrapped and finished.
- But, my boy, we can't -
- It's no use, Mam. There's nothing more to say.
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
I - I think he's still fond of you.
Indeed?
That's very kind of him.
But it's all over.
I'm afraid he agrees with her.
And they've made up their minds,
both of them.
They've made up their minds?
I don't suppose I count in the least.
Well, Emlyn said he was gonna
tell you about it.
- I'll tell him.
- Where are you going?
- I'm gonna have a word with Mr. Emlyn.
- Well, you'll find him up at the house.
Emlyn.
Emlyn.
- Hello, Gwen.
- What's the matter?
Everything.
Em. Don't be silly.
- Give me a kiss.
- Have some sense. I'm not made of stone.
Then you don't care for me anymore.
How can you say that when everything
I've tried to do for years has been for you?
Down the pit eight hours a day.
After work, sitting in night school
through the winters to get that certificate.
Who for?
- Em, let's get married.
- What, on my dole money?
With my mother and the kids on public assistance
and things getting worse every week?
Emlyn, listen.
Those things aren't really important.
Plenty of people in Blaendy
have married like that.
Aye, it's easy enough to get married...
- but what about the future?
- We'll be facing it together.
And bringing up our children
on two bob a week?
- It's not good enough.
- I tell you, it's good enough for me.
I like your spirit, lovely.
Lord, I'm as anxious
to get married as you are.
My own boy.
There must be something I could do.
Gwen, if I went to London
and met those owners face-to-face...
do you think that would do any good?
They can't stop us singing
They can't stop us singing
d For overhead
the stars are shining d
All through the night
They can't stop us singing
d They can't stop us singing d
All through the night
d So still keep on singing d
They can't stop us singing
For in the darkness we are singing
Morning sun we'll soon be greeting
All through the night
They can't stop us singing
Through the night
Here we are, Ned. Easy.
Take a drink of this
and rest a while.
Get this inside you, Ned.
I've had plenty.
Don't want any more.
- Dave.
- Ta, Nick.
I don't like the look of old Ned.
That bit of bread is poor packin'
for a man in his state.
Some proper grub and a bed
is what he wants.
At this rate, it don't look like
we'll ever get to London.
London be damned.
All I want is a good meal.
Ah, well, the first 200 miles is always the worst.
It's a long way to Tipperary
It's a long way to go
- It's a long way to Tipperary
- How do you feel, Ned?
Not so dusty now, lad.
- I got an idea, Em.
- d To the sweetest girl I know d
- Listen to that.
- dd
You chaps are Welshmen,
and you can sing.
What's wrong with
singing our way to London?
- What, beg?
- Why not?
Ned's a pal of ours.
We've got to do something.
Yes. You're right, Dave.
- Hey, Nick, Seth.
- What's up?
- Come on.
- What's wrong?
- Fall in.
- What, again?
- Ah, shut your mouth and do what you're told.
- Come on, Ned.
Hitler demands Danzig and the Corridorl
Hitler demands Danzig and the Corridorl
Ha! That flamin' Adolf
will be askin' for Blaendy next.
- What's in the paper, boy?
- Buy one and see.
Oh, come on, son.
You know we haven't got a penny between us.
That's all you get for nothing.
Hitler demands Danzig and the Corridor!
- Read all about it!
- What's Hitler got to do with us?
- You never can tell.
- Oh, come on, lads. Hit the note, Dave.
They can't stop us singing
They can't stop us singing
For overhead
the stars are shining
All through the night
There you are. I told you.
That means war.
Never mind. We've marched into London,
which is more than he'll ever do.
Well, here we are at last.
After three days solid singing, our throats
will need decarbonizing to talk to these owners.
I'll talk to them when the time comes.
Parliament called for Sunday! Official!
Parliament called for tomorrow.
On a Sunday, of all days. Things are pretty rough.
- Is it any good going in now?
- Why not?
We've come a long way to put the case
for Blaendy, and we're going to put it.
- Emlyn's right. In we go, boys.
- Aye, and to hell with Hitler.
Read all about it!
Night news extra!
Go on, Ellen.
Slip into the boardroom...
and tell SirJohn that these men
from Blaendy are here.
- That'd be more than my job's worth.
- Can we wait here, miss?
Perhaps SirJohn might be able to spare us
a few minutes after the conference.
- They don't mind how long they wait, you know.
- Oh, it's no use, Jackson.
SirJohn will have to go straight over
to the Ministry of Mines.
I'm awfully sorry, but this crisis
has turned everything upside down.
Hello?
Oh, Syd. Hello, darling.
What?
Oh, dear.
When? Tonight?
But I can't.
We're terribly busy here.
Oh, don't.
All right.
If I possibly can.
Good-bye, darling.
- What's up, miss?
- It's my boy.
He's just been called up. He's leaving
for his depot in about an hour's time.
Wants me to go to Victoria Station
to see him off.
Why don't you go?
The place will be here when you come back.
- Do you think it would be all right?
- Of course.
You go, and give the young fellow
a kiss to remember you by.
- Tell him I won't be long, Jackson.
- Right.
And I'll hold the fort till you get back.
Make yourselves at home, boys.
Ah, yes. That's the way of it.
The sweethearts and wives
will have to go through the hoop...
the same as my old woman did in 1914.
Miss Gray?
Miss Gray.
Oh, where's Miss Gray?
Have you seen her, Jackson?
Oh, uh, yes, sir. She's, uh -
She's just gone round the corner
to the, um, you know, sir.
What? Oh, yes, yes, yes. When she returns,
tell her SirJohn wants her in the boardroom.
Very good, sir.
- It takes an old sweat to tell 'em the tale, huh?
- Is SirJohn in there?
- Yes, that's the boardroom.
- Say, friend.
We wouldn't mind if you went
for a bit of a walk.
- Huh?
- And have a smoke while you're waitin'.
Oh. A nod's as good as a wink
to a blind horse.
But make it snappy.
Can't stay too long, you know.
Go on inside, lads,
and lots of luck.
But you're coming with us, Dave.
No, no.
I wouldn't be much help to you in there.
I'll just stay here...
and, uh, hold the fort,
as the sergeant says.
You're wastin' time.
Go on inside.
- Stick it the Welsh, eh, Ned?
- That's it, son.
- I'm sorry, sir, but that's the position.
- I tell you, it must be done, Mr. Lewis.
- Tomorrow we may be at war.
- But, SirJohn, I can't -
I have promised the government
40,000 tons a week.
But our weekly output is only 30,000 tons.
30,057 to be precise.
All right.
We must restart some of our pits.
What about Trehenwg, Blaendy,
Cymlyn, Tyncoom?
SirJohn, you can't open an idle pit
like opening that door.
What the devil are you doing here?
- We've come to talk about that idle pit in Blaendy.
- And what's that got to do with you?
Well, sir, we chaps work down that pit,
as our fathers did before us.
And we want to go on working.
That's all, SirJohn.
I see. Well, I can assure you that we are
very anxious to see you start work.
But there's nothing we can do
for you at the moment.
But there's something
we can do for you, sir.
Give us the chance, and you'll be getting coal
from Blaendy pit within a week.
- I'd like to know how you're going to do that.
- If you'll allow me to -
My boy, we have gone
into this matter thoroughly.
Even if we undertook the cost
of driving a new hard heading...
to skirt the sealed section,
it would take us at least a month.
Yes, but there's a quicker way than that -
straight through that sealed section.
- You'll never get through alive.
- That's our business.
My lad, in that sealed section,
there may be gob-fires, gas accumulations -
We are not asking you
to go through it, are we?
Now, now, Nick. Don't lose your head.
Listen, SirJohn.
We heard you say that
tomorrow we may be at war.
In that case, you know the risks
that will have to be faced in the trenches...
in the sky, on the sea - aye, and by
our women and children in their homes.
Coal in wartime is as much a part of our
national defense as guns or anything else.
So why not let us
take our chance down the pit?
Well, Mr. Lewis, what do you think?
SirJohn, if they get through, it'll give
the government that extra 10,000 tons.
- And I think with these men, it might be done.
- It can be done.
- What's your name?
- Emlyn Parry.
Well, Parry, as a mining engineer...
I should consider it a privilege
to lead you men in this attempt.
SirJohn, with your permission,
I'll leave for Blaendy tonight.
Now let's make sure we've got everything
and it's all in order. Blasting powder.
- Here, sir.
- Battery box.
- Here, sir.
- And I've got the cable.
And I've got the yellow sparrow.
I hope it don't conk out.
Now, now. None of your nonsense.
Come on, lads.
- Shall we start, sir?
- Yes, right away.
Get at it, boys.
A penny for 'em, Em.
They're worth more than that, Dave.
In ages past
Our hope
For years to come
Our shelter
From the stormy blast
And our eternal home
Well, it won't be long
before we're back, Jim.
- I hope so, sir. Good luck.
- Thank you, Jim.
Just a minute.
I'll test for gas.
Yes, a bit of gas here.
Put you respirators on.
Come on, Phil. We must get this wall
sealed up again.
- But that means shutting them up in there.
- Mr. Lewis's orders.
If there's trouble, he doesn't
want it to spread to the rest of the pit.
- Come on. Get on with it.
- Come on.
All clear.
Take your respirators off, lads.
- There's a big fall of roof in there.
- I can see it, son.
Are you gonna blast your way through,
Mr. Lewis?
I don't like it, but we'll have to.
Otherwise, it'll take us a day to get through.
- Emlyn, see to the placing of the shot.
- Yes, sir.
- Dave, let's have that powder.
- Here it is.
- Ned, get me some sludge to back the charge with.
- Right you are.
- Where you gonna place it?
- Right here in the middle of this big stuff.
Okay.
- Can you manage, Dave?
- It's all right, Em.
Get 'em in as far as you can.
- Nearly ready?
- In a minute, Mr. Lewis.
- Good.
- Well, we'd better put little Caruso...
in a place of safety before the big bang.
Seth.
Poor fellows.
I expect they was caught by that fall.
Connect up, Emlyn.
Stand clear, lads!
All set.
Let her have it, Em.
Roof's a bit shaky.
- Lloyd, get some of that loose timber over there.
- Very good, sir.
- Morgan, give him a hand.
- Yes, sir.
Shall we go up to the rise
and see how it's looking?
- Yes, carry on.
- Come on, boys.
Morgan, hurry up with that prop.
Put it in here.
Get it up. Steady.
- Here you are, sir.
- That's right.
- Get some more timber, Lloyd.
- Aye, sir.
- Which way now, Em?
- To the right. We'll try the door.
- And we'll have to clear that lot.
- What, with these flamin' things on?
There's no gas just here.
All right. Take 'em off.
- Well, this'll come in handy, Seth.
- Yes.
Careful with them, Seth.
Pile them up on here.
- All ready, Em.
- Clear away, Ned.
Well, here goes.
Say " open sesame," Dave.
Open sesame.
Shut the door.
The trucksl
My God, Mr. Lewis!
- This roof is working like yeast.
- Don't move, Morgan, whatever you do.
- I'll get another prop.
- All right.
Mr. Lewis!
Mr. Lewisl
Mr. Lewis!
Go for it, boys!
There!
- Any news, Mr. Trevor?
- Not yet, Ned.
I'm sorry. There's no definite
news for you yet.
- Do you think they'll get through, Mr. Trevor?
- God only knows, my dear.
Yes, only he knows.
I'm afraid it's no use, Nick.
That rock still sounds like cast iron.
Well, they must keep on trying.
- Do you think we've got a chance, Nick?
- Of course we have.
How does that feel now?
- Not so bad.
- Here, wet your lips.
- That sounds better.
- Think so?
Try it further along.
- Was that a weak spot?
- dd
No. No, you take it easy.
It's no good tappin' anymore.
Let's get at it.
He's right, Em.
Let me have it.
- It's pretty hard, Ned.
- Aye, son.
Nick, Emlyn,
look at this lamp.
Gettin' short of oil, I expect.
- Is it, Ned?
- The lamp's not short of oil.
What it wants is air.
I could do with a lungful myself.
And a quart of beer apiece
wouldn't do us any harm.
Don't waste your breath, my boy,
for you have little enough left.
It's getting pretty thick.
We shan't last more than an hour.
Well, that's the end of that.
We must be a daft lot.
Why didn't we think of it before?
- Think of what?
- Blasting, of course.
Can't we fire a shot
and blow our way through?
Aye, that's it. Place a shot
at that weak spot David was working on.
- Give us that blasting powder.
- What for? To blow ourselves to pieces?
It'll be certain death to fire a shot
in a place this size.
It'll be certain death
if we don't do somethin'.
We can hide ourselves
against that rock face around the corner.
- That's right. Where's the cable?
- Aye, quick, let's have it.
Weren't you carrying it, Dave?
No, not me, boys.
Mr. Lewis had the cable.
Oh, hell!
Look at the flamin' thing,
just four foot of rock...
barrin' our way to the coal face and safety.
I'll smash a way through!
I'll smash a way through!
Steady, Nick. Steady.
Look, lads. Look.
Here's what we want. Here's cable.
- This will do the job, lads.
- It's just possible.
Whoever fires a shot with that
won't stand a dog's chance.
Well, it'll be short and sweet for one,
and that's better than slow death for us all.
- I'll have a smack at it.
- Well, if it's got to be done, we'll draw lots.
- That's it.
- It's you and me for it, Nick.
They have more dependin' on them
than we have.
Oh, no. We're not having that.
Not likely. We're all in this.
Leave it to me and Nick.
Tip-it.
- So it's up to you, Dave.
- Not yet.
Me and Ned's going to have our chance.
Tip-it.
You lose, son.
Well, it's you and me for the final, Em.
Your call, Dave.
- Now, listen, Em -
- I said, your call.
Tip-it.
- You fellas get back there.
- Listen, my boy-
Get back I say,
and leave this to me.
There isn't much time.
Careful.
I'll place the charge for you.
Thanks, Dave.
Let's say a word for the boy.
Our Father...
we, trapped here
in the depths of the mine...
are asking you to look down
on that boy who is risking his life for us.
In our savior's name...
- amen.
- Amen.
For the last time, Em,
will you listen to me?
- It fell to my lot, I tell you.
- I know.
But there's your mother and Dilys
and the other children.
They must take their chance.
- And there's Gwen.
- For God's sake, shut up!
You're tearing the guts out of me.
Get back to the others.
All right.
Then go!
Well, Em -
All the best, son.
- Is he hurt?
- I can't see a mark on him.
Emlyn, Emlyn.
Where's David?
What's happened?
So he did it after all.
David! David!
Dave.
He's dead.
I am the way and the life.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Come on, son.
We must finish what we set out to do.
You stay with him, Seth.
We must push on to the coal face.
Come on.
Wales, Wales
Home, sweet home is Wales
Till death be passed
My love shall last
My longing
My yearning
For Wales
Wales
Wales
Home, sweet home is Wales
Till death be passed
My love shall last
My longing
My yearning
For Wales
Wales, Wales
Home, sweet home is Wales
Till death be passed
My love shall last
My longing
My yearning
For Wales
Wales, Wales
Wales