A History of British Film
Early British Comedy
Early Hitchcock
Introduction to Humphrey Jennings
Humphrey Jennings and Third Cinema
The Stars Look Down / The Proud Valley – Conflict and Unity
The Renaissance of the 1980s
Film On Four

Family Conflict

In the opening minutes of The Stars Look Down we are shown three different conflicts. First we are shown the conflict between the miners and Barras. Then there is conflict between Mrs Fenwick and the butcher. Finally there is the conflict within the Fenwick household itself. Here it is made very clear from the start that Mrs Fenwick does not support her son in his studies. She is also unsupportive of her husband’s strike action and critical of his drinking, suggesting that he saw the mine plans ‘in the bottom of a pint of beer’.

When she says ‘clever as he is’ she is being sarcastic. This is not an image of a happy household. Davey greets his mother when she enters the room, she ignores him. The family atmosphere seems to be reflected in the room itself, which seems spartan and cold.