I just got my tape of How Green Was My Valley and have watched the first episode now. If I'm any judge, Joyce is going to be in raptures when she sees her copy.

Not only does it have a young Gareth, slim and bearded, but it's a damn good drama. This dates from the days when the BBC knew how to let a story tell itself. It's slow-paced and very well acted. The sets are few in number, but you tend not to notice because it's the characters who carry the story.

It's set in a Welsh mining village and I suspect some Americans may well have trouble following the Welsh accents, especially in scenes set in and around the mines, but the domestic scenes are be pretty easy to follow. When in doubt, follow the music of the voices - Welsh accents do tend to sound wonderfully lyrical. You get your ear attuned after a while and then the accents become easier.

It's the story of a Welsh mining family, especially the youngest son who was injured and unable to walk for several years. The family become close friends with the new preacher, played by Gareth, and events play out against the background of the chapel and the hypocracy of the elders.

You can buy a copy from http://www.choicesdirect.co.uk - make sure you get the version with Stanley Baker and Sian Phillips. If the other episodes are as good as the first, then it'll be well worth it. (their web site can be a bit of a pain on occasion, but some people have no problems with it at all)

Judith