How bad were our accents!
Why do only two people (including the dad) have passable Welsh accents in this film?
shareMaybe to Welsh people the accents weren't good but this was an American production, filmed in Hollywood with American and British actors. I wouldn't know a Welsh accent if it hit me in the head. No offense to the Welsh and their language, I just think most of the audience back then and now wouldn't recognize it like they would say an Irish or Scottish accent.
shareNo, not just Welsh people Turtletommy, to a lot of other people. I have visited Wales, but I am not Welsh.
There are three characters who have Welsh accents: one of the minor characters, the father (who does an alright one) and Roddy McDowall who at least attempts one.
Welsh and Irish accents are about as alike as Australian and Canadian ones!
I really doubt that to "many" people the lack or poor attempts at a Welsh accent in this 70 yr old American film is as big a deal as it seems to you. I'm sure that the intended American audience at the time probably didn't wince or notice the lack or poor attempts at a Welsh accent. Americans were much more aware of British, Scottish, Irish (and Australian and Canadian) ones than a Welsh one. The only person I can think of that came from Wales was Richard Burton and I believe he worked at and/or was forced to lose his heavy Welsh accent while advancing as an actor on the stage and screen in the U.K. and abroad.
It's appalling. Could you imagine someone playing John Wayne with a Jamaican or a Chinese accent? No one would take it seriously. This is the problem here.
Anthony Hopkins also comes from Wales, and so does Tom Jones (who was in "Mars Attacks") and quite often perform roles etc with their natural accents.
Richard Burton's Welsh accent can still be heard under his English one, like Hopkins, and it's that which gives it that wonderful quality.
The only reason Americans aren't aware of Welsh accents, is not only the lack of Welsh films, but also the fact that films such as this don't make the effort to be authentic sounding.
This obviously means a lot to you. I think it's funny that you slam a film made 70 years ago for its accents or lack of! Appalling is a stretch. My god man they are speaking the English language that's good enough for me and most people I would think. I can certainly take them seriously. Your John Wayne speaking (English?) with a Jamaican or Chinese accent is a bizarre and weak analogy.
shareI would pay to see John Wayne with a Jamaican accent. Oh, the possibilities!
shareSo what if it was made 70 years ago, that's frankly irrelevent.
"Your John Wayne speaking (English?) with a Jamaican or Chinese accent is a bizarre and weak analogy."
How is it weak? Have you ever heard real Welsh accents? If you had, you mighty realise how bad they were. Why would people who grew up in the same part of the world have American and Irish accents?
Look at Spinal Tap - I'm not making any claims for the quality of the film, but there were several Americans who did the accents so convincingly that I actually thought they were English.
As for the argument that American filmgoers don't know what Welsh accents sound like... well of course they don't if this is what they're presented with!
Could you imagine someone playing John Wayne with a Jamaican or a Chinese accent?
oh please say they're going to make this movie.
Do the P-I-G-E-O-N share
They had planned to film it in Wales. It would have been more authentic, but a little thing called World War Two and the Nazi bombing of England interfered with that plan and they had to film it here in the U.S.A.
"Listen, I don't tan, I don't burn, I implode."
"They had planned to film it in Wales. It would have been more authentic, but a little thing called World War Two and the Nazi bombing of England interfered with that plan and they had to film it here in the U.S.A."
Well, apart from the fact that Wales is not part of England (but is part of the UK and *was* bombed), there are such things as dialect coaches and recordings.
Why didn't they use them?
One of the actors was a Welshman, and they could have used him for tips.