The Last Days of Dolwyn – 1949 | 95 mins | Drama | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Slow-moving drama about the flooding of a Welsh village that anticipated the 1965 flooding of Capel Celyn for the Tryweryn reservoir. The intriguing story should make an engaging and emotional drama, but the two-dimensional characters and clichéd national stereotyping detracts from the films significance. Edith Evans dominates the film as the determined widow who stops initially stops the plan to flood the village. Richard Burton impresses in his debut as her stepson.

Set in 1892, the tiny Welsh village of Dolwyn has its very existence threatened when a reservoir is planned for the site to provide water for Lancashire. Robert Davies (Emlyn Williams) returns to his childhood village in the hope of buying out Lady Dolwyn and the entire districts leaseholders so as to construct a water-reservoir. The villagers would then be offered new home in Liverpool. Davies is employed by Cambrian Water Company to carry out negotiations, but is happy enough to bring about the demise of Dolwyn as his own revenge against the village which had him exiled as a thief.

Merri (Edith Evans), who was presented with half an acre of land in perpetuity by Lord Dolwyn, causes a delay by refusing to budge, despite a personal visit from Lord Lancashire. Davies becomes frustrated, and after his attempt to open the sluice gates fails, he tries to burn the village down. He is stopped by Merri’s stepson, Gareth (Richard Burton), and killed in the ensuing fight. Merri then floods the village herself to conceal Davies’ body.