Sage Woman Chronicles

Classic Cinema: The Valley of Decision

Movie description: An Irish maid falls for the son of her wealthy employer though her disapproving bitter disabled father and a strike at the steel mill complicate matters. It was released in 1945.

There are so many great stars in this movie: Greer Garson as Mary Rafferty, Gregory Peck as Paul Scott, Donald Crisp as William Scott Sr., Lionel Barrymore as Pat Rafferty, and Gladys Cooper as Clarissa Scott. It is directed by Tay Garnett and is based on the book of the same name by Marcia Davenport.

The movie is so much more than the above description. This is a movie about the immigrants who came to this country and helped build it by making the steel that was used for railroad tracks, high rise buildings and more, in the mid-to-late 1800s. It’s also a story of star-crossed lovers, similar to Romeo and Juliet, and of the divide between the classes. Also part of the storyline has to do with the formation of unions and the resistance to their creation.

In a way, this movie is a history lesson about how our country expanded and of how some men became millionaires by providing the materials necessary to that expansion. One of the segments at the end of the movie speaks to something we are considering during this time of upheaval. When Paul’s brother William Jr. wants to sell the mill after his mother’s death he discovers that she left her share of the mill to Mary so she can try to save it for Paul, who is the only sibling keeping the mill alive. Mary is trying to convince Paul’s sister Constance not to sell her share and so save it. She reminds Constance of a time when she, Constance and her husband Giles were in France and they witnessed a couple of men pour a little bit of their wine onto the ground. When they asked the waiter why the men did that, he told them that it was the custom in their country to give back a little of what they had taken from the land. And her viewpoint was that making steel was one way to give back not only from what they took from the land, but to the people who live on it. Up until that point in the movie Constance had been a selfish creature taking the money that the mill provided but not giving anything back to the workers or to society. If she saved the mill, that could be her way of giving back. The men would have meaningful work and the country would have the steel it needed to build. Constance agrees not to sell.

I know that the expansion of the European immigrants across the country is a controversial subject right now. There are so many things our ancestors did that were morally wrong from trying to annihilate the indigenous people who were already here, to enslaving the Africans we brought here to do our work for us. However, I think it’s important to examine all of our history and this movie depicts one part of it. In this movie, Paul comes up with a new kind of steel that is more flexible. It’s innovations like that that are also part of our history.

There are also many great themes in the movie: The affects of love and hate on Paul, Mary and their families, commentary on the society of the time, the differences between the wealthy and working class, and familial relationships, and the determination to improve the products needed to build a new society.

To Celeste and me, this movie is a gem not to be missed. We hope you enjoy our analysis. the movie is difficult to find, but once you’ve seen it, we hope you’ll agree that it is well worthy your viewing time.

And thanks to our new followers. Bring your friends along to join our discussions and our Facebook group.

Bringing the Ancient World to Life on the Screen and in Print

Neil Laird is an LGBTQ+, multiple Emmy and BAFTA nominated Executive Producer who has worked extensively on both the network and production side of non-fiction TV since 1997. I’ve developed, overseen and produced over 1,000 hours of factual programs and specials in nearly every genre, with a particular passion, expertise and professional contacts in history, mystery, science and adventure.

As a showrunner/producer for several highly-respected production companies in the US and UK, I traveled to over 70 countries, with a specialty in history programming in often difficult terrains. My shows have aired on Discovery, Science Channel, Netflix, HBO Max, A&E, History, PBS, BBC, Channel 4, Animal Planet and National Geographic Channel, where I helped launch several successful series, including Brain Games and Border Wars.

Over the years, I’ve built an extensive list of contacts across the globe in both the production world and with foreign organizations, including antiquities boards in the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, I am a member of scientific institutions such as the Archeological Institute of America and the Explorers Club, and write book reviews for World History Encyclopedia.

I published my first novel Prime Time Travelers in May 2024, with the follow-up, Prime Time Pompeii, following later in the year. Both are inspired by my years in the field making antiquity TV shows.

Website , Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, IMDb

Judith Starkston, Author, Story-Power Episode 114 aired 11/20/24

Gobeli Tepe, Turkey

Pompeii, UNESCO World Heritage site preserved Ancient Roman City

Troy, Ancient Ruins in Turkey (2004) Achilles, Briseis, and Patroclus

Lilith: A Novel Niki Marmery

Julia Felix (Praedia luliae Felicis), Wealthy businesswoman in Pompeii

Luxor, Thebes, Diro Medina, Saqqara Egyptian cities Saqqara where King Tut’s Tomb was discovered is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) First Indiana Jones Movie

Star Trek, Doctor Who

The Space BetweenTime, author, Lucinda Sage-Midgorden

Barry Maughan, Author, Story-Power Episode 146, 2/11/26

The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe, Matthew Gabriele

Omm Sety (Dorothy Eady 1904 – 1981) Lived and worked in Abydos, Egypt

Ethiopia Jewish Community claimed to be the home of The Ark of the Covenant

The Odyssey, Homer

The Song of Achilles: A Novel, Madeline Miller

Circe, Madeline Miller

Peter O’Toole, British Actor played Priam in (2004) version of Troy

Disaster Movies of the 1970s, The Poseidon Adventure, Airport, Airplane (1980)

PodMatch for Podcasters Affiliate Link.

This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to Neil Laird and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.

Want to be a guest on Story-Power? Send Lucinda Sage-Midgorden a message on PodMatch, click here.

Story-Power on Patreon

I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

Prolific Writers Life

My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.

They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.

Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters

Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.

Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.

Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.

Classic Cinema: Blast From the Past

Here is something fun to lighten up your Sunday. Celeste and I thought it was time for a movie that is lighthearted and fun, but also has foreshadowings of what’s happening now. Blast From the Past (1999) stars Brendan Frasier and Alicia Silverstone. It begins in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Calvin has built a secret fallout shelter because he’s sure the Soviets or U.S. will begin a nuclear war. Helen, his pregnant wife, has no idea he’s done this. On the night of President Kennedy’s speech about the life threatening situation, Calvin and Helen urge their party guests to go home while they go down into the shelter. Just as they are about to close themselves in, a plane crashes into their house. Thinking the war has started, Calvin sets the locks to open again in 35 years. A day or two later, Adam is born. When the locks open Adam gets to go out into the world for the very first time. And what an adventure he has. This story is about humans who endure hardship, and bring a little civility back into the modern world. Watch it and see if you agree and then make comments on our channel or here and tell us what you think of the story. And don’t forget to check out our Facebook group.

Classic Cinema: Kitty Foyle

Celeste and I published episode 31, Kitty Foyle (1940) on YouTube April 1, 2026. So many other tasks got in the way that I’m just now getting to publishing it here. This is one of those iconic Hollywood movies with an iconic star that plays often on TCM and is available on other streaming services. Celeste and I hope you’ll go check it out.

Here’s the short description: A hard-working white-collar girl from a middle-class family meets and falls in love with a young socialite, but she soon clashes with his family.

Kitty Foyle, stars Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan, and James Craig. It’s directed by Sam Wood.

The story seems to be a fairly simple one of a girl who is dazzled by the wealthy class in Philadelphia and dreams of marrying into it. When her dreams come true, she finds that the fairy tale life she thought she was going to live was an illusion. The man she’s in love with, Win Stratfford, dazzles her at first with gifts and trips. However she learns the hard way, when she and Win get married, that he is bound by the conditions of his trust fund. Though he continues to declare that he wants to be free, he doesn’t have the skills to deal with adversity.

Along the way, Kitty meets Mark, a young doctor who has dreams of helping poor children so they can hopefully grow into productive adults. Kitty discovers that she and Mark have very similar values. Their relationship is interrupted from time to time by Win’s reappearances. In the end Kitty must make a choice, completely changing herself to fit into Win’s world, or marry Mark and work with him to make a difference in the lives of those who need help.

To me Kitty Foyle is a great example of a strong woman who chooses to make a difference.

The Landscape That Gathered Her Home

“Some places stay with you, not because you lived there long, but because something in you recognized them. I’ve always felt that landscapes hold memory, something older, deeper. That’s the terrain I keep returning to.”

I’ve moved across continents, carried languages, left and found homes again. Through all of it, I’ve learned that connection to place isn’t about PERMANENCE, it’s about RESONANCE. I’d love to share a conversation about what it means to feel rooted even when life moves you, how landscapes can reflect back who we are becoming, and how memory, belonging, and identity live in the spaces between.

There’s this stretch of coastline in Parksville, not particularly grand or dramatic. It’s quiet, mostly. The tide comes and goes without fuss. Driftwood rests where it lands. The sand holds the marks of birds, dogs, children. I walked there often, never with a plan. Just walking.

At first, I didn’t think much of it. I was new to the area, still feeling like a visitor in my own life. I didn’t speak the landscape’s language yet. But little by little, I started noticing things. A crooked branch that looked like it was waving. A stone that never moved. Light that changed the shape of everything.

And then one day, I realized, without meaning to, that I had started to memorize the land. Like it was starting to memorize me back. I knew where the shadows would fall. I knew when the birds would come. I knew how the wind sounded just before it rained.

That was the moment I realized I was building a kind of home with familiarity, with presence, with noticing. I wasn’t looking for roots. But they found me anyway.

It made me think of all the places I’ve been, all the ways I’ve tried to belong. Sometimes it’s hard to say where “home” really is. But for me, it often begins with land, with walking, listening, paying attention.

I didn’t know I was gathering home. But I was.

Website, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram

Federation of Canadian Artists

Art Vancouver, Vancouver Art Foundation at the end of May 2026