Further to my earlier post (3) following Matt's excellent review I have now had the opportunity to watch this film for the first time. I enjoyed seeing it but it didn't have the same emotional impact for me as for some of the other posters (and my wife's mother is from a Welsh mining community)...
I have to admit I haven't seen this film although it must have played on UK television many times over the years. This is the first review of a film that has made me want to see it so thanks very much.