Customer Reviews

The Learning Tree [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This movie is a classic because it is real. Not only is the setting incredible, but the clothing, the speeech patterns and the general atmosphere make "The Learning Tree" a potentially powerful and impactful learning tool as swell.

Its the 1920s south and there isn't one black person who doesn't have a grandparent or a great grandparent who doesn't remember those times. The acting in this movie leaves a great deal to be desired, but the story is so powerful that you can relate ot every character. Newt, the young boy (Gordon Parks as a child) is polite, considerate and curious. The movie begins with him lsoing his virginity to a much older person, a young woman who rescues him from a tornado.How Parks pulled off that storm is a wonder to me, because if I'm not mistaken this flick pre-dates the kind of special effects that we see in "Twister." But then agian, they used it in the "Wizard of Oz," so I guess it must be a director's secret.

The key to this movie is that a young boy grows up, falls in love, learns about life when hsi girlfriend runs off with a thug, witnesses a murder and has to decide if he should tell or not. The man who commits the murder is the father of a young bully that Newt always had problems with. THe racism of the sheriff of the town and how black kids were used back then is a key part of the story.

This movie is a treasure. No black studies department or ethnic studies program should be without it. The "learning" that young Newt attained transcended the classroom, but began with a loving family, all sticking together no matter what the odds. That love spread throughout the community. I'm not sure if race relations during that time were as amicable as this movie makes them appear, but the black community of today could learn some lessons from the community that was depicted in "The Learning Tree."

This movie, like "Raisin in the Sun," "Imitation of Life," "Sounder," "Man and Boy" and "The Spook Who Sat By the Door" should be mandatory teaching tools for all high school students, black and white.

I have loved this film from childhood and have
taped it down through the years.
But in this day and age of DVD, I think it's ridiculous
that they have released all the old "pimps & ho's"
blaxploitation flicks of the late 60's and early 70's,
yet are reluctant to release treaures like this one
as readily!
The late Gordon Parks did an excellent job of bringing
his book (a recount of his coming of age in 1920's Kansas)
to life with vivid performances by some young actors
and a few of the old school legends of that time
who were still around.
It's a wonder they haven't tried to remake it with
some of the good actors of today!
I've always wondered what happened to some of the
actors who played in this film over the years.
I think that they probably also have some great
behind-the-scenes documentary-style footage
as well, which both could make great extras
on the DVD version.
Bottomline, this movie is a piece of living history
and should be restored and enhanced with
the technology of today!

This movie made a very striking and lasting impression on me, I first saw it when I was about 12 years old. It's a movie that both my Grandmother, who is nearly 81, and I, who am 28 years of age now, can both enjoy because it's a drama based on history. It's a learning experience for those who cannot begin to fathom what it was like for blacks in America during those racially charged earlier days in American history.

I put this film in the same category as such films as Where the Red Fern Grows, The Yearling, or Sounder. It deals with harsh subjects (racism, murder) but in a gentle way or should I say in a way that is straightforward and isn't gratuitous or sensational. I would say its closest modern counderpart is Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored. Definately an underrated classic.

I rank this right up there with "To Kill a Mockingbird"
(which, I admit, I haven't watched for a few years).
I suspect this film is better at showing what life was like for
Blacks and has a better balanced cast of good, bad, and mixed
characters. This probably didn't catch on as much since the
sex was less politically correct for the time (e.g., white boy
gets black girl pregnant), there are onscreen shootings, and
there is minor onscreen nudity.
Extremely appropriate for high schoolers and up interested
in a strongly moving view of the black experience by a very
major artist and writer (Parks).

The story was based off of Gordon Parks real life story. A very good depiction of life in the early part of the century.

The Learning Tree is an absolute great film. It really details the trials and tribulations of what African-Americans had to go through in America. It shows the good and evil in Black and White America. I urge everyone to see this film.

The Learning Tree, is one of the best movies ever made, and yet, it has yet to be released on DVD. The first time I saw it, which I think was in my early twenties, I was absolutely blown away. Everything about it from the cast to the story line, was brilliant. Gordon Parks and everyone else involved, did an excellent job, and if I see it a hundred times, it will be as if it was released, yesterday. It's the kind of film, that you could never get enough of, and in case you don't remember, the 70s offered little, in the form of great black films, which is another reason why this, deserves to be made into a DVD. Thanks, Mr. Parks.

I reluctantly watched this movie because i was waiting for my mom to finish with the VCR. Anyway, the first time I watched "The Learning Tree", I thought that it dragged on and on. The second time I watched it, however, the story seemed very moving to me. I was really impressed with how good the story is.

This is a spectacular movie that I saw yesterday on TCM. They had an all day tribute to MLK showing movies from dusk til dawn that shed light on so many race issues from decades ago that sadly still exist today. This movie was just one of the gems that I utterly enjoyed watching. So many life lessons that a young boy had to face. Wow......is all I can say.