Comments about Learning Tree, The:

I have been looking for this movie for 12 years. As a younger, blue-eyed, blonde, white woman in America, this movie left me with such a clearer understanding of what it was like to grow up black in America during the late 1920s and early 1930s, when racial discrimination was a social norm, and legally sanctioned in parts of the United States. The movie was simple, eye-opening, from-the heart, and hauntingly honest in its portrayal of the times. It was written and directed by Gordon Parks, based upon his 1964 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Also noteworthy historically is that this is the first Hollywood studio film to be written and directed by an African American. I can't wait to watch it again!

Comments about Learning Tree, The:

I've loved this film since I first viewed it as a child. There are a number of lessons to be learned watching this film. I've looked for it for years until I discovered WB's archive collection. I watch with my children. Highly recommended!

Comments about Learning Tree, The:

I loved watching this movie as a teenager. As I got older, I noticed it no longer came on television. I searched everywhere online for this movie, but wasn't willing to pay over a hundred dollars for a used vhs. I'm so glad that WB offered this dvd and at such a reasonable price,[...] the quality was really good. I watched with my son and it was just as I remembered it over 15 years ago. THANKS!!!!!!

Comments about Learning Tree, The:

Don't believe the above description. This is not a bucolic, inspiring coming-of-age story. It is about the worst year imaginable in the life of a 15-year old African-American boy living in Kansas in the 1920s. It presents one unpleasant sequence after another---some of which are the result of racism, and some of which are not. Because the story is supposedly based on Parks' own life, and because he became a successful writer-director-composer, I guess we're supposed to feel uplifted at the end. But for me, there was only a very bitter taste at the end.

There are other problems with the film, the worst of which is Parks' decision to use non-professional actors in key roles. This tends to lessen the emotional impact. Also, the film includes one of the worst of the racist chiches---the fat, sweaty redneck sheriff who loves to shoot negroes (although he doesn't use that exact word).

On the positive side, the cinematography and the production design are excellent, and the video image is free of any damage (though it is a bit soft). The audio is fine.

I know this film has been highly praised by many critics, but for me, it fails on almost every level.