A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writers:

Frank Davis (writer)
Tess Slesinger (writer)

Release Date:

28 February 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Encouraged by her idealistic if luckless father, a bright and imaginative young woman comes of age in a Brooklyn tenement during the early 1900s.

Plot Keywords:

Poverty | Tenement | Tree | Struggle | Alcoholism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Dorothy McGuire	...	Katie Nolan
Joan Blondell	...	Sissy Edwards
James Dunn	...	Johnny Nolan aka The Brooklyn Thrush
Lloyd Nolan	...	Officer McShane
James Gleason	...	McGarrity
Ted Donaldson	...	Neeley Nolan
Peggy Ann Garner	...	Francie Nolan
Ruth Nelson	...	Miss McDonough
John Alexander	...	Steve Edwards
B.S. Pully	...	Christmas Tree Vendor

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Gene Tierney was originally cast as Katie Nolan. When Tierney became pregnant, Dorothy McGuire was given the role.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Katie Nolan: This'll be the last of them now, Francie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spin City: A Tree Falls in Manhattan (#6.2)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Minuet in G

On my personal top ten list

A long time ago when I was still working in an automotive shop I taped this movie from KTTV at about three o'clock in the morning, bad reception and commercials and all. The whole thing was a revelation to me. Why, in my years of enjoying all sorts of classic movies at revival houses both in New York and here in Southern California, had I never heard of this movie? For the next three weeks I believe I would come home and watch it almost every day. As an adult child of an alcoholic father, this film moved me in a personal way that I don't think I can even fully investigate, it's just too basic for words. But in terms of cinematic quality alone, this film is a masterpiece. No matter what Elia Kazan did since, we have him to thank for this movie. There is not one false note in the whole of this movie; every actor IS the character they play, most especially Francie Nolan, played to absolute perfection by Peggy Ann Garner. The black and white cinematography is used to its best advantage, the sets are perfect, the music -- contemporary tunes playing along in the background by a rickety-sounding little orchestra -- just "there" enough to provide the auditory backdrop that is the soundtrack of the times, and the emotional intensity and pacing is even, never heavy-handed, and consistent from beginning to end. This is probably the most perfect and authentic film of the black and white era. Hopefully the reason 20th Century Fox has delayed the DVD release is that they're enhancing the package with some special features that devotees of this movie like myself will really enjoy. When the movie came out on VHS I ran to buy it. It will be the same with the DVD.