A Raisin In The Sun (Wide Screen) > Reviews > Have you ever had your dream shattered???

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Standard
Soundtrack	Good

Advantages:	Teaches alot about black culture in the 50s
Disadvantages:	Its in black and white

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

A RAISIN IN THE SUN

I first came across the title "A raisin in the sun" back when I was in High School in 1997; this was one of my Literature books. I later discovered that there was a film but I didn't get the chance to see it until in 2007 I came across the DVD on the internet. This story is a very cultural and historical movie. There is not much difference between the movie and the book as for as i could tell.

THE OVERVIEW

Originally this was a Broadway play written by Lorraine Hansberry's; it was the first African American play to be produce by Broadway. A Raisin in the Sun is about a black family living and struggling in a poor area in Chicago in the 1950s. The movie is based on a lot of themes such as abortion, trust, family values, greed, and even atheism but most of all racial prejudice. The film revolves around a $10,000 insurance check made out to Lena Younger due to the death of her late husband. Every one has their own idea of how they are going to spend their new wealth. But Lena as I would call her the back bone of the family only plan is to retire from her domestic job for a white family buy a house and escape the claustrophobic one room apartment. On the other hand Walter Lee her son who works as a chauffeur is longing to fulfil is dream by owning his own business; he feels he can solve the family problems by doing so. Ruth his wife and Travis his son, I would say both share the same dream as Lena which is moving in a new home. Beneatha his sister dream is to go to medical school but at the same time she is pursued by two men and one of them who is from Africa encourages her to know her roots in Africa which she found very interesting.

Lena did secretly buy her new home in an all white neighbourhood. The neighbours weren't very welcoming in fact they tried to buy her out of the property. She gave the remaining balance of the money to Walter lee to take care of it for her by banking it because within that balance was Benetha's medical tuition fee. She thought she could trust her son but in fact Walter Lee went behind her back and invest the remaining money in a liquor store with his friend. The investment was a scam and so he lost all the money. Every ones dreams went down hill especially Benetha's.

QUOTES

These are just a few of my favourite quotes from the movie:

1."Big Walter used to say, he'd get right wet in the eyes sometimes, lean his head back with the water standing in his eyes and say, 'Seem like God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams - but He did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while.'"

2."Girl, I do believe you are the first person in the history of the entire human race to successfully brainwash yourself."

3. "Sometimes you just got to know when to give up some things...and hold on to what you got."

4. "There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing."

THE ACTING

I think the acting is brilliant from Sidney Poitier who plays Walter lee the chauffeur and "the wanna be" business man, Claudia McNeil who plays Lena younger the back bone of the family, Diana Sands who plays Beneatha the sister who wants to explore the world and find her true identity plus Stephen Perry the son and Ruby Dee the wife of Walter Lee younger all done a tremendous peace of work. Also the remaining cast all done brilliantly well.

THE CAST

Sidney Poitier - Walter Lee Younger
Ruby Dee - Ruth Younger
Claudia McNeil - Lena Younger
Diana Sands - Beneatha Younger
Stephen Perry - Travis Younger
John Fiedler - Mark Lindner
Ivan Dixon - Joseph Asagai
Louis Gossett - as George Murchison
Roy Glenn - Willie Harris

THE DVD

Writers: Lorraine Hansberry
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Runtime: 128 min

They are not very much extras on this DVD other than surround sound, and I believe it is in more than one language but I have never tried it. As I mentioned above this review is based on the original in black and white version of this story which was release in 1961; and that does put off a lot a people. In 2005 another version was released in colour, which is just as good but not with the same actors and actresses. You can find both versions on Amazon.co.uk

Cost £4.97

MY OPINION

This film have thought me a lot, it teaches that no matter how the struggle get "ruff and tuff" never sell out your family or give up on dreams, your family are the one's who are going to stand by you through the thick and thin times. It is, from my perspective that A Raisin in the Sun is a marvellous film and brilliantly acted. If you have aim for a goal and failed next time just aim a little bit higher, and never give up.

Thanks for the reading and rating.