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The Learning Tree
(1969)
Director: Gordon Parks
Key Cast: Kyle Johnson, Alex Clarke, Estelle Evans, Dana Elcar, Mira Waters, Joel Fluellen, Malcolm Atterbury, Richard Ward
Rating: PG
Genre(s): Drama |
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| Description |
"The Learning Tree" was directed by Gordon Parks and is based on his semi-autobiographical novel
about growing up in a small, segregated town during the late 1920s.
It's not often that a director gets to make a movie that is based on a book that he wrote. Thus, "The Learning
Tree" movie is even more special because it was written and directed by Gordon Parks - one of the most
gifted and multi-talented African-American directors ever.
The story is about the life of a young teenager named Newt, who is coming of age in a small town in Kansas
during the late 1920s and early 1930s.. It offers an interesting perspective of this time showing both the warm
bonds Newt has with his family and the difficult experiences he encounters because of his race.
Sentimental in feel, "The Learning Tree" provides an insightful perspective on life for a 15 yr. old Black teen
during a time long before the Civil Rights Movement. |
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| Trivia |
• "The Learning Tree" is the first Hollywood studio film to be directed by an African-American director. Prior to starting his directing career, Gordon Parks was a successful photographer and journalist for Life magazine. He worked for Life magazine for twenty years from 1948-1968.
• Gordon Parks also directed Shaft, another Top 100 Black Classic Movie. Shaft and Sweet Sweetback's Baadaasss Song (directed by Melvin Van Peebles) are credited with igniting the Blaxploitation film explosion that led to the making of many Black movies in the 1970s.
• "The Learning Tree" was filmed in Fort Scott, Kansas which is where Gordon Parks was born and where the book "The Learning Tree" is written about.
• Gordon Parks not only directed "The Learning Tree" but also he wrote the screenplay for the film. The screenplay and movie is based on Gordon Parks' semi-autobiographical book about growing up as a boy in Fort Scott, Kansas. |
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| Awards |
• Selected in 1989 to the U.S. Library of Congress, National Film Registry. "The Learning Tree" was one of the first films to be given this distinction after the registry was established. Only twenty-five films are selected each year.
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"The Learning Tree" Movie |
"The Learning Tree" is not available on DVD, but you can buy used copies of this film on VHS.
Click the links below to go directly to find copies of it. |
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"The Learning Tree" (Book) by Gordon Parks |
Buy "The Learning Tree" book by Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks' first novel was "The Learning Tree"
which was first released in 1963.
This book is a semi-autobiographical account of his
life as a young boy growing up in the rural
Kansas community of
Fort Scott, Kansas.
Click the above button
for purchase details.
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The Learning Tree Movie Poster |
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The Learning Tree Movie Poster
Size: 11" x 17"
Price: Only $19.99
Framing is also available at a reasonable price.
Find a nice selection of movie posters at
reasonable prices from our partner
Moviegoods.com.
Click here to start shopping.
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"The Learning Tree"
DVD
"The Learning Tree" is a very hard film to find. It has never been released on DVD.
However, you can occasionally find VHS video copies of it.
Click the links below to see sellers.
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Click the above button
to see ebay sellers.
|
Click the above button
to see Amazon sellers. |
"The Learning Tree'
Book
by Gordon Parks
"The Learning Tree" book was written by Gordon Parks and is based on his life growing up in Fort Scott, Kansas.
Click the above button
for purchase info.
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