A Raisin in the Sun, an award winning film based on a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, is considered to be one of the greatest American films ever made. A film about the Younger family and their struggle within Chicago’s South Side society. Their mother had recently died leaving them with $10,000 life insurance(which they cannot touch for three years after the passing of their mother) A Raisin in the Sun follows Walter Lee Younger who is an ambitious black man with dreams of becoming a successful business owner.
A Raisin in the Sun takes place during the 1950’s shortly after America had changed its laws to make segregation illegal. A Raisin in the Sun uses this new legislation to deal with many themes such as stereotypes, racism and poverty. A Raisin in the Sun is a great example of what was happening during the civil rights movement and how people fought for change. A raisin in the sun follows Ruth Younger who is married to an abusive man named “Walter”.
Younger’s son Walter Lee shows interest in his family’s last $10,000 that he believes they should use it to buy a liquor store rather than invest into an apartment building which would require more work and time. A fight breaks out between Walter and his mother-in-law(Mama) over whether or not Walter should be able to spend the money on himself when his wife wants to purchase their own home with it. A fight between all of the family members breaks out as everyone wants to decide what they should do with the money.
A Raisin in the Sun is a symbol of life during this time period and choices that people made during it. A raisin in the sun shows stereotypes such as those portrayed by Walter’s Aunt and his wife Ruth, who both only care about stereotypical images and appearance. A Raisin in the Sun also shows violence between Walter and his wife Ruth, to show violence within Black couples during this time. A Raisin in the Sun is a well written film that uses art as an element of change for society.
A Raisin in the Sun, a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, was made into a movie in 1961. The movie is an adaptation of the Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun which debuted on March 11 1957. This story revolves around Walter Lee Younger who dreams to have his own business while he argues with his loving wife Ruth about their move to Clybourne Park. This film has many lessons that can still be applied today despite being made several decades ago. A Raisin In The Sun was filmed based on the play by Lorraine Hansberry, it was released in theaters across America on October 13, 1961, by Columbia Pictures.
A movie version also aired at around this time as part of ABC’s Climax! series. A Raisin in the Sun has actors such as Ruby Dee, Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil. A Raisin in the Sun was also Ruby Dee’s Broadway debut. A Raisin In The Sun shows African Americans had more to worry about than just what color of skin they were; racism was not the only problem they had to deal with. A Raisin in the Sun had many themes that showed how difficult it was for African American families during the 1950s like trying to get ahead, struggling with money and keeping up family ties despite moving out of an all-black neighborhood into a white neighborhood.
A Raisin in the Sun is about Walter Lee Younger (Sidney Poitier) who wants his family to move to the suburbs. A Raisin in the Sun shows how Walter Lee Younger’s father (played by Louis Gossett Jr. ) provides for his family of nine by working at a liquor store called “Raisin in the Sun” or as everyone calls it, A Raisin In The Sun. A Raisin in the Sun also goes on to show how Ruth Younger (Claudia McNeil), Walter’s wife, is deeply affected by her sister-in-law Beneatha Younger (Diana Sands). A Raisin In The Sun shows how important religion was to African Americans during that time period and how it helped them get through hard times.
A Raisin In The Sun does not only talk about struggles with finances but also focuses on the family and how A Raisin In The Sun gave them the strength to make it through. A Raisin In The Sun shows how Walter struggles with his father’s expectations of him and the reality of what he thought he could accomplish. A Raisin In The Sun also focuses on Ruth who decides she wants to be a nurse but faces obstacles such as not having enough money for college then changes her mind about being a nurse because it is too hard.
A Raisin in the Sun has themes that can still be applied today, racism being one of these main themes that are still going strong even now, characters wanting to better themselves despite circumstances, working together as a family even when there are problems within the family, standing up for yourself despite other people’s opinions of you, A Raisin In The Sun showed how these problems were faced by the Younger family during the 1950s and still are being faced today. A Raisin in the Sun can be applied to many different aspects of our lives even though it was made several decades ago because A Raisin In The Sun is so relatable.
A Raisin In The Sun was released to critical acclaim; it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. It was adapted as a feature film also starring Sidney Poitier and produced/directed by Dore Schary, who had previously produced Hansberry’s successful Broadway debut.[6]
A Raisin in the Sun premiered on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959. Directed by Lloyd Richards and produced by Robert Nemiroff, A Raisin in the Sun featured an African American cast consisting of Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee, Sidney Poitier, Louis Gossett Jr., John Fiedler and Diana Sands. The play was nominated for several Tony awards including best play and best actor (Sidney Poitier), and won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award.[7]
A Raisin in the Sun was also acclaimed for its portrayal of African-American family life. A Raisin in the Sun’s success not only on Broadway but also in film adaptation further hinted at a shift in American society towards acceptance and appreciation of African-American culture and an embrace of race relations.
