A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Yes, this movie is over-sentimental and wears all its earnestness plainly on its sleeve. But I'm such an ol' softie that it got right to me. I loved watching this family of flawed characters, with a richness and complexity that was just beginning to take shape in Hollywood. The story sometimes gets to the brink of romanticizing poverty, and each time undercuts it with harsh reality or bitterness. The cast is wonderful, endearing even in their darkest moments. A lovely and heartbreaking film.

Family drama that has me more interested in the book which covers a broader time period. It took me awhile to understand Garner was the lead character and not the dad. Joan Blondell plays a good Aunt Sissy. Fav scene: I'll have to rewatch.

not nearly as good as people say, but if i were kazan, i'd be proud that my name was on it. it's hard for me to say this, but i didn't hate garner, and it's practically a miracle for me to watch a kid actor without cringing.

Starts out as a good adaptation but rips out far too much of Francie's development in the later parts of the film.

The treacly opening and ending undermine what is otherwise a pretty strong drama about poverty, full of little scenes pointing the problems with the idealization of "the simple life."

How am I just seeing this classic?? Beautiful and well-made family drama with a perfect ensemble cast. Especially, child actress Peggy Garner, who carries the movie.

As a fan of the book, I found this film disappointing. The script is a pretty unfaithful adaptation and it simply lacks the heart of the novel. As a fan of director Elia Kazan, I was also disappointed. The direction and performances were fine, but they mostly lacked the greatness I would expected from those involved. A rather forgettable effort and one of the few films that I'd actually like to see remade today.

90.50

89.500

A sentimental but quite affecting portrait of poverty and family from first-time director Elia Kazan, already proficient at showing audiences the struggles of unglamorous but extremely well-realized characters and getting powerful performances out of his actors.

Powerful

Peggy Ann Garner's performance in this film is one of the best I've seen from any child actor, and it carries a film that's main message about poverty seems unfaithfully portrayed for the period in which it takes place. Regardless, the sentimental moments are powerful and the gender issues seem beyond their time.

There are some grabbing scenes in this film, due in no small part to the incredible work of child actress Peggy Ann Garner. However, the film is alternately didactic and nakedly sentimental. It's a level of bourgeois primness that kind of helps you see how Kazan ended up a McCarthyist rat some years later.

Interesting to see how much Hollywood had matured. Enter Elia Kazan, getting a Academy performance out of what was considered almost a washed-up B-movie mainstay James Dunn! And it wasn't just Dunn who stood out because of his acting. Everybody did! One can say the 1930s style was more about flow and snappy dialogue and not so much focus on the character, because the actors where the characters, type-cast for the part. Here Kazan gets something different and deeper out of all involved.

A corny movie with some terrible performances.