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56 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :- Bleak, tear-stained turn-of-the-century drama focusing on the hard knocks of tenement living offset by brilliant direction and radiant performances; an absolute must., 10 November 2001 Author: gary brumburgh (gbrumburgh@pacbell.net) from Los Angeles, California
All one needs to view this 1945 near-masterpiece is an appreciation for brilliant film-making. I assure you, you will lose yourself completely in the story of the Nolan family, a humble, impoverished Irish-American family holding on by mere threads in 1900 New York. Director Elia Kazan's first film experience is often overlooked by his magnificent cinematic efforts in years to come (`A Streetcar Named Desire' and `East of Eden'), which is hardly fair. So much heart has gone into this emotional piece of Americana –- notably its flawless attention to detail and its ultra-sensitive, Oscar-nominated screenplay -- that it deserves equal attention. Superb in every aspect.`A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,' from Betty Smith's poignant novel, is able to capture the essence of the author's words not only because of its trenchantwriting, but because of three remarkable, beautifully-realized performances. Peggy Ann Garner offers one of the most astonishing child performances ever, finding the very spirit of this 12-year-old child going on 21. Blessed with one of the most expressive faces witnessed on camera, her eyes are sheer poetry and alone speak volumes as Francie, a young girl devoted to her ailing, debilitating father and brutally distant from an unnurturing mother she partially blames. It is such a complete performance. Her steadfast growth in this film is beautiful to observe as she begins to spread her branches and assume her rightful place in life sooner than expected. Garner is simply unforgettable.James Dunn, as Jimmy Nolan, leaves an indelible impression as the amiably charming ne'er-do-well, a solitary dreamer who has frittered his life away, as well as his family's money. Despite the cruelties of his actions, your heart aches for this man. His touching scenes with daughter Francie reveal his innate goodness and its heart-wrenching to watch him dissolve before your very eyes. Even a treasured bond with his idolizing daughter isn't enough for him to fight hard enough to forego the liquor bottle and regain his place at the head of the table. It is an unbearably sad decline, one that haunts you long after the picture is over. Both Dunn and little Peggy Ann would never find movie roles like these again, and earned well-deserved Oscars (Peggy actually copped a 'special juvenile' award) for their work here.In an exceptionally careful and astute performance, Dorothy McGuire plays the necessary heavy here, the taciturn, seemingly cold-hearted matriarch Katie Nolan, who is also this family's hope and salvation. Unable to trust her husband or afford him the time and patience he desperately needs, she has ultimately abandoned her love for him out of necessity, what with two children and a third on the way, and no viable means to support them. Ms. McGuire, in a career best performance, serves up a somber, beautifully restrained portrait of a flawed, modest, uneducated, somewhat ignoble woman handling life the only way she knows how, and expecting little in return. McGuire, who was only 27 at the time this was filmed, easily nixes any comments that she is too young for the part by displaying a strong, careworn maturity well beyond her years.Joan Blondell, as only Joan Blondell can, puts some oomph in the drab and dreary proceedings as Katie's gregarious sister, Sissy, who juggles husbands in her ever search for the right man, and earns the scorn of the town in her reckless, law-breaking pursuit. Blondell manages to give the film a breath of fresh air everytime she appears, though her character's development is choppy in its transition. Her story, unfortunately, gets lost midway and never truly kicks back in. Little Ted Donaldson as younger brother Neeley contributes fine work also, but is another victim of the primary focus the film decides to takes -- Garner's Francie is rightfully the heart and soul of the piece and she is quite up to the task.Despite being robbed of a best picture that year (I mean, really, "Anchors Aweigh" and "Mildred Pierce" were nominated over it??) and the fact that Ms. McGuire was overlooked completely, it is slowly earning the attention it deserves. It should be in the top "20" of anybody's movie lists. For me, this movie is most effective come the yuletide season. It is that touching and meaningful.The 1974 TV-remake of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" starring Cliff Robertson and Diane Baker is a mere sapling compared to this giant oak of a film.
56 out of 62 people found the following comment useful :- Flawless human drama, 8 August 2001 Author: devin_m from South Louisiana
What a delightful combination of concepts this film is; it is one of the quintessential 1940s "good old" movies that is full of sentiment and endearment, yet it is a brilliant, thought-provoking study in the lives of a poor turn-of-the-century Brooklyn family. Peggy Ann Garner's performance is, quite simply, the finest juvenile portrayal in film history. What makes her performance so great and unique is that she NEVER comes across as line-fed or artificial (as were so many child actors of the day, when children were often told off-camera that their favorite pet died to make their crying scenes realistic). In particular, the scene where she receives her flowers and the emotional overflow that follows is touching; it hasn't aged a bit over the years. Why she didn't go on to be a huge star is quite disappointing because she had the gift.Dorothy McGuire is equally superb. Although her character is a hard, life-beaten woman, you feel a deep understanding for her and sympathize with her immensely because she is the bedrock of the family, the only one who maintains a sense of stability. She doesn't mean to be that way, but times were simply much harder then; life turned people that way.But then again, the same feelings apply to James Dunn as the drifting father. To call him a lazy drunk would be very black-and-white thinking because his character was so much more than that; yes, he couldn't hold jobs because of his drinking but above that he was a wonderful father who provided the love and sense of imagination that his daughter so desperately needed. It is very clear to see why the two of them were so close, and why the rift between the daughter and mother was inevitable.I also feel compelled to mention Joan Blondell's character; she is the perfect foil to her hard-as-nails sister. She softens up her sister just when she needs it the most, and makes her see things through more understanding eyes.Overall this movie is a MUST for any person with a brain who appreciates classic film that has aged well into our modern sensibilities. Why this movie was not nominated for Best Picture (but two VASTLY inferior pictures--Mildred Pierce and Anchors Aweigh--were) is a tragedy. Again, though it is like many other 1940s sad films, it is unique in that it is such a deep character study; there are countless underlying issues that get explored as the film progresses. A fantastic debut for Elia Kazan, and a true gem of film history.
49 out of 53 people found the following comment useful :- Growing Up in Brooklyn, 26 December 2003 Author: lugonian from Kissimmee, Florida
A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (20th Century-Fox, 1945), directed by Elia Kazan, from the book by Betty Smith, is a nostalgic look back to the days when Hollywood used to produce moving stories about a family and true to life characters and at the same time recapture the life and times of old New York, in this case, Brooklyn, as seen through the eyes of an adolescent Irish girl named Francie Nolan. While the screenplay doesn't reproduce the entire book from which it is based, it does capture the essence and mood, ranging from hardships and heartaches of a poor Brooklyn family and their struggles blending in with the good times during the early part of the Twentieth Century. Opening with an eye-view of early Brooklyn with horses pulling the food carts through cobblestone streets, trollies passing by ringing the bell, clothes hanging out to dry over the back alley of apartment buildings on the line connected from one fire escape to another, the first half hour of the story gives the viewer an insight look into the livelihood of the Nolan family: Katie Nolan (Dorothy McGuire), an embittered wife and mother who must scrub floors in order to support her family; Johnny (James Dunn), her happy-go-lucky husband who just can't seem to find time to earn a living but does take the time to cater to his children, particularly his "prima dona" adolescent daughter named Francie (Peggy Ann Garner), who finds the world a fabulous place to grow up in, and like President Abraham Lincoln, she wants to learn everything about anything there is to know by reading every book she could check out at her local library in alphabetical order, while her younger brother, Neely (Ted Donaldson), would rather enjoy himself playing in the streets with the other kids than go to school and graduate with a diploma. While Francie and Neely are total opposites, they are typical brother and sister, having their differences but show their devotion towards one another. As for their dad, Johnny, a singing waiter by profession, he is a caring soul, and like everybody else, has his weaknesses, such as drinking and gambling, but in spite of these handicaps that prevent him from keeping a steady job, it is learned later on in the story following his death that he was so well liked that his funeral consists of a crowd of people who truly cared about him, indicating that any one with as many friends as this is not really a total failure after all. And since Johnny is taken for granted by both his wife and son, it is Francie who looks up to her father as someone very special in her life. Besides her father, both Francie and Neely look forward to frequent visits from their beloved and fun loving Aunt Sissy (Joan Blondell), who's the talk of the neighborhood whenever news spreads out from the insurance bill collector, Mr. Barker (Charles Halton) that she has gotten herself another husband ("Is this one named Bill, too?" remarks Neely), and it is because of such gossip and ways of talking her way out of trouble does her kid sister, Katie, forbid her from visiting, feeling that she would be a bad influence on her kids, causing friction between her and her children, especially Francie. Further complications ensue when Katie, due to financial difficulties and a new baby on the way, to make that difficult decision in having her eldest Francie quit school, which she enjoys loves more than anything else in life, and go to work.For a movie at the length of 128 minutes, there is bound to be some dull moments, but in this case, the only slow spot happens to be the scene set during a rainy evening where Katie is in labor with her third child (months after Johnny's passing), with Francie left to care for her before the doctor arrives, but it is with this scene alone that Francie gets to really understand why her mother is the way she is, while her mother begins to truly appreciate her the way her father did, thus their bitterness towards each other reverts to love. It is also during this scene which finds Francie reading one of her school compositions about her father, how he made everyone who knew him feel good with laughter, giving Katie a whole new outlook of her husband she had never realized before. In spite of his faults and empty promises, he was truly a good and remarkable man.While Peggy Ann Garner as Francie is the sole attention to the story, she deservingly won a special Academy Award for her ever so natural performance. Having been in motion pictures at a very young age since 1938, it is with this role that she started to gain recognition and for which, even today, she is best remembered. She continued to appear in other movie roles, but major stardom for her was short-lived. James Dunn (1904-1967), a veteran actor in early Fox Films of the 1930s (best known for his three co-starring roles opposite child star Shirley Temple in 1934) whose promising career was soon reduced to "poverty row" features by the end of the 1930s through most of the 1940s, makes a temporary comeback in a major motion picture that earned him a much deserved Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor of 1945. It's a pity that his film career didn't pick up for better screen roles after this. But like Garner, Dunn was not only a natural, but born to play the part of Johnny Nolan. In fact, he is Johnny Nolan. And let's not forget Joan Blondell, another screen veteran who, like Dunn, whose peak years was the 1930s, giving one of her best performances of her career as Aunt Sissy, a performance that should have been recognized by the Academy voters in the supporting actress category. Also like Dunn, her chemistry with the children is not only natural, but highly memorable.In smaller but not entirely unimportant roles are Lloyd Nolan as Officer McShane, who would eventually become part of the lives of the Nolan family; James Gleason as Mr. McGarrity, the neighborhood barber; John Alexander as Steve Edwards, Aunt Sissy's latest husband; Ruth Nelson as Mrs. McDonough, Francie's school teacher who inspires this well read girl to become a writer; and J. Farrell MacDonald briefly seen as Carney, the junk man. That distinctive voice of the Christmas tree vendor belongs to B.S. Pully. And who can forget boy actor Ted Donaldson's distinctive Brooklyn accent, adding the flavor to character.Memorable moments from A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN include Francie reading a book on the fire escape and observing everything going on around her; Johnny singing a traditional Irish song, "Annie Laurie"; The Nolan kids obtaining a Christmas tree from a street vendor (B.S. Pully) on Christmas Eve followed by the family togetherness on Christmas Day; Aunt Sissy taking Francie to a secluded place in the school building after the girl receives her graduation gift (flowers), arranged several months ago by her father, now deceased, so she can have herself a good cry; and Officer McShane (Lloyd Nolan) nervously proposing to Widow Katie Nolan so he can provide for her and her new born baby; as well as the closing scene on the rooftop between Francie and Neely overseeing the city of Brooklyn, thinking back with fondness to the times they had together, putting those memories behind them and, now a year older and grammar school graduates, prepare for their new outlook in life.A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN might have been filmed at the backlot of 20th Century-Fox, but it does have that Brooklyn feel to it (particularly with the organ grinding score to "Rings on Her Fingers" and other popular tunes of the day, that is underscored during the opening and closing credits), which would be most appreciative by anyone, whether they'd be native New Yorkers from Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens or Staten Island, especially when they can see themselves relating with these characters, and recalling their own experiences or thinking back to the stories told to them by their parents or grandparents of their hardships and struggles growing up in New York pinching pennies; obtaining and trading stuff from a junk dealer (in this case, Mr. Carney); visits to local meat markets and telling the butcher what "Momma said" she wants, all of which are the experiences and memories of growing up during the bygone era of old New York, as with the Francie Nolan character. Author Betty Smith recaptures everything there is to the old New York and the characters she created, while Elia Kazan, making his directorial debut, successfully brings all this and the characters to life.A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (in reference to a tree in the back lot of the apartment where resides the Nolan family being chopped down, only to get a new lease in life by growing through the cracks of the cement later on, as predicted by Johnny Nolan during one of his heart to heart talks with his daughter), was distributed on video cassette in 1991. Other than becoming a late show favorite on commercial television from the 1960s to the 1980s, especially on Christmas Eve, it has later enjoyed frequent revivals on American Movie Classics cable channel for many years. At present, it can still be seen and appreciated on the Fox Movie Channel. In spite of a 1974 television movie remake, the 1945 original remains unsurpassed, thus making this version to A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN good family entertainment. "Momma said."
40 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :- One of my personal top ten, 27 August 1999 Author: Boyo-2
If I ever go to that deserted island with a VCR and ten movies, this would be one of them. This is one of those rare cases when the movie is nearly as good as the book. Peggy Ann Garner perfectly embodies the role of Francie Nolan, and her brother Neely is around to provide the comedy, and he's very funny. Of course, McGuire, Dunn and Blondell are great, but I enjoyed the children the most. Look for a very young Ruth Nelson, who plays a sympathetic teacher of Francie - the scene between them is very memorable. Overall I can't say enough great things about this movie - it should be seen by anyone & everyone.
39 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :- Did not expect to be so moved by this movie, 13 March 2002 Author: Scarlett O from Boston, MA
I watched this movie for the first time on TNT last night and was totally blown away. Peggy Ann Garner who plays Francie is a brilliant actress...and at such an early age. I remember we had to read the book in school in the 1960's (!) but I never saw the movie until now. The characters were so convincing, I was transported to Brooklyn, circa early 1900's and never left for 2 hours and 20 minutes. I went to bed thinking about this movie and woke up this morning with it's after affect still lingering in my mind. A "must see" for everyone of all ages. This one's a gem.
35 out of 36 people found the following comment useful :- A Large Dose of Reality and Sentiment, 3 May 2005 Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
Films about the post Civil War, pre World War I years in urban America usually are nicely entertaining with a warm nostalgic glow about them, liberally sprinkled with the music of the time. One of the biggest marketeers of that kind of film was 20th Century Fox.So it's a bit of a surprise that Fox would market a film like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The nostalgia is there, but there's a large slice of reality in this film about life growing up in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn pre World War I. Maybe because a new director, named Elia Kazan who would make his mark directing dramas of social significance was in charge here.It was his feature film debut as a director, so Darryl Zanuck didn't give Kazan a name cast to work with. Some were up and coming, some were coming back, and some were fading out. Yet the mix was great, not a bad note in the cast.I also have to say that I liked Kazan's use of the hurdy-gurdy as background music. Rings on Her Fingers and Ciri-biri-bin were never played better.This was Dorothy McGuire's third feature film and the role of Katie Nolan was hardly a glamorous one. But she's perfect as the mother who keeps her family together, but loses and regains some humanity in the process. She was an underrated actress in her time, always gave great performances and was never fodder for the scandal sheets.Joan Blondell and James Dunn were respectively cast as McGuire's sister and husband. Blondell, who had sparkled in Warner Brothers musical films and films of social significance was a perfect fit for Aunt Cissy. With this role she transitioned nicely into character roles and never lacked for work.The career of James Dunn is a puzzle. He was an ex-vaudevillian of good talent who had slipped into B Films by the time A Tree Grows In Brooklyn was made. He won a richly deserved Oscar as Johnny Nolan, singing waiter and would be star. Maybe his dreams outraced his talent, but Nolan had every reason to dream. What's not remembered is that folks who would have been Dunn's contemporaries like Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante started out that way. He was a man with the talent, but you need the breaks as well. Dunn's scenes and relationship with daughter Peggy Ann Garner pivot the film. His character of Johnny Nolan is not unlike Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat if he had stayed around until his daughter was beginning adolescence. That Oscar should have revived Dunn's career, but didn't. He had very much the alcohol problem that his character in the film had. Ironically he's remembered today for supporting Shirley Temple in three of her films in the thirties than this Oscar winning, best supporting actor performance. But maybe those films were good training for this role. Neither Dunn nor Garner upstage the other.The best acted scene in the film is when McGuire goes into labor and Garner is the only one around. Back in those days before medical insurance, people had their babies at home and infants died, due to lack of good post-natal care. In fact prior to this scene, Joan Blondell cashes in an insurance policy so she can splurge on the cost of a hospital because previous infants of her's had died.Garner is a bright girl and her father encouraged her to dream big as he did. She was daddy's little girl and her relationship with mom was not all it should have been. As mom goes into labor and they wait for Blondell to arrive, they start confessing to each other. Garner realizes the sacrifices mom has made and McGuire realizes how much she's stifled her daughter's dreams. It's a wonderfully played scene and you're made of stone if it doesn't affect you.Rounding out the cast is Lloyd Nolan as the neighborhood beat cop, James Gleason as a tavern owner and Ted Donaldson as Garner's younger brother. I should also mention that Peggy Ann Garner got an honorary Oscar as most promising juvenile performer of 1945. She had a decent career, but nothing ever as good as A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
33 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :- On my personal top ten list, 15 June 2005 Author: Tom White from United States
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.
32 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :- A Charming Family Story, 27 October 2004 Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio
This charming family story has much to offer. The story has a wealth of worthwhile, thoughtful material, plus some good lighter moments, and the production is on-target, not stinting on anything but never drowning out the substance of the story. Several of the cast members give particularly good performances, and most of them are also well-matched with their roles.Much of the story centers on a couple of interesting relationships. In both cases they are well-acted, and in both cases the relationships suggest a number of themes worth thinking about. Having these two relationships so well-defined and memorably portrayed raises the movie well above the level of a mere sentimental family story.The relationship between Francie and her father probably makes the movie, and it is wonderfully acted by James Dunn as the somewhat unsteady but thoroughly endearing father, and Peggy Ann Garner (in one of the finest child performances you will see) as the loyal, intelligent daughter.Dorothy McGuire plays the important but thankless role of Katie, the stern, dour, yet sincere mother, the kind of role that few actresses can handle well. Katie's relationship with her sister (Joan Blondell) is another of the strengths of the movie. Blondell's flamboyant but sensitive portrayal of Sissy wins all the scenes that she is in, yet McGuire is also essential to making them work and to bringing out the themes implied.The adaptation to the screen is pretty well-conceived. Naturally, much of the depth is going to be lost when you distill a worthwhile novel into a two-hour movie, but the screenplay highlights some very good material, and if it encourages anyone to read the book, so much the better.
31 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :- Brooklyn -- the way it was, 3 September 2001 Author: the_old_roman from Leonia, NJ
What a magnificent motion picture! Dorothy McGuire and Peggy Ann Garner give the greatest mother-daughter performances of all time. Betty Smith's book is a classic, and this film somehow manages to do it perfect justice in the first movie ever directed by Elia Kazan. In many ways I feel privileged to be able to comment here because I may be the only "reviewer" in these pages to have been in Brooklyn very close to the time of this film (I was born in 1909). The film recaptures the feel, the mores, the neighborhood so magnificently, it is incredible. Every time I watch this movie, I feel as if I am revisiting my youth, albeit an idealized version. Everyone who watches this movie should share it with the next generation of moviegoers. It truly is timeless.
32 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :- Go Forth Into the World and Make Thy Dreams Come True., 10 July 2004 Author: tfrizzell from United States
A youngster (Peggy Ann Garner) in circa 1900 Brooklyn dreams of a suitable education and ultimately a better life. She and her young brother (Ted Donaldson) experience highs and lows as their lives are followed in a documentary-style format that creates a realistic and compassionate view. Poverty is tough in the area though as mother Dorothy McGuire (in arguably her greatest role) and father James Dunn (in one of the finest performances ever captured on film, he deservedly won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1945) have a hard time making ends meet. McGuire has a difficult time seeing the bright things in their lives, while Dunn (a hopeless alcoholic) treats everyone, including strangers on the street, with love, respect and understanding. Dunn sees greatness in Garner, even when most do not, and does his best to see that her hopes do come true. The title is symbolistic as a large tree in front of the family's low-rent apartment is about to be cut down to their dismay. It also refers to the fact that Garner is growing up and showing maturity way beyond her years; she is literally branching out and letting her leaves flourish. First-time director Elia Kazan arguably does the best work of any film-maker who had never completed a feature previously as he just lets Betty Smith's wonderful novel unfold methodically with a deliberate pace, tone and style. The screenplay yielded Oscar nominations for adapters Frank Davis and Tess Sleringer. Dunn, an actor who had a very pedestrian career, showed just how much of a hidden talent he really was. He is the straw that mixes the entire movie into an American classic. Arguably one of the top 10 films of the 1940s and one of the best features of all time. 5 stars out of 5.
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