Friday, April 1, 2011

BOOK VS MOVIE: A Raisin in the Sun

I've read a number of plays in recent years, but I realized that there aren't many female playwrights. One I've come across is Lorraine Hansberry.

She is the author of A Raisin in the Sun, a play I call a favorite. It chronicles the life of the poverty-stricken Younger family. Each family member had dreams, but they require money. An insurance check comes in the mail. Will their dreams come true?

I admire A Raisin in the Sun for its dialogue. It's honest and believable, as though snatches of it were taken from Hansberry's own life.

The movie remains true to the original play, apart from a few minimal changes here and there. The two performances that stood out the most for me were from Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee, basically because they were the most down to earth.

All in all, I really liked both versions of A Raisin in the Sun. It's hard for me to choose which one I like best.

What's worth checking out?: I'd go with both.

2 comments:

  1. stellar play and movie. poitier and dee's performances--and really those of the entire cast--is great. This play was also the first written by an African-American to be produced for Broadway. It dissected the root of one family's drama simply yet poignantly at the same time. Definitely a classic.

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