Thoughts : The Learning Tree (1969)
I first learned about Gordon Parks the same way that many people did : through his powerful photography. It wasn’t until my teens (and my introduction to the Blaxploitation genre) that I discovered Shaft, and I was surprised to find that Parks directed the film. It definitely makes sense that a renowned photographer could transition into the world of film, something that Stanley Kubrick proved with his iconic film catalog. I’d been putting off digging deeper into the Gordon Parks filmography for a while, but with Black History Month upon us, it felt like the perfect time to check out the motion picture considered to be the first one directed by a Black director for a major motion picture studio : The Learning Tree.
Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson), Marcus Savage (Alex Clarke) and their friends spend most of their days getting into mischief and adventures. One day the group decides to steal apples from the orchard of Jake Kiner (George Mitchell), who catches the group in the act, but when Jake gives chase, he finds himself on the receiving end of a beatdown from Marcus, which lands Jake in the hospital and Marcus in jail. While Marcus festers in jail, Newt does his best to thrive in the real world, including a burgeoning relationship with Arcella Johnson (Mira Waters) and aspirations of higher education, but he quickly learns that life as a Black man with visions of success goes against the intended status quo.
It is interesting that a film about coming of age and maturity would focus on a protagonist that seems much more developed than his peers. It is this very development and awareness, however, that seemingly makes it so hard for Newt to accept the flow of life despite his outwardly positive disposition. While Newt’s journey and the journey of Marcus are polar opposites when held in comparison, a slightly deeper examination reveals that both children face equal systematic racism, prejudice and bigotry despite their clearly different trajectories. The unflinching portrayal of young love and fractured dedication that often comes with being young is the fuel that drives the film forward as it threatens to break Newt’s spirit.
Gordon Parks has an very interesting way of mixing an older, pre-Depression era time setting with the cultural and social sensibilities of the late 1960s, drawing a line between the two time periods that directly connects the long history of racial strife and prejudice. The citizens live in a very rural setting where overalls are prevalent, shirts are scarce and picking apples from an orchard is an option, but the harsh realities of police brutality, extreme poverty and machismo posturing between the youth stands out and leaves a lasting impression. The concept of generation trauma is also shown in terms of how the character of Marcus Savage is shown and spoken of... he is considered a delinquent by the majority of the community, but Newt and Sarah WInger both understand how poverty and the absence of a father figure have caused a negative effect on his life due to the troubles he inherited. Watching his spirit break due to his incarceration is incredibly heartbreaking as well, and a harbinger of the countless lives that would be broken by the very real Prison Industrial Complex.
I cannot recall a film that oscillates so effortlessly between realistic and dreamlike depictions of events... when soft focus is interjected it is immediately understandable and impactful, and some of the shot compositions are as artistic as paintings. A director with less artistic sensibility probably would have scored the film with music befitting of the era and location in which the story takes place, but the use of classical scoring raises the level of gravitas that the film carries, making it highly cinematic by matching the quality of the visuals. The pacing of the film is wonderfully deceptive... it seems methodical at first, but with each occurrence of racial injustice, the realization that we are headed towards a blow-up of some sort gets clearer and clearer.
Kyle Johnson exudes a deep sense of humanity and sensitivity for his fellow man, but not at the expense of a juvenile sense of pride... he also plays his adolescence perfectly through his curious nature and willingness to get into mischief due to peer pressure, despite showing he has the sense to know better. Alex Clarke uses his performance to show how a young person forced to shoulder a burden beyond the years of their experience can turn into a troubled, aggressive “problem child” who finds themselves lost without proper guidance. Dana Elcar exudes all of the worst qualities of a much darker time, covering the entire gamut from causal racism to direct and targeted violence. Estelle Evans brings wisdom and unconditional love to the table in an effort to soften the edge that such a tough life creates. Mira Waters helps personify the hope and heartbreak that comes with young love. Supporting appearances by Russell Thorson, Zooey Hall, Richard Ward, Felix Nelson, Joel Fluellen and many more round out the world of the film.
I am sure I am leaving a lot on the table in terms of talking about this film, but beautiful and moving pictures like this one are better served as viewing material than a discussion topic. If you’ve got Criterion Collection access, check this one out asap, and if you don’t, give it a watch on YouTube before it gets removed.
