A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

"Each heart-warming character comes alive on the screen!"

1945 2h 8m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 111

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Brooklyn circa 1900, the Nolans manage to enjoy life on pennies despite great poverty and Papa's alcoholism. We come to know these people well through big and little troubles: Aunt Sissy's scandalous succession of "husbands"; the removal of the one tree visible from their tenement; and young Francie's desire to transfer to a better school...if irresponsible Papa can get his act together.

“Each heart-warming character comes alive on the screen!”

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Cast

Dorothy McGuire
Katie Nolan
Joan Blondell
Aunt Sissy
James Dunn
Johnny Nolan
Lloyd Nolan
Officer McShane
James Gleason
McGarrity
Ted Donaldson
Neeley Nolan
Peggy Ann Garner
Francie Nolan
Ruth Nelson
Miss McDonough

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Elia Kazan
Writers: Tess Slesinger, Frank Davis
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

81 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Elia Kazan, shot by Leon Shamroy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Dorothy Spencer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Dorothy McGuire and Joan Blondell and James Dunn carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Each heart-warming character comes alive on the screen!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0038190 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Elia Kazan directs. Leon Shamroy behind the camera. Alfred Newman scores. Dorothy Spencer cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

181 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Elia Kazan, shot by Leon Shamroy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Dorothy Spencer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Dorothy McGuire and Joan Blondell and James Dunn carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Each heart-warming character comes alive on the screen!".
7IMDB entry: tt0038190 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 14 themes, including "new york city", "based on novel or book", "tree", "irish-american".

The technical file

Cinematography: Leon Shamroy
Original score: Alfred Newman
Editing: Dorothy Spencer
Makeup / hair: Guy Pearce
Runtime: 128 min · 2h 8m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Elia Kazan

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

barrymost2019-09-04
★ 10/10
This is the charming adaption of Betty Smith's acclaimed novel. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The acting is riveting all the way around, and this is one of those rare times when everyone is perfectly cast. But particularly Peggy Ann Garner and James Dunn, both of whose careers, interestingly and unfortunately enough, were failing within the next decade. They act marvelously well together, as the bright young daughter and her kindly, imaginative, but tragically alcoholic father. I nearly cried a few different times during this movie, and if you have a heart, you'll probably get pretty close to tears as well.
CinemaSerf2025-03-02
★ 7/10
At the turn of the 20th century, the Nolan family eek out a living in New York. Mum “Katie” (Dorothy Maguire) is trying to raise impressionable daughter “Francie” (Peggy Ann Garner) and son “Neeley” (Ted Donaldson) whilst their well meaning but dipso entertainer of a father (James Dunn) struggles to make a living then hits the bottle when he does or doesn’t find work. The there’s the lively aunt “Sissy” (Joan Blondell) who seems prone to marry men called “Bill” - even if that isn’t actually his name at all, and whom “Katie” thinks is too much of a free-thinking abad influence on her children. When a third baby looms large, the pressure starts to increase on not just the couple but on their children who are already pretty adept at finding ways to raise the odd cent or two - and the bright and curious young girl’s schooling might also have to come to an abrupt and premature conclusion. When a tragedy hits the family hard, loyalties become strained and reality starts to test even the strongest bond whilst putting other things into a clearer perspective. At times this is really quite a funny drama, building on some solid Irish working class attitudes as it emphasises the values of family and of making sure those you love actually know it! It does pitch the sometimes conflicting characteristics of mother and daughter quite entertainingly and poignantly too and a strong effort from the young Garner and a sparingly engaging one from Donaldson as her cheeky sibling deliver strongly here helping to keep the film from drifting into melodrama or sentimentality.