A Raisin in the Sun: The Unfilmed Original ScreenplayUnder the editorship of the late Robert Nemiroff, with a provocative and thoughtful introduction by preeminent African-American scholar Margaret B. Wilkerson and a commentary by Spike Lee, this completely restored screenplay is the accurate and authoritative edition of Lorraine Hansberry's script and a testament to her unparalled accomplishment as a Black artist. The 1961 film version of A Raisin in the Sun, with a screenplay by the author, Lorraine Hansberry, won an award at the Cannes Film Festival even though one-third of the actual screenplay Hansberry had written had been cut out. The film did essentially bring Hansberry's extraordinary play to the screen, but it failed to fulfill her cinematic vision. Now, with this landmark edition of Lorraine Hansberry's original script for the movie of A Raisin in the Sun that audiences never viewed, readers have at hand an epic, eloquent work capturing not only the life and dreams of a Black family, but the Chicago—and the society—that surround and shape them. Important changes in dialogue and exterior shots, a stunning shift of focus to her male protagonist, and a dramatic rewriting of the final scene show us an artist who understood and used the cinematic medium to transform a stage play into a different art form—a profound and powerful film. |
From inside the book
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Page 127
... WALTER crosses suddenly toward his bedroom ; he stops and turns abruptly to face her , pointing an accusing finger . to say you done WALTER : What you need me to right for ? You the head of this family ! You run our lives the way you ...
... WALTER crosses suddenly toward his bedroom ; he stops and turns abruptly to face her , pointing an accusing finger . to say you done WALTER : What you need me to right for ? You the head of this family ! You run our lives the way you ...
Page 138
... down from there this instant . One or two people turn to note the scene . WALTER turns his head slowly to see his mother . His face breaks into a smile of bitter amiability . WALTER : Why , hello there , Mama ! ( 138 LORRAINE HANSBERRY.
... down from there this instant . One or two people turn to note the scene . WALTER turns his head slowly to see his mother . His face breaks into a smile of bitter amiability . WALTER : Why , hello there , Mama ! ( 138 LORRAINE HANSBERRY.
Page 155
The Unfilmed Original Screenplay Lorraine Hansberry Robert Nemiroff. and his eyes narrow as he turns his head slowly ... WALTER RUTH , who is looking up at him , notices the change and looks out to see what he sees . PANNING SHOT - P.O.V ...
The Unfilmed Original Screenplay Lorraine Hansberry Robert Nemiroff. and his eyes narrow as he turns his head slowly ... WALTER RUTH , who is looking up at him , notices the change and looks out to see what he sees . PANNING SHOT - P.O.V ...
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Common terms and phrases
African American ain't never ANGLE TO INCLUDE ASAGAI baby bedroom Bob's BOBO bout brother camera Cannes Film Festival child CLOSE SHOT-BENEATHA BENEATHA CLOSE SHOT-LENA LENA CLOSE SHOT-RUTH Clybourne Park Columbia Pictures comes dance Diana Sands door drama dreams eyes face FADE OUT FADE feel film GEORGE Gifted and Black girl goes goin gonna Hansberry's head HERMAN HOLIDAY honey INCLUDE RUTH Judd Woldin kitchen laugh LENA looking LENA's LINDNER listen living Lorraine Hansberry Mama mean morning mother move Negro neighborhood offscreen Ossie Davis PANNING SHOT Pause play Raisin Robert Nemiroff Ruby Dee screenplay script SHOT WALTER smiling Spike Lee stage stands staring suddenly talk tell Thank theater things thought TRAVIS understand waiting Walter Lee watch WIDER ANGLE wife Willy Harris window woman women