A Raisin in the Sun (2008 film)
| A Raisin in the Sun | |
|---|---|
Poster
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| Based on |
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry |
| Screenplay by | Paris Qualles |
| Directed by | Kenny Leon |
| Starring |
Sean Combs Phylicia Rashad Audra McDonald Sanaa Lathan and John Stamos |
| Composer(s) | Mervyn Warren |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Sean Combs Craig Zadan Neil Meron |
| Running time | 131 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release |
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| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | A Raisin in the Sun |
A Raisin in the Sun is a 2008 television film directed by Kenny Leon. The teleplay by Paris Qualles is based on the award-winning 1959 play of the same name by Lorraine Hansberry. The film debuted at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was broadcast by ABC on February 25, 2008. According to Nielsen Media Research, the program was watched by 12.7 million viewers and ranked #9 in the ratings for the week ending March 2, 2008.
Set in 1959, the story focuses on the Youngers, an African American family living on Chicago's South Side. They're anticipating a life insurance check for Lena's husband's death in the amount of $10,000, and each of them has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. Matriarch Lena wants to buy a house to fulfill the dream she shared with her deceased husband. Walter Lee would rather use the money to invest in a liquor store, believing the income would put an end to the family’s financial woes. His wife Ruth, wanting to provide more space and better opportunities for their son Travis, agrees with Lena. Beneatha would like to use the money to pay her medical school tuition.
Lena spends $3,500 for down payment on a house in Clybourne Park, and after being agitated many times by Walter, gives him the remaining $6,500 and tells him to save $3,000 of it for Beneatha's medical school and take the remaining $3,500 for his own investments.
Ruth discovers she is pregnant and, fearing another child will add to the financial pressures, considers having an abortion, a suggestion to which Walter voices no objection, but Lena is strongly against, saying "I thought we gave children life, not take it away from them". Lena puts a down payment on a house in Clybourne Park, an entirely white section of the city. When their future neighbors find out the Youngers are moving in, they send Karl Lindner from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association to offer the Youngers money in return for staying away, but they refuse the deal. Meanwhile, Walter has lost the balance of the insurance payment to his friend Willy Harris, who "took the cash to invest in the liquor store" but in reality made off with the money. It turns out that Walter did not even put the $3,000 for Beneatha's schooling in the bank.
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