Film Forum

U.S., 1961
Directed by Daniel Petrie
Screenplay by Lorraine Hansberry
Based on Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play of the same name
Starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands
Approx. 128 min.

A windfall gives hope to the Youngers, a Black family living on Chicago’s South Side, but conflict arises over how to spend the money. Based on Lorraine Hanberry’s landmark 1959 play, the first play by a Black woman to be performed on Broadway. Sidney Poitier leads a powerhouse ensemble cast featuring Ruby Dee, Ivan Dixon, Louis Gossett Jr., Diana Sands, and Claudia McNeil.

Presented with support from The Ada Katz Fund for Literature in Film