Sugar Cane Alley (Rue Cases Negres) (1984)
90%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Sugar Cane Alley is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of time and space, transporting the viewer to a world of texture, color, and emotion. Euzhan Palcy’s direction is nothing short of brilliant, as she weaves together a tapestry of hope, despair, and the human spirit. The sepia-toned print is a work of art in itself, basking in the Martinique sun and bringing to life the backbreaking life of the native cane harvesters in the 1930s. The ensemble cast, led by Garry Cadenat and Darling Legitimus, delivers performances that are both nuanced and powerful. Palcy’s eye for detail and color is unparalleled, making Sugar Cane Alley a feast for the senses. This film is a must-see for anyone who appreciates the art of cinema and the human experience.
Sugar Cane Alley is a movie that will make you feel all the feels. From the warm and fuzzy moments to the heart-wrenching scenes, this film has it all. The sepia-toned print and vibrant colors transport you to Martinique, and the performances are top-notch. You’ll find yourself rooting for Jose and his grandmother as they navigate life in the face of oppression. And let’s not forget the unexpected sweetness of the funeral scene. Overall, Sugar Cane Alley is a must-watch for anyone who wants to feel hopeful about the world around us.
Production Company(ies)
Government of West Bengal
Distributor
Orion Pictures, New Yorker Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1984
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 45m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 1983 Original
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Sugar Cane Alley, PG, Comedy, Drama, French (Canada), directed by Euzhan Palcy, written by Euzhan Palcy and Joseph Zobel, starring Garry Cadenat, Darling Legitimus, Douta Seck, produced by Michel Loulergue, Jean-Luc Ormières, Alix Régis, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Laurie Horn, David Robinson, Derek Malcolm, Nigel Andrews, Janet Maslin, Bob Lundegaard, Philip French, Noel Taylor, Tom Long, George Williams, Bruce Bailey, PG rating, Martinique, African slaves, scholarship, high school, village elder, texture, sepia-toned print, Martinique sun, poetry, protest, warmth, funeral scene, hope, oppression, moral tale, innocence, justice, eye for detail, color, ensemble, pipe-smoking grandmother
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Darling Legitimus – M’Man Tine
Douta Seck – Medouze
Euzhan Palcy – Director, Screenwriter
Joseph Zobel – Screenwriter
Michel Loulergue – Producer
Jean-Luc Ormières – Producer
Alix Régis – Producer
Director(s)
Euzhan Palcy
Writer(s)
Euzhan Palcy, Joseph Zobel
Producer(s)
Michel Loulergue, Jean-Luc Ormières, Alix Régis
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (40)
Sometimes the best thing about a movie is its ability to create a sense of texture Sugar Cane Alley is textural in almost every aspect.
May 7, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Laurie Horn
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
It is, what is more. the most attractive and optimistic film at present on show in London. Which is not to sav that it is without ferocity.
May 7, 2021
David Robinson
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Even the superb sepia-toned print seems to be enjoying itself, basking in the Martinique sun as Palcy illustrates her theme with bold and confident brushstrokes.
May 7, 2021
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Palcy’s film is as strong on poetry as on protest.
May 7, 2021
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Euzhan Palcy brings so much warmth to her film Sugar Cane Alley that even a funeral scene midway through has an unexpected sweetness.
May 7, 2021
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Like many (perhaps most?) great works of art, it’s depressing and exalting, showing us the backbreaking life of the native cane harvesters in the 1930s and the attempt of one radiantly sunny boy named Jose to escape that life through education.
May 7, 2021
Bob Lundegaard
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
I don’t think anyone could leave this wonderful film without feeling more hopeful about the possibilities of the world around us.
May 7, 2021
Philip French
Observer (UK)
Effortlessly enchanting.
May 7, 2021
Noel Taylor
Ottawa Citizen
Sugar Cane Alley is a well-felt film that focuses on hope rather than despair in the face of oppression, a moral tale that works because of its own sense of innocence and belief in justice.
May 7, 2021
Tom Long
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Though Palcy is young and virtually untried, you never get the feeling you are in the hands of anyone but a masterful filmmaker.
May 7, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
George Williams
Sacramento Bee
An intriguing but depressing film.
May 7, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Bruce Bailey
Montreal Gazette
Palcy’s eye for detail and color make this film something quite special. She’s elicited wonderful performances from an ensemble headed by Garry Cadenat as Jose and Darling Legitimus as his indomitable, pipe-smoking grandmother.
May 7, 2021
Lou Lumenick
Bergen Record (New Jersey)…
Plot
In 1930s Martinique, a young boy named Jose, living with his grandmother in a small village, wins a scholarship to a prestigious high school in the capital, bringing with him the wisdom of his village and the stories of African slaves.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Darling Legitimus plays the role of M’Man Tine in Sugar Cane Alley.
Euzhan-Palcy.jpg
