Split cherry tree

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Movie
Original title Split cherry tree
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1982
length 25 minutes
Rod
Director Andrei Konchalovsky
script Kevin Patrick Heelan
production Jan Saunders
music Geoff Muldaur
camera Edward Lachman
cut Michael R. Miller
occupation

Split Cherry Tree is an American short film directed by Andrei Konchalowski from 1982.

action

March 13, 1940: David Sexton and his classmates Fred and Glenn move away from the group on an excursion. On a young cherry tree they discover a lizard that they want to catch. The tree does not carry the young and a large branch breaks off. The tree owner reacts angrily. In the afternoon, the class teacher, Professor Herbert, set the penalty for all three boys: They should pay one dollar in compensation. While Fred and Glenn are allowed to surrender the dollar and leave, David, who comes from a simple farming family, is unable to raise the sum. Herbert lets him pay off the sum. He is supposed to mop the school floor for two hours for two days and earn 25 cents an hour.

When David comes back to the farm two hours late that evening, his father confronts him. He reacts angrily that David was kept longer at school only because of his poverty and announces that he will confront Herbert the next morning. In his anger, he takes a revolver to school and threatens Herbert by killing a bullet regardless of the social origin of the person. Herbert makes it clear to Mr. Sexton that the boys' actions had to have a consequence. So that the father can see how the boy is studying, Mr. Sexton is allowed to attend the class as a spectator. David's classmates secretly laugh at him; Fred and Glenn later lie in wait for David in the toilet and tear up his lecture on the frog that has been prepared for the lesson. During the lesson, however, Mr. Sexton prevents a snake from being dissected, since he has nothing against snakes, since they are good mouse-catchers, and also does not tolerate the killing of a snake in his presence. Herbert therefore turns to the oral lectures and calls up David first. He appears without records and amazes his classmates because he can recite the lecture by heart instead.

After the lesson, Herbert and Mr. Sexton are left alone in the classroom. Mr. Sexton is impressed with his son's knowledge, but doesn't understand what all of this really has to do with education. Herbert explains it to him using bacteria that Mr. Sexton says he neither has nor has ever seen. Mr. Sexton scrapes a sample from his teeth and Herbert puts it under the microscope, where Mr. Sexton sees bacteria for the first time and is enthusiastic. Outside the classroom, Fred and Glenn mock David's father for being stupid. David defends his father and even when he is brutally pushed down the stairs, he still faces the boys with pride. The boys leave and David begins mopping the floor for his last two hours. Herbert wants to postpone this task to another day, but Mr. Sexton has a second mop brought over to do the job with his son. Later father and son go home. The father no longer has any reservations about his son's schooling and has recognized that he is already smarter than him. Nevertheless, he gives him some wisdom on the way: Always pay back debts, be honest, treat animals kindly and do not annoy snakes.

production

Split Cherry Tree is based on the short story of the same name by Jesse Stuart . The film was produced by the Learning Corporation of America. It was Konchalovsky's first English-language film. The costumes were created by Dianne Finn Chapman , with Jane Musky as artistic director . The film was released in 1982.

Awards

Split Cherry Tree was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Short Film in 1983 .

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