Summaries

Based on the story, See How They Run (The Ladies' Home Journal June 51), and subsequently won that year's Christopher award. The story was written by Mary Elizabeth Vroman, a 4th generation schoolteacher from the British West Indies. Jane Richards, a young 4th grade teacher in the South, faces a challenge in the form of 11 year-old C.T. Young, a backward boy, whose pride has made him a stubborn rebel and liar. Jane believes in him, then discovers his interest in nature when he spends his time watching a caterpillar in a tree trunk as it develops a cocoon. C. T.'s devoted to his family and especially to Tanya, who adores him. When Tanya dies, despite Dr. Mitchell's efforts to save her, the embittered C.T. stays away from school; when he returns, he gets into a fight and gets sent to Coventry. But when a swarm of bees invades the classroom and panics the students, C.T. takes charge, captures the queen bee, and leads the swarm outside, earning the school principal's praise. But C.T. has urgent business: the cocoon's splitting and a butterfly's ready to emerge. He had meant it for Tanya, but he now presents it to Jane, who calls the other children to watch the unfolding miracle of nature.—Les Adams <[email protected]>

Details

Keywords
  • scene during opening credits
  • reference to franklin d. roosevelt
  • school days
  • begins with an introduction
  • dandridge and belafonte
Genres
  • Drama
  • Music
Release date Apr 16, 1953
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) Approved
Countries of origin United States
Language English
Filming locations Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
Production companies Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Box office

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 8m
Color Black and White
Aspect ratio 1.37 : 1

Synopsis

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