Sugar Cane Alley (1983)
"Rue cases nègres" (original title)

Martinique, in the early 1930s. Young José and his grandmother live in a small village. Nearly everyone works cutting cane and barely earning a living. The overseer can fine a worker for ... See full summary »

Director:

Euzhan Palcy

Writers:

Euzhan Palcy, Joseph Zobel (novel)

Stars:

Garry Cadenat, Darling Légitimus, Douta Seck

3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Garry Cadenat	...	Jose
Darling Légitimus	...	M'Man Tine
Douta Seck	...	Medouze
Joby Bernabé	...	Monsieur Saint-Louis
Francisco Charles	...	Le Gereur
Marie-Jo Descas	...	La Mere de Leopold
Marie-Ange Farot	...	Madame Saint Louis
Henri Melon	...	L'instituteur - M. Roc
Eugène Mona	...	Douze Orteils
Joël Palcy	...	Carmen
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Serge Abattucci
Samuel Abraham	...	Un enfant
Albert Adea
Jose Aloha
Dominique Arfi

Storyline

Martinique, in the early 1930s. Young José and his grandmother live in a small village. Nearly everyone works cutting cane and barely earning a living. The overseer can fine a worker for the smallest infraction. The way to advance is to do well in school. José studies hard and succeeds in an exam allowing him to attend school in the capital. With only a partial scholarship, the tuition is very costly. José and his grandmother move to Fort-de-France to make José's studies easier...

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Plot Keywords:

school | martinique | 1930s | village | education | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Carlotta Films [fr]

Country:

France Martinique

Language:

French

Release Date:

21 September 1983 (France)

Also Known As:

Street of the Black Shacks

Filming Locations:

Fort de France, Martinique, Départements d'Outre-Mer, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

NEF Diffusion, Orca Productions, SU.MA.FA.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

User Reviews

An affirmation

A bright youth, living in grinding poverty in a shanty town among the cane fields of Martinique, has the chance to escape, thanks to a heroic grandmother and teachers who admire and foster his potential. While the audience sympathises with Jose's desire to get out of Black Shack Alley, it is treated to the richness of the Alley's life, to Medouze's sonorous tales of life in Afrique, to the antics of the village children, and to the kindness of its adults. It adds up to an affirmation of life that makes this an enjoyable film. If I have reservations, they are that every issue is dragged in for an airing, however brief and undeveloped (bright girl having to leave school; 'Mulatto' son of French planter unacknowledged; exploitation of workers), and that big events, e.g., deaths, are contrived to occur predictably, and at the 'right' time. Some of the direction, e.g., of the children's scenes, is a bit clunky. These things having been said, this film is a pleasant experience, and one that I recommend.