The Last Leaf
Encyclopedia
The Last Leaf is a 24-minute film produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is based on an O. Henry
short story of the same name.
An old French man, by the name of Behrman, is an artist
(and a very bad one too) that lives nearby and is Sue's tutor
, has been claiming that he will paint a masterpiece
, even though he has never even attempted to start. Sue goes to him, and tell him that her sister is dying of pneumonia, and that Johnsy claims that when the last leaf falls off of a vine outside her window, she will die. Behrman, scoffs at the foolishness, but decides to see Johnsy and the vine.
In the night, a very bad storm comes and wind is howling and rain is splattering against the window. Sue closes the curtains and tells Johnsy to go to sleep, even though there were still 4 left on the vine. Johnsy protests but Sue insists on doing so because doesn't want Johnsy to see the last leaf fall. In the morning, Johnsy wants to see the vine, to be sure that all the leaves are gone, but to their surprise, there is still one leaf left on the vine.
While Johnsy is surprised that it is still there, she claims it will fall today. But it doesn't, nor does it fall through the night nor the next day. Johnsy believes that the leaf stayed there to show how wicked she was, and that she sinned in wanting to die. She regains her will to live, and makes a full recovery throughout the day.
In the afternoon, a doctor comes and talks to Sue. The doctor says that Mr. Behrman had died of pneumonia an hour ago, and that he was ill only 2 days. A janitor had found him helpless with pain, and his shoes and clothing were wet and icy cold. The janitor couldn't figure out where he had been on that stormy night, though she had found a lantern that was still lit, a ladder that had been moved, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it. "Look out the window Sue, do you see that last ivy leaf? Darling, that was Behrman's masterpiece - he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell."
O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
short story of the same name.
Plot
A young girl by the name of Johnsy, has fallen ill and is dying of pneumonia. She watches the leaves fall from a vine out the window of her room, and Johnsy decides that when the last leaf drops, she too will "drop", and die. While Sue tries to tell her to stop thinking like that, Johnsy is determined to die when the last leaf falls.An old French man, by the name of Behrman, is an artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
(and a very bad one too) that lives nearby and is Sue's tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
, has been claiming that he will paint a masterpiece
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, even though he has never even attempted to start. Sue goes to him, and tell him that her sister is dying of pneumonia, and that Johnsy claims that when the last leaf falls off of a vine outside her window, she will die. Behrman, scoffs at the foolishness, but decides to see Johnsy and the vine.
In the night, a very bad storm comes and wind is howling and rain is splattering against the window. Sue closes the curtains and tells Johnsy to go to sleep, even though there were still 4 left on the vine. Johnsy protests but Sue insists on doing so because doesn't want Johnsy to see the last leaf fall. In the morning, Johnsy wants to see the vine, to be sure that all the leaves are gone, but to their surprise, there is still one leaf left on the vine.
While Johnsy is surprised that it is still there, she claims it will fall today. But it doesn't, nor does it fall through the night nor the next day. Johnsy believes that the leaf stayed there to show how wicked she was, and that she sinned in wanting to die. She regains her will to live, and makes a full recovery throughout the day.
In the afternoon, a doctor comes and talks to Sue. The doctor says that Mr. Behrman had died of pneumonia an hour ago, and that he was ill only 2 days. A janitor had found him helpless with pain, and his shoes and clothing were wet and icy cold. The janitor couldn't figure out where he had been on that stormy night, though she had found a lantern that was still lit, a ladder that had been moved, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it. "Look out the window Sue, do you see that last ivy leaf? Darling, that was Behrman's masterpiece - he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell."