Today, I offer my pick in honor of Black History Month.
It sports a heavy-hitting cast of classic notables including Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier, who celebrated his 84th birthday yesterday!
The film is Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, released in 1967, a ground-breaker for its time in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
The story involves Tracy & Hepburn as the high-society parents of Joey, their young daughter who brings her fiancé home to meet them. Though priding themselves as being progressive thinkers, they are still taken aback to find that their future son-in-law is black. An interesting dramatic (and sometimes comedic) display balanced with serious political, social and moral discussion ensues.
Far from being boring or even politically correct, this movie brings to light multiple perspectives on not only the race issue but also relationships between couples as well as parents and adult children. And the great thing is the story progresses in an entertaining manner, so you don’t realize you’re watching a dissertation on social mores.
Sidney Poitier stands out in this film as he does in most of his roles (In the Heat of the Night and his Oscar-winning performance in Lilies of the Field – both top-notch). He’s so distinguished and classy, poised and confident.
Not that I have any credibility in saying so, but I believe he’s got to be one of the most influential actors in the history of film, opening doors for other minorities in a cut-throat and historically unkind business as well as inspiring generations of non-actors to reach lofty goals. And Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner summarizes that with its transparency, boldness and courage.
I challenge you to watch Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and consider all perspectives represented. If you’re like me, your compassion will expand exponentially, and you’ll be reminded that God values every person equally, no matter race or skin color.
“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” (Rev. 5:9)
Happy Monday, Dry Ground friends!
1 comments:
Will definately put this one in the NetFlix queue. Thanks for the reminder that this classic is worth watching again.
AMEN! to Rev. 5:9 I love that verse.
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