Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Beautiful, emotional movies with 3 of the best actors that have ever been in movies! Sidney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy!! Doesn't get any greater than this!! I never get tired of re-watching it!!!

An awesome movie

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER - 1967 RATING - NR but probably PG for language and adult themes. RATED - 118 Amazon (4.5/5), 7,545 IMBD (7.7/10), 386,582 Netflix (3.9/5), Roger Ebert (4/4) STARRING - Sidney Poitier, Katherine Houghton, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn. THEME - Racial prejudice. AWARDS - 2 Academy Awards (Best Actress & Original Screenplay) plus 6 Academy Award nominations, AFI Top 100 Passions, AFI Top 100 Movies, 1969 BAFTA Best Actress & Actor (Hepburn & Tracy). STORY - The film begins with Joey Drayton (Houghton) and Dr. John Prentice (Poitier) arriving at San Francisco Int'l Airport and we soon learn that after meeting 10 days ago in Hawaii and falling head over heels in love they are going to inform Joey's parents (Hepburn & Tracy) of their plans to be married and ask for their blessing. The problem, of course, is that John is African-American. A perfect son-in-law in every possible way, Joey is absolutely positive her wealthy, liberal (progressive) parents will wholeheartedly endorse their 'mixed' marriage. Wrong!! Being progressive was fine as long as it was someone else's life that was affected. Can the Draytons reconcile their values and the values they raised Joey to live by and the real-life situation at hand? To complicate matters, John is leaving the country that evening and has told them privately, he will cancel the marriage plans if they do not unreservedly support their marriage before he leaves. Many, if not most, of you are familiar with the story. It was shocking at the time. No black man had ever kissed a white woman on the 'big screen'. There were 16 states with laws on the books that made interracial marriages illegal. Stanly Kramer was indeed making a social statement with this movie. As a Jewish man, he knew prejudice first hand. As a result of this movie the laws were changed in all 16 states. Do movies influence culture?? Remember GIDEON'S TRUMPET. Watch this movie for what it was-a statement about racial prejudice but also ask yourself where are the injustices today that need to be fixed? How can we become part of the solution? A great movie then and still today. [...]

In the end love conquers all, even parents, the liberal-minded white parents who love the idea of racial equality as long as it's "other peoples" kids, and the two more conservative black parents who never thought it would enter their lives as an issue, and don't particularly like the idea of a racially mixed marriage because of the problems it will create for the kids. The quality of this dialogue, the incredible cast, the interjection of humor here and there, all blend together to make this one of the most memorable movies I've seen. The fact was that Tracy was dying and that in life both he and Hepburn had a deep and long-lasting, loving, relationship adds a depth to their dialogue that transcends the movie, and brings it to a level not seen in other movies. Others claim we haven't moved on much in racial equality since this movie was made and I strenuously disagree. No matter what many would have you believe, in the USA alone, the idea of interracial marriage, or of a black person's ability to rise to whatever heights s/he wants is only limited by themselves which wasn't so true in the 1960s. This movie was part of what helped move the integration between the races along, in fact it may have been the first to do so. It has worked. There isn't a single area of life these days which isn't color-blind against the black person who wants the job, and interracial marriage is common enough no-one notices it or cares. These days it is the prejudiced person who stands out, not the black person. That is what this film helped create, and it would be very unfair not to give it the credit it deserves by admitting the truth that it has worked so well.

Great acting. I thought it may just be teaching us another story about bigotry. Which it does but with great movement and speech. Leave it to Tracy to make everyone think about everything and everyone. Pointing out why we are wrong but we are what we are and maybe we’ll work it out. Great cast. Sidney is always good. Enjoy.

I recently read a biography of Sidney Poitier which emphasized his role as "The Black Actor" of his time, and what this meant culturally and politicaly during the conservative 1950's and the turbulent 1960's. Poitier's mere presence in a film during this time assured black audiences that "Yes, there were roles of merit for blacks in Hollywood" while simultaneously letting white people know that all blacks were not dangerous, sex-craved animals, or buffoonish syncophants, but upstanding citizens like you and me. It seemed at times that Sidney Poitier, The Icon, overshadowed many of his screen endeavors, pushing the film's plotline into the background (with the exception of "In The Heat Of The Night") Which brings me to "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". Released in 1967 (it was the THIRD box-office hit for Poitier in a single year. A feat no other actor since, with the exception of Tom Cruise in 1996, has accomplished) an extremely tumultous year when the nation grappled with civil rights and Vietnam, "Guess Who" provided a fresh breath of air. Its the story of a prominent black doctor, John Prentice, who falls in love with a younger white girl,Joanna. He is 37, she is 23. The couple arrive at the girls' parents' house to announce to her parents their marriage plans. But the good doctor has a secret that he is keeping from his fiance: He has promised himself that if the father (Spencer Tracy) disagrees he will not marry her. He has come to this conclusion because he knows full well the problems the two of them will face as an interracial couple, and if they have disapproving in-laws to contend with as well, the marriage might not survive. This particular aspect of Poitier's character is what nailed it for me. What a strong statement to make, and the reserve to back it! How many of us who have been fitfully in love would EVER make a proposal like this?! Most people would say to Hell with the in laws, but this is what seperated Poitier from most stars of his day and which contributed to his overall popularity. Upon its release, the film was not a CRITICAL favorite, but it was certainly a box-office fav. The problem most critics had with the film was the preposterous love story itself. "What would an accomplished doctor who had been married once want with a young, naive girl 14 years his junior? " asked many critics (as if you really had to ponder THAT one!)I have never discovered why the director Stanley Kramer put this age difference into the film in the first place, the only answer I have is that Katherine Houghton was the niece of the Great Hepburn. Nepotism strikes again, right? But that was not the most gnawing question in the film. Most critics simply missed the point. A point that the movie-going public got: It is a FANTASY. Kramer over emphasized everything, from the techni-color skies to the immaculate skin complexions of his stars, to let the public know just how ridiculous skin color prejudices (and prejudices in general) are. Poitier's character is so PERFECT, that the ONLY problem Tracy and Hepburn have with him is his skin color. Brilliant. Yes the film is dated a little, but unfortunately it is still a timely and beautiful film.

Stanley Kramer's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", while daring in theory (tackling interracial relationships, in 1967), played it far too 'safe', treating the issue so unrealistically that neither the black nor white communities of that time considered it as all that groundbreaking. But as an opportunity to see Sidney Poitier at the peak of his career, and experience the magic of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn a final time, the film can't be beat! Film historians have long dismissed the social 'relevance' of the production, accurately pointing out that Poitier's character, a brilliant, wealthy young black doctor serving the U.N., was designed to be so completely unthreatening and saintly that any chance to address real issues is lost; the same can be said of Tracy's character, a wealthy, liberal white newspaper publisher who had spent his life championing civil rights. These stereotypical characters cost the film any sense of credibility, and the passionless portrayal of the romance between Poitier and Katharine Houghton (they only kiss once, viewed through a taxi driver's rearview mirror), with only her childish giggling and posturing to indicate the depth of their relationship, doesn't help, either (one wonders why he would even be attracted to this silly child!). The story hinges on Poitier's demand that without Tracy and Hepburn's unequivocal approval, he will 'walk away', and this, too, is unrealistic, designed solely to provide a platform for Tracy's climactic answer, one of the most moving speeches of his long career, and the best moment of the film. While Stanley Kramer will be remembered as a daring producer/director who tackled important social issues head-on, "Guess Who's Coming..." is, at best, a very tentative first step. But as a showcase for three remarkable actors, this is an indispensable document. Tracy was so ill, during production (dying just 17 days after the film 'wrapped'), that he was uninsurable, with Kramer and Hepburn forced to promise to cover any losses, had he passed away before the film's completion. He was deeply touched by the gesture, and summoned up his remaining energy to give his performance the dynamic, yet thoughtful quality that characterized his best work (he would receive a posthumous Oscar nomination for the film). Poitier is almost as good, in a less challenging role, making his nearly superhuman character both accessible and sympathetic. Hepburn's role is much smaller, more in support than as a leading lady, and her 'Best Actress' Oscar was, honestly, undeserved (she would acknowledge it for what it really was; an Academy recognition of her and Tracy, both for this film and their other co-starring appearances, over 26 years). Her niece, Katharine Houghton, in her film debut as Poitier's fiance, is, honestly, little more than pretty window dressing. For the film's 40th anniversary, an additional DVD of Special Features has been added, including a 'Making Of' feature with insights by contemporary filmmakers and surviving members of the original cast, and featuring a lovely look at the very special relationship of Tracy and Hepburn, the funny acceptance speech for the Irving Thalberg Award by Stanley Kramer, and more. While "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" is flawed as a social document, as cinema it is well worth owning!

Funny how back then they could create films that really spoke to racism in America. Great film I have probably watched it 10 times since first seeing it some 40 years ago.