Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner

Year: 1967

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Kramer

Review

a good film, of course, but it could have been more. granted we’re talking about 1967 and my pushing this film to do more is a little silly – all things considered. the ensemble cast is very good – all the major players settle into their roles quite well. now some quibbles…the dancing scene with one of the black maids and the white delivery guy…what was that? very dated. also, more seriously…why were the two biggest opponents of the marriage both black? tillie and poitier’s father were both against it. spencer tracy was also against it, but for seemingly more practical reasons. tillie basically called poitier’s character the equivalent of an “uppity nigger.” while the father was just plain against it. how realistic is this and what was the purpose? also issues of class were only barely hinted at. spencer tracy’s character mentioned that poitier’s father was a retired postal worker as if it was a good thing that poitier made something of himself. this was overshadowed by the references to the fact that poitier was a well-to-do doctor (granted he was mostly doing charity work, but he was obviously well off). i liked kramer’s ability to meld drama with comedy…i didn’t think it inappropriate; in fact i felt it offered a good counter-balance to the weight of the subject. overall a good film and a film that was certainly important for the time, but ultimately it didn’t leave the world as harmonious as it came off. that is, the ending seemed to take the attitude of “well isn’t it great that we’ve worked through these problems; we’re good (though admittedly flawed) people.” when, to me (and Martin Luther King Jr. for that matter), the larger issue of class was barely grazed.