Sidney Poitier on making GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 

I am a 62 year old white woman and I have had a crush on Sidney Poitier since I was 9 years old and first saw him in all three -- "To Sir With Love", "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" and "In The Heat Of The Night". As a matter of fact, I stayed out so late in the theater to watch To Sir With Love over and over again, I didn't get home until almost midnight. My mother was in hysterics. But there will never be another like him.

My mother would make me and my brothers watch his movies when they were on. She held Sidney Poitier up as a shining example of what a proud black man looked like. Growing up black in 1960’s Deep South Mississippi as a child wasn’t easy. l recall my mother talking about “In The Heat Of The Night”, especially the scene in which Sidney slaps the bigoted white plantation owner Endicott after getting slapped first. Unthinkable that a black man would do that in Mississippi and live to tell it. I didn’t understand! All that changed as l got older and experienced racial discrimination firsthand, had fist fights with whites because of my blackness and saw the movie as an adult. “Mama, I fully understand now.” I now remember telling her once. And she knew l got it! Sidney Poitier demanded respect and got it! I’m a fan for life. What a great black man!!!!! Rest well, Sidney….😔🕊

This is one of Mr Poitier's best roles (to me). The other's I loved were "To Sir, With Love" and "Lillies in the Field". Excellent actor. Great role model. Rest in Peace.

A very intelligent, refined and excellent actor Mr Poitier is. An extremely rare breed in the world of films.

This has been my very favorite movie for decades (journalist, went to film school, had a little movie critique show on cable tv outside Boston years ago). And no matter what arthouse films, brilliant new material is created and released I always come back to this film and these characters as my favorite film, for so many reasons I could talk on it for hours. RIP, sir, you'll be missed.💔

"A Patch of Blue" is one of my favorite movies, beautiful movie.

Thank you, Sidney, for Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. 👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿

Sidney Poitier a great talent. None can compare.

I just rediscovered Sidney Poitier and now i truly understand his greatness as an actor. In the same breath; Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn.....OMG those yesteryears were truly the golden age of not only of the movies, but in my mind showcased the humanity of that era and what we as human beings can become. Being in the 21st century isnt really progress unless we bring back the class in us as embodied by Mr. Tibbs!

RIP and long live Spencer Tracy (April 5, 1900 - June 10, 1967), aged 67 And RIP and long live Katherine Hepburn (May 12, 1907 - June 29, 2003), aged 96 And RIP and long live Sidney Poitier (February 20, 1927 - January 6, 2022), aged 94 You will always be remembered as legends.

Without a doubt, the scene with his father, is pure magical. I have never seen a film that I can recall that one particular scene was as magical. He is truly a master and will always be respected as the best of the best.

Beloved Sidney Poitier was a Trailblazer and a champion of civil rights through the visual arts. A man of integrity and humility. God bless him and his family. May his soul R.I.P.

Amazing man and actor I love all of his work.

Sidney Poitier was my mom's Denzel Washington! She always spoke about how much she appreciated his commitment to only playing POSITIVE black roles in all of his movies (which was not an easy hill to stand on as a Black actor back then..) When I saw this movie as a child, I was mesmerized! His speech to his dad...maaan! I watched that speech over and over and over again until I had it memorized. I will be 52 I'm a couple of weeks and I can still rattle it off without a pause!! I grew up without a father, but hearing that speech, at like 9 years old, I instinctively understood the deep dynamic between the two.

I have watched and enjoyed sidney portier films over the years will continue to enjoy them for years to come

One of the best Movie made and the cast played their parts to perfection. I enjoy this movie and see it at least twice a year to remind me that Love has no Barrier.

Love this movie! Brilliant acting!!!! Hope they show it soon on TV.

Ii am 83 and white and loved the values you could see in Sidney. Poritier

"...it worked out ok". So modest. Truth is, it was a Brilliant performance! 👏🏽👌🏽😀👍🏽

REST IN PEACE SIR YOU WERE A LEGEND 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Great actor. Great movie. Made the year I was born.

My mothers favorite movie. They made an excellent couple

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is my favorite Sidney Poitier movie, and that's saying something because his filmography is amazing.

My goodness what a man. A man of character. Knows how to speak so beautifully and intelligent. What is left in Hollywood other than a very few is nothing. Especially these so called rappers that want to act and the only thing they can say in an interview is "you know what I'm saying or you know what I mean". It is truly sad. Hollywood is nothing.

I love him !!! when his passing comes he will be greatly missed!!!

The fact that Sidney used his own father as an emotional reference brought authenticity to the scene. He apparently had the same kind of emotional obstacles in marrying his real life white spouse, the lovely JoAnna Shimkus. "You see yourself as a colored man; I see myself as a man." Brilliant.

Thank You very much for presenting those most interesting cinematic history details.

Legend

The audience in America WAS READY for it, it was a giant moneymaker and it says great things about how American people were far ahead of the Hollywood bigwigs who were so nervous!!

I love Mr Sydney , brilliant and handsome actor and Person forever💐

If you're reading this..Mr.Poitier? It is your best performance..I enjoyed your work in Stan Kramer film.

To Sir with Love is my favourite.

Spencer Tracy was gravely ill and uninsurable, consequently, Stanley Kramer and Katharine Hepburn agreed to place their salaries in escrow to guarantee that the film could be made. About one week prior to completion, Tracy told Kramer that if he died on the way home from the set, Kramer had enough footage of him to complete the picture, Poitier was in awe of Tracy and Hepburn and he was the biggest box office star in the world.

He's an incredible actor and Afro-American who changed the perspective of millions of human beings......I just want to say Thank You sir for this amazing gift! We still have a great deal of work to do but your contribution to us ( Afro-American Men) is and will always be appreciated and most gratitude.......😊

What a legend.

Sidney poiter was the greatis and the mostró gifted of the all".

I have always loved Sidney and he is hilarious in the movie "shoot to Kill". If you haven't seen it it's a must. It's not supposed to be a comedy but it was because of some of the scenes.

YES,Mr.Poitier was a Great human being,and actor !

The greatest black actor ever

I liked SP in The Slender Thread with Anne Bancroft 1965

Thank you

RIP ❤️❤️❤️🙏👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏

RIP Sidney Poitier.

Fantastic movie

Love this film, originally watched it because Kate Hepburn was in it, but fell in love with the entire cast EXCEPT for Dorothy. I didn't see a reason for her to be in the film. I don't mean the actress who portrayed Dorothy, she was as good as everyone else in the film, I mean the character.

In this movie they made a handsome couple. I loved that movie had a crush on Sydney who didn't.

Yes, indeed, Sidney, it worked out okay.

Legend ♥

Love this movie

I would have married him.

That scene in the movie is pretty astounding, I’ll say! I’m sure it brought some controversy.

No Mr. Poitier. Actually 1967 is right time to make this movie.

THE ONLY COUNTRY IN WORLD HISTORY, WHERE A PERSON CAN'T EXPERESS THEIR OWN CULTURE THROUGH THEY'RE OWN ART.

Senhor Portia O Actor Mais Ferido Fen Assisted So Mestre Con Carinho Nao Esfesi Nunca Mais O Sol Nasceu Para To dos Fen Para O Jantar E Outros Nunca Mais Esfesi

Katherine Haughton called it a fantasy, at that time, America was brutally racist. Nevertheless it made good money, Poitier was a moneymaker on screen . They could not push him a side, made money was a Star.

Elizabeth Houghton (the white daughter) has pointed out that Stanley Kramer made two controversial decisions to help the success of the movie - he concurred that the white daughter should be professionally unaccomplished and that the black father - not the white father - be portrayed as the more truculent parent. The movie was made to appeal to white viewers, since that is where the resistance to anything interracial has always been. As she stated, Kramer felt that whites would not as readily receive the movie if the daughter had comparable professional credentials as "Dr Prentice." He felt many whites would question the authenticity of the storyline if the white female was professionally accomplished, as opposed to just being vibrant, high-spirited, loving, and young with a clean slate. In addition, whites would not widely receive the movie if it was portrayed historically accurate that it has traditionally been the white parents - especially the father - who has resisted interracial unions....occasionally to the point of disowning their child; black parents have overwhelmingly had no such history, as interracial couples have often ended up living with the black parents and/or within the black community. With the black father uncharacteristically playing the "heavy" in the scenario, it made it easier for white audiences to receive the film and its over-arching humanitarian message. Two tough decisions by Kramer, as the two areas most frequently sited as weak ones in the film are the daughter's lack of professional accomplishments and the harshness of Dr Prentiss' speech to his father, a diatribe that should have been more respectfully written, as it was somewhat of an insult to a man who was a member of what we now call, America's "Greatest Generation" and someone who historically has not been the problem in the interracial equation.

America was totally racist, making this movie impossible, but they did.

Ii am 78 yrs old and this movie was so necessary to be made. We as a society, needed to move forward as a country because the black community had moved forward . They had achieved So much more back then. The. Statement that Sidney played saying his father viewed himself as a Blackman and Sidney viewed himself as a. man was very important. That’s what needs to change in our. Society. We are a Diverse society, so wghen people come here you keep certain cultures but you need to.become American ! Like if I went to live.in another country you adapt to the ways of that.countries society. They won’t change. for you.

❤🥰💫

Good god almighty! He sure was gorgeous!

A complete treasure

R.I.P SIDNEY POTTER

Never be another...

"It IS a part of America." Well, he would know. His widow (and second wife) is Caucasian.

I always thought Sidney could have done a lot better than her.

And yes u were a black character who just so happened to be a professor... Lolol but we had to start somewhere !!!

💚2024✨sowing................🚣 🎠🌈🌈🌈💍🌈🌈🌈🔥 Daniel 12 Revelation 21 🌹 keeping the Faith 💜😎

I wish he would throw some lotion on dem hands smh

I’m a fan of Sidney but I think it’s sad some people want to dilute thousands of years of genetic heritage in any race.

A very intelligent, refined and excellent actor Mr Poitier is. An extremely rare breed in the world of films.