Review of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) by Wes S — 20 Oct 2011

Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Houghton, Cecil Kellaway, Beah Richards, Isabel Sanford, Roy Glenn, Virginia Christine.

Director: Stanley Kramer.

Summary: Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn star as wealthy Californians who consider themselves progressive until their only daughter (Katharine Houghton) brings home her African American fiancé (Sidney Poitier) in this snapshot of race relations in the late 1960s. The film earned two Academy Awards (for Hepburn's performance and William Rose's screenplay) and eight other nominations.

My Thoughts: "I can't imagine what it must have been like when this film came out in 1967. How controversial it must have been to see a black man and a white woman in a relationship and going to be married. It of course isn't such a big deal in today's world. But for some, still an issue. It's a smartly written film with such great acting. I loved Spencer Tracy as the father and Cecil Kellaway, who was quite funny as the Monsignor. I'm sure it made people think, talk about it more, and changed peoples views. My mother said the movie was a very big deal when it came out. That some people were outraged and disgusted while other's where impressed and celebrated the film in hopes of changing some persons views. The ending speech that Spencer Tracy gives near the end of the film is moving. Kudos to everyone who was apart in making this, which I am sure was a ground breaking film in that time.".