They're playing 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' on AMC

[bigtree]

I watched this film in a theatre right down the street from the White House when I was 7 years old (one year older than our new president)


The girl's father, Matt Drayton (Tracy) having the TALK with John Wade Prentice (Portier):


. . . Are you saying they don't have
any special sense of rhythm?

That's right.

But, hell, you can see it.

You can't turn on the television set
without seeing those kids dancing...

and I say the colored kids
are better than the white kids.

But there's an explanation for that.
It's our dancing, and it's our music.

We brought it here.

I mean, you can do the Watusi...

but we are the Watusi,
if you know what I mean.

l remember,
when I was about your age...

my sports editor telling me that Negroes
would never be able to play baseball.

Now, I suppose if he wanted to...

Willie Mays could be elected
mayor of San Francisco.

I own a newspaper,
but I couldn't be elected dogcatcher.

Well, I don't guess
you want to be dogcatcher any more...

than he wants to be
mayor of San Francisco.

No, I suppose that's right.

Doctor, we've talked about
a good many things...

but there's one thing
we haven't talked about.

Have you given any thought to
the problems your children will have?

Yes, and they'll have some.
And we'll have the children.

Otherwise,
you couldn't call it a marriage.

Is that the way Joey feels?

She feels that all of our children will
be president of the United States...

and they'll all have
colorful administrations.

Well, you made her, Mr. Drayton.

I just met her in Hawaii.

But how do you feel
about that problem?

Well, frankly, I think your daughter
is a bit optimistic.

I'd settle
for secretary of state.

Would you think it was some kind
of cowardice if I told you...

that no matter how confident you two are
I'm just a little scared.

No, it wouldn't.

But you never know.
Things are changing . . .

[grammysandie]

1. I just saw that, too

The parallels are kind of spooky. In a good way, of course.

[bigtree]

2. the film's narrative ran in my head for decades

We moved from D.C. to the suburbs in 1970. My sister and I were the only people of color in our grade school and part of only a handful in a few upper grades. I've seen that story play out many times since, in real life; including in my own and in my kid's lives. I'm sure they really do wish I'd get over it, but I have to marvel at just how far we've come in my lifetime; and in our new president's, as well.

[malaise]

3. I must have seen it a dozen times

I remember walking into a supermarket in Nassau Bahamas in the early 70s and walking straight into Sidney Poitier. A friend and I were giggling like schoolgirls and he came over and signed autographs for us.

Black Ururu in Jamaica have a classic reggae song Guess who's Coming to Dinner for dating a Rastaman in Jamaica was as shocking as black-white relationships in the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewcWHlwPLsE

[mnhtnbb]

4. Turner Classic Movies ran it right before the election. Watched the whole thing--again.

What a combination--Sidney Poitier, Hepburn and Tracy. Spencer Tracy died only 17 days after they wrapped the filming.