Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a classic film from 1967 directed by Stanley Kramer with an all-star cast featuring legendary actors Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn, as well as Katharine Houghton. The movie is an ensemble performance designed to make viewers reflect upon one of the most contentious issues of America in the 1960s - racial equality and integration.

The movie is set in glamorous San Francisco. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play Matt and Christina Drayton, an affluent couple who are defined by their liberal outlook and unassailable moral compass. Matt is a newspaper publisher, while Christina owns an up-market art gallery. They have raised their daughter, Joanna (played by Houghton), to treat everyone as equal, embracing a warm, universal-humanity approach to life.

The narrative of the film unfolds when her daughter arrives home unexpectedly from a Hawaiian vacation with a fiancé in tow, Dr. John Prentice, a distinguished black doctor portrayed by Sidney Poitier. This sudden revelation catapults the Draytons' liberal philosophies from the hypothetical into the real, forcing them to confront their own deep-rooted prejudices that they did not even realize they harbored. Despite their liberal leanings, Joanna's parents are startled, and the movie subtly showcases their struggle to reconcile their views of progressive social values with their personal lives.

The film’s strength lays in its nonlinear character dynamics that weave a flavourful narrative full of internal struggle, societal expectations, realizations, and acceptance. The attitudes of the house staff, particularly the African-American maid Tillie, played by Isabell Sanford, provide a stark contrast to Hepburn and Tracy’s characters and their supposed tolerance. Dinner plans are laid down to bring the parties in question together, and the resulting mishmash forms the crux of the film.

Exceptional in many aspects, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" uses humour and sarcasm in liberal doses to bring to light the uncomfortable conversations about interracial marriage and bigotry in society. It leans on the intrapersonal tensions, between the characters, and the societal norms of the era, which further highlights the nuances of the most challenging issue of the time – racism.

The movie boasts a formidable and high caliber cast. Tracy and Hepburn are their usual brilliant selves, with an on-screen chemistry that speaks volumes about their real-life relationship. Sidney Poitier, one of the era’s most dynamic and influential actors, beautifully exposes the dilemmas faced by his character. His dignified portrayal of an accomplished professional hit the right notes while discussing racial integration and interracial marriage. No less is Katharine Houghton, who, although a newcomer to the Hollywood scene, carries her role with conviction and innocence.

Moreover, it would be a miss to not mention the work of Director Stanley Kramer. In handling such a sensitive subject matter at a time when race relations in America were mercurial, yet he still succeeded in presenting the audience with an engaging and thought-provoking film that was not just well ahead of its time but is still relevant today.

Thereby, without divulging too much, "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner" offers a clever mix of comedy and social commentary that certainly makes for great viewing. This isn't just a movie; it's a valuable piece of cinematic history. The film ends on a high note, having portrayed a sophisticated blend of drama and thought-provoking conversations making it an ideal watch for the audience looking for meaningful cinema.

Both poignant and comedic in turn, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" encapsulates the social struggle of the time while offering hope for change and highlighting the power of love and understanding to overcome prejudice. The iconic trio of Hepburn, Tracy, and Poitier make it a timeless classic, embodying the principles of equality and right to love, universal themes that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.