Remembering A Screen Legend And The Week That Was

Sidney Poitier is the latest screen legend to pass away with the news being announced on Friday morning. He was 94 years old.

During my first go-around in Chicago in 2008-09, I was introduced to the masterclass of acting that was Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. I decided to rewatch the film on Friday in his memory. Following this, I watched In the Heat of the Night for the first time. It was one of those films that I’m sure I would have gotten around to at some point. I regret that these viewings always come when a star or filmmaker passes away. We should really be making an effort to watch these films and appreciate their talent while they are still alive.

Poitier rarely, if ever, played villains. It’s not because he didn’t want to—word has it that he did—but because American society wouldn’t allow him especially during the height of the Civil Rights movement. When I watched the two films on Friday, I did so through a 2022 lens but also that of someone who would have been watching the film for the first time in the 1960s. American society has and hasn’t changed in so many ways. I discuss it in my review but sadly, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner could still be made today. Not necessarily about race but about gender identity or sexual orientation. Imagine being raised by liberal parents and have them learn that you’re LGBTQ or that you’re in love with a trans person.