Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
The answer to that question is, your new son-in-law's parents. A wealthy white
family is informed that their daughter's intended is coming to meet them, and
he's black. Scripted in the late 60s, the idea of a bi-racial marriage was still fairly
shocking. To smooth this over, the son-in-law to be is a prince. He's a Doctor
who lives in Switzerland and intends to take their daughter there to live. Set in California,
it's not quite a return to Selma, Alabama, but was controversial in its day.
Joey Drayton (Katharine Houghton, actually the niece of Katharine Hepburn), brings
her fiancé, Dr. John Prentice (Sidney Poitier) home to sunny San Francisco to meet
her affluent parents (Hepburn and Spencer Tracy). Their liberal persuasions are now
put to the test, for although the young man is an ideal choice (he's highly and
internationally respected in the medical field, and he's impeccably mannered,
handsome, well dressed and of a respectable California family), he's black. The film,
which covers one busy day in the Drayton home, is essentially a drawing-room
comedy, a series of cross-conversations between the young doctor and the girl's
parents, and finally between all sets of parents and offspring. A simple dinner is
extended to include the doctor's parents, who fly up from Los Angeles for the evening,
and the crusty but benevolent old Irish priest, a friend of the family (Cecil Kellaway).
Thus, the title of the film .
Directed by Stanley Kramer
Writing credits: William Rose
Cast:
Spencer Tracy .... Matt Drayton
Sidney Poitier .... John Prentice
Katharine Hepburn .... Christina Drayton
Katharine Houghton .... Joanna Drayton
Cecil Kellaway .... Monsignor Ryan
Beah Richards .... Mrs. Prentice
Roy Glenn .... Mr. Prentice
Isabel Sanford .... Tillie
Virginia Christine .... Hilary St. George
Alexandra Hay .... Carhop
Barbara Randolph .... Dorothy
D'Urville Martin .... Frankie
Tom Heaton .... Peter
Grace Gaynor .... Judith
Skip Martin .... Delivery Boy
John Hudkins .... Cab Driver
Produced by George Glass .... associate producer
Stanley Kramer .... producer
Original Music by Frank De Vol
Billy Hill (song "Glory of Love")
Cinematography by Sam Leavitt
Film Editing by Robert C. Jones
Production Design by Robert Clatworthy
Set Decoration by Frank Tuttle
Costume Design by Joe King
Makeup Department Joe DiBella .... makeup artist
Helen Hunt .... hair stylist
Ben Lane .... makeup artist
Production Management Ivan Volkman .... production supervisor
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Gosnell Jr. .... assistant director
Art Department Clarence Peet .... property master
Sound Department Robert Martin .... sound engineer
Clem Portman .... sound re-recordist
Charles J. Rice .... sound
Special Effects by Geza Gaspar .... special effects
Other crew:
Larry Butler .... process photographer
Les Everson .... chief electrician
Jacqueline Fontaine .... singer: "Glory of Love"
William Gossman .... camera operator
Martin Kashuk .... company grip (as Marty Kashuk)
Jean Louis .... wardrobe supervisor
Marshall Schlom .... script supervisor
Doug J. Campbell .... company grip
Ron Cooney .... grip
Mike Deasy .... musician
Runtime: 108 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix: Mono
Certification: Iceland:L / Finland:S / Sweden:Btl / UK:PG / West Germany:6
/ Argentina:Atp / Singapore:PG / Australia:PG
Trivia: Katharine Hepburn's character's daughter is played by Hepburn's actual
niece Katharine HoughtonSpencer Tracy died 17 days after filming was
completed.Katharine Hepburn never saw the completed movie. She said the
memories of Tracy were too painful.When Portier and Houghton arrive at SFO
on a United Airlines flight, they take Yellow Cab #1850 in town. The phone number
of the cab company is painted on the side of the car. Today, the same number
(626-2345) will still get you in touch with Yellow Cab.Katharine Hepburn had to
use her salary as backing in order to make this movie because Spencer Tracy
was so ill that the studio didn't think that he would make to the end of the picture
Mr Prentice (Roy Glenn) says to his son John (Sidney Poitier) "You'll be breaking
the law in 17 states. You'll be criminals." By the time people saw the movie this
was no longer true. On June 12th, 1967, the US Supreme Court in the case Loving
v Virginia declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional.The three-inch bronze
sculpture of Spencer Tracy featured in the film was created by Katharine Hepburn
herself and was one of the items that were included in her estate auction in 2004.
The bust was the most sought-after item and fetched the most money--it sold for
$316,000, whereas pre-action estimates were in the neighborhood of $3,000-$5,000
In some shots you can clearly see Katharine Hepburn's head and hands trembling
because of her hereditary shake, i.e., when she is pouring a drink for the Reverend
right after his second arrival.This movie was still showing in theatres at the time
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Originally, there was a line in the movie
where the maid asked Sidney Poitier, "Who do you think you are, Martin Luther King?" When King was murdered, the studios immediately called the theatres showing the film
and gave instructions to cut that scene from the movie.Due to Spencer Tracy's health,
the cast was always working from two shooting scripts, one with Tracy, one without. Typically, Katharine Hepburn brought Tracy in the morning, they worked until she decided
he was too tired, then Tracy and Hepburn left. Sidney Poitier, who already had received
a Best Actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field (1963), was intimidated by working with two
legends, and preferred to perform to empty high backed chairs.
Quotes: [first lines] John: You know, I just had a thought. Why don't I go check
into a hotel and get some rest, and you go find your folks?
Awards: Won 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 20 nominations
Tagline: a love story of today
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