¿Sabes quién viene a cenar?

Let's not settle our 2016 values on this film. Interracial marriage is so commonplace these days. Not that it is accepted very well in many places. This film is one of the first to address the issue and it is not tame. When the young people go to the home of the white folks, there is a moment when a nuclear explosion may hit. Spencer Tracy always had a slow burn and he utilizes it well here. Still, it is too much for him at the beginning. One has to wonder if even the more liberal viewers of marriage knew that this was a road to a difficult life. Even today, it's a hard road to travel at times. One thing I appreciated was that we got the perspective from both sides, especially Sidney's father. Racial issues aren't always a one way street. This film needs to be seen even if one might think it dated.

Here's a great way to spend an afternoon: watching some of the greatest actors of all time in a film that still has relevance today. Such a cast! Hepburn is wonderful as always, very energetic, with no trace of the shakiness of her later years.

Tracy, gruff, the way most probably remember him - sort of a ratcheted up version of the roles he played with Hepburn in earlier years. His ill health is obvious though to the careful observer: voice a little weak at times, and Tracy's step missing the "spring" of his earlier films. The fact that this his last film was so memorable, and of such quality just adds to his legend.

Potier of course turns in a great performance, impeccable as always.

Watch for Isabel Sanford, ("The Jefferson's") particularly the one memorable scene where she explains to Potier's character just what "black power" really is.

Cecil Kellaway sparkles as Monsignor Ryan, and Beah Richards and Roy Glenn, as the parents to Potier's character, mirror Hepburn and Tracy.

Indeed, there is so much real honest-to-god acting talent concentrated in this movie, it seems almost unfair, what I'm about to say: Katharine Houghton, as 'Joey' is the only character with only 2 dimensions. She's the ever-smiling, but clueless daughter and object of Dr. Prentice' affection. She's such a Pollyanna, and remains oblivious to the drama going on all around her, and everyone else conspires to keep her in the dark throughout the entire film. (No wonder her father is concerned.) I think it's fair to say that Houghton's character is the one weak spot in this otherwise excellent film.

That said, this is a wonderful film that I will always watch when it comes on. It's such a treat to watch these legendary actors at work. I highly recommend it.

By the way, there's no glass in Spencer's eyeglasses during the ending monologue, is there – he's wearing only frames, right?

Continuing to review films featured with people of color in chronological order for Black History Month, we're once again in 1967 with Sidney Poitier's third film in release that year: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Here, he's Dr. John Prentice who, after spending vacation time in Hawaii for 10 days with one Joey Drayton (Katharine Houghton), is engaged to her and is meeting her parents for the first time in San Francisco. They're Christina (Katharine Hepburn) and Matt (Spencer Tracy) and they're both a little shocked when they meet John despite both being liberal people. Christina gets over hers while Matt takes a while. Their maid Tillie (Isabel Sanford) isn't thrilled at all while old friend Monsignor Ryan (Cecil Kellaway) approves and is bemused by all the reactions including those of John's parents (Beah Richards, Roy Glenn) when they arrive. I'll stop there and just say that while I'm sure the whole thing was made to provide such a mostly perfect representation of the black race for public consumption in presenting Poitier's characterization, he's still allowed to be a little human whether talking back a little to his father or saying he'll call off the marriage if his fiancé's parents have any reservations without consulting Joey first. Many of the funniest moments come from Ms. Sanford's Tillie during her outbursts about "black power"! There's also some nice moments concerning Tracy and Hepburn on screen together especially when one knows that this was Spencer's final movie before his death. Why, seeing Ms. Hepburn cry during her longtime loving partner's last speech on set is perhaps the most touching thing here. But let's not cut the lines of Ms. Richards and Mr. Glenn short here. Roy makes the then-pertinent point of how his son and fiancé would be considered criminals in at least 16 states (actually 14 during filming) if their relationship was known. But Beah herself is the one who gets through to Spencer about how both him and her husband seemed to have forgotten what it was like when they themselves were young and impulsive. It's that part that got her the worthy Oscar nomination. In fact, Cecil Kellaway, Ms. Hepburn, and Mr. Tracy all got worthy nods with Hepburn a worthy win (though I admit that with the exception of Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark, I haven't seen the other nominees for Best Actress that year). I'm not so sure about the Best Picture nomination but it's not as embarrassing as that for Doctor Doolittle (though I'm basing that more on reputation since I've yet to see that one in its entirety). In summary, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is still quite entertaining even with the obvious liberal point-of-view. P.S. Two other African-American players worth mentioning are Barbara Randolph (daughter of Lillian Randolph who's in my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life) as Dorothy who does a groovy dance with a white delivery guy and D'Urvile Martin who as Frankie gets his car accidentally hit by Spencer's automobile when the latter backs out of an ice cream parlor.

Seeing this film for the first time more than thirty years after it was made, I was struck by the theme's endurance in time. It remains relevant today, even if not to the same degree. And even though I'm almost thirty years old, I can say with mixed emotions of embarrassment and vindication, that Spencer Tracy taught me a better way to tie a tie. Who's says movies don't teach you anything?

The film is dated, to be sure, by many things, from clothing to music, cars and expressions. At times the dialogue seemed a bit hokey, and others, simply brilliant. I swear, I half expected an entourage of go-go dancers to spontaneously burst through the streets of San Francisco. And if I never hear the "Story Of Love" ever again in my life, it would be too soon.

But I can't help but think that the more things change in thirty years, sometimes they remain the same. Certainly there's more examples of interracial couples today than thirty years ago, and therefore a greater degree of tolerance, but for a lot of narrow-minded individuals, it's still as controversial or "appalling" as it was thirty years ago.

Some of the lines actually had me laughing out loud, enjoying the moment as it follows into another well complimented scene. I'm speaking in particular of the scene where Katharine Hepburn fires her employee for her prejudicial views, and basically everything that follows that scene for the next five minutes.

I try my best to imagine what it would be like to be in the shoes of any character in the film, to appreciate what it might've been like for them, in that time, and while I think I can muster an inkling, I don't think my creativity is up to a challenge of that nature. And I think that ultimately, that's a good thing, and I'm grateful to those who came before.

I went to see it for the first time with my grandmother when I was 17. I loved it but it felt strange to me because my grandmother after 22 years of widowhood, had remarried to an African American man. He had become a blessing in my grandmother's life and in ours. How could Spencer Tracy of all people be against the union? After the movie we went to dinner and my grandmother answered all my questions with a single answer that's been with me always and that sometimes explains absurdities like Charlottesville 2017 - "Society, humanity doesn't evolve all at the same time" Of course Grandma', you were right. Watching Guess Who's Coming To Dinner in 2017 was an experience. Is not that Spencer Tracy is against their union, - Tracy was only worried to what his daughter was going to face 1967 - He was thinking like a father and not like a thinking, evolved liberal. On the other hand, Roy Glenn, Sidney Poitier's father objects to his son marrying a white girl. Sidney Poitier stops him by saying "Dad, you see yourself as a colored man, I see myself as a man" Was it as didactic as it sounds in 1967? Who cares? The message was delivered - I also was so moved to see Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy together for the last time and they knew it was for the last time. Sidney Poitier is superb as the messenger who points at the absurdity of racism. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is a delicious document of its day.