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lifestyle WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017 MUSIC & MOVIES 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' legacy debated on anniversary ifty years ago, Katharine Houghton found African-American doctor Hepburn's niece So much racism herself on her first big movie set making Houghton sees both sides but views the Critics said it was ultimately a cautious Interracial couples are now used in Madison Fsomething that made plenty of people movie as revolutionary. "I think the film really movie without much bite. Yes, there was a kiss Avenue-made commercials, indicating a growing deeply worried. Houghton and co-star Sidney was a kind of a thunderbolt," she said. "A lot of but Poitier and Houghton locked lips only acceptance. The US Census Bureau reports inter- Poitier were playing lovers in "Guess Who's very chic critics today say, 'Oh, "Guess Who's once, captured in a rearview mirror in the back racial opposite-sex married couple households Coming to Dinner," a romantic comedy directed Coming to Dinner" was way behind the times. All of a cab. Detractors said Poitier's character was grew by 28 percent over the decade from 7 per- by Stanley Kramer. Shooting had begun in San those problems were already solved and we did- too perfect - and a man who in one scene cent in 2000 to 10 percent in 2010. Houghton Francisco when word came that the movie was n't need a movie like that.' I think we did need a seemed to imply he was post-race - and takes no credit for any of it, saying she's just an canceled. It was an insurance problem, the stu- movie like that." Houghton played a young white Houghton's character was a rich and pretty girl actress. When asked if the film pushed the nee- dio explained. The timing seemed suspicious to woman studying in Hawaii who brings home an who wasn't his equal. "Any criticism of the film dle of change, she pauses. "There's no question the actors. "Columbia Pictures, when they accomplished African-American doctor and was really for the left, for it not being daring that art is a very powerful medium - television found out what the film was about, they didn't informs her parents - played by Katharine enough," said David Schwartz, chief curator at and film, in particular," she said. "But, let me put it want to do it. And they did everything they Hepburn and Spencer Tracy - that she intends to the Museum of the Moving Image in New York this way, 'Why do we still have so much racism? could to stop filming," recalls Houghton. "They marry him. Chaos ensues as her liberal parents City. "A lot of times with Hollywood, the movies Why? Why do we need to have Black Lives kept saying, 'Nobody's going to ever come and grapple with the concept of interracial marriage. are reflecting changes that are happening any- Matter?' Of course, black lives matter. All lives see this film. We're going to lose millions of The film, re-released this spring in a Blu-ray way. The film just captured a change that was In this file photo, actress and playwright matter. All lives deserve the opportunity." dollars on this film.'" edition , served as a challenge to liberals, a sort starting to take place." Katharine Houghton, who starred in the 1967 Monica White Ndounou, author of "Shaping The studio was wrong. The movie made more of modern-day fable made palatable with come- Columbia Pictures wanted to shut down the film ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ with the Future of African American Film," said "Guess money for Columbia than any film before it, dy. Most parents would be supportive of their production, arguing it couldn't get insurance for Sidney Poitier, poses for photographs in New Who's Coming to Dinner" could have done a bet- earned 10 Oscar nominations - winning two - daughter's involvement with Poitier's character - Tracy, who was gravely ill (he would die just days York. — AP ter job of forcing liberal audiences to confront and landed among the 100 greatest movies a handsome, charming, well-educated doctor on after shooting wrapped). Hepburn and Kramer their prejudices and of reaching out to black selected by the American Film Institute. The film, his way to work with the World Health agreed to put their salaries in escrow in case would become president. "I thought, 'Wow that audiences. But she respects the attempt. "If any- with its radical-for-its-time interracial romance, Organization. Only his race could be a sticking Tracy couldn't finish and another actor needed was kind of prophetic.'" More Hollywood thing, we can take what we've learned from this marked the first time a white actress and a black point. The social backdrop was far different in to be hired. Houghton, Hepburn's niece, was attempts to tackle interracial relationships would film, whether it's the failure or accomplishment actor kissed in a major motion picture. Some 1967. While the film was being shot, more than a frustrated that a scene in which she confronted follow, including Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever," of it, and we can continue to work toward telling movie theaters in the South refused to show it. dozen states had laws against miscegenation. her parents was cut but noted with pleasure Anthony Drazan's "Zebrahead," "Something more stories about the humanity of people and Fifty years later, some cheer its legacy while oth- The same year it came out, Secretary of State another one in which her character was asked New" with Sanaa Lathan, "Guess Who" with the ways in which they love each other," she said. ers look back and wince. Fans see its effects in Dean Rusk offered to resign after his daughter what would happen to their biracial children. Bernie Mac and "Loving" starring Ruth Negga. A "To me, that's the message." — AP modern films, like Jordan Peele's new hit, "Get married a black man. Interracial romance was In the film, she says they will grow up to "be stage version of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" Out," and in commercials for Cheerios and Chase such an explosive topic that Beah Richards, who president of the United States and they'll all have has been mounted - most recently in Boston Bank celebrating interracial couples. Critics think played Poitier's mother in the film, couldn't see it colorful administrations." Years later, the biracial starring Malcolm-Jamal Warner. it didn't go far enough to confront racism. in her hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Barack Obama, whose parents met in Hawaii, Judge rejects Polanski bid to Review draw line under child sex case US judge on Monday rejected a Hanisee wrote in a filing to the court that motion by fugitive filmmaker Roman Polanski "wants answers-but will only show APolanski seeking assurances that he up if he likes the answers." "He forfeited his can return to the United States without fear right to make requests of the court when he of being jailed for having sex with a minor fled," she added. Braun, however, dismissed four decades ago. The Oscar-winning direc- the ruling as "one more attempt by the Los tor of "The Pianist" and "Chinatown" was Angeles Superior Court to cover up for past accused of drugging the 13-year-old before judicial misconduct." Polanski has been raping her at film star Jack Nicholson's engaged in a decades-long cat-and-mouse In this file photo, Harrison Ford greets fans during a Star house in Los Angeles in 1977. He admitted game with US officials seeking his extradi- Wars fan event in Sydney, Australia. — AP statutory rape after a number of more seri- tion for trial, before a global audience split ous charges were dropped, and spent an between continuing outrage and forgive- initial 42 days in jail before getting out on ness for his acts. He was arrested in bail ahead of his trial. But in 1978, convinced Switzerland in 2009 on a US extradition In this image released by STX Entertainment, Sam Clafin, left, and Gemma Arterton Harrison Ford a judge was going to scrap his plea deal and request and spent 10 months under house appear in a scene from, ‘Their Finest’. — AP send him to prison for decades, he fled for arrest before Bern rejected the US order. avoids action over near France and has been on the run ever since. His attorney Harland Braun told Los 'No sense' Angeles Superior Court the 83-year-old film- The United States then asked Poland to 'Their Finest' stylishly miss plane landing maker, who lives in Paris, had "already done extradite Polanski in January 2015, but the his time" and wanted to resolve the case country's Supreme Court ruled in December blends wit, romance in WWII ollywood star Harrison Ford is to avoid punishment with a finding that he has completed his that he had served his time under the plea over a near-miss at a California airport as he was pilot- sentence. He asked Judge Scott Gordon to deal. Braun has also written to Gordon to heir Finest " is a movie about mak- insider jokes, like when they go out to the Hing his private plane, his lawyer told AFP on Monday. order prosecutors to give some indication of unseal a secret transcript of the testimony of ing a movie, specifically a glossy past-his-prime actor Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Ford, a seasoned pilot and vintage plane collector, was how much time-if any-they want Polanski to Roger Gunson, the prosecutor in the "Tpropaganda film meant to bolster Nighy, always the scene stealer) for the approaching John Wayne Airport in Orange County in serve if he returns.

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