Film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Essay - 1750 Words

Film: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Joanna Drayton returns unexpectedly from Hawaii to announce her engagement to an intelligent, accomplished, world traveling doctor. The only problem with the intended union is that he is African American and she is white. The Drayton’s come face to face with their own principles and realize that their daughter is the way they brought her up to be – non-prejudicial. Turmoil and anxiety ensue as Joanna insists that her parents give their approval by the end of the night. A dinner with both sets of parents follows, where the parents must come to terms with the bi-racial marriage. This film gives an insightful look into the realities of interracial marriage and proves to be useful in examining the†¦show more content†¦Parents, religious groups, as well as peer groups can all be teachers of culture. Tillie, the housekeeper, had a surprising reaction to the situation at hand. When she hears the news of the marriage she pulls John aside and makes several disturbing comments. The first was about, â€Å"a member of my own race getting above hisself,† and â€Å"civil rights is one thing, this something else.† Her behavior depicts that she could of been brought up to believe that the white race was above the black race. Her response was different from that of the two sets of parents, whom only seemed concerned due to the external problems the union would induce. Interpersonal communication tends to be a series of punctuated events. Punctuation is the tendency to divide communication transactions into sequences of stimuli and responses. Usually people punctuate continuous sequences of events into stimuli and responses to make a situation more convenient. How a person punctuates, or interprets a situation is crucial to interpersonal understanding. John is a practical, intelligent man and foresees the problems that may arise from their interracial marriage. He understands Joanna’s parents fears and concerns for their daughter’s welfare. He agrees not to go through with the marriage unless they approve. He loves Joanna and desires to marry her, however he doesn’t want her to do damage to her relationship with her parents in the process. The twoShow MoreRelatedEssay on Film Analysis Guess Who and Guess Whos Coming to Dinner1188 Words   |  5 PagesThe Hollywood movie Guess Who (2005) is a remake of Guess Whos Coming to Dinner (1967). Both films premises are about the same situation of an interracial marriage. The original revolved around a daughter bringing her black fiancà ©e to meet her white middle class family. This was a touchy and even controversial subject in 1967 but the film became an award winner. The 2005 update switches the roles around and with a stroke of genius we now have a white fiancà ©e meeting a black family. PersonallyRead More Film analysis Guess Who and Guess whos comming to dinner Essay1136 Words   |  5 Pages The Hollywood movie â€Å"Guess Who† (2005) is a remake of â€Å"Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner† (1967). Both film’s premises are about the same situation of an interracial marriage. The original revolved around a daughter bringing her black fiancà ©e to meet her white middle class family. This was a touchy and even controversial subject in 1967 but the film became an award winner. The 2005 update switches the roles around and with a stroke of genius we now have a white fiancà ©e meeting a black family. PersonallyRead MoreGuess whos coming to dinner2087 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Equality for All Stanley Kramer’s film, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, is about an interracial marriage between a black man and a white woman as well as the generational divide between the alarmed parents of both races and the optimistic young couple. There are aspects of the film that can be construed as progressive and influential for the era, the film more accurately serves as a reflection of the larger socio-political context of 1960’s America in regards to both attitudes of antagonism and acceptanceRead MoreGuess Who s Coming At Dinner Directed By Stanley Kramer1310 Words   |  6 PagesGuess Who’s Coming to Dinner directed by Stanley Kramer is a controversial movie from the late 1960’s. The premise of the film is a young white woman named Joey Drayton (Katharine Houghton); who falls in love with an older African American Doctor John Prentice, (Sidney Poitier). The new loving couple meets in Hawaii and after ten days of knowing each other are engaged. Joanna D rayton sees no difference between her and John, she is in love and ready to marry her new fiancà ©, She insist he meet herRead MoreAmericas Reaction to a Mixed Race Couple517 Words   |  2 Pagescame into its own. The 1967 film, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, produced by Columbia Pictures and directed by Stanley Kramer, depicts Joey Drayton (Katharine Houghton) and Dr. John Wade Prentice (Sidney Poitier) as a mixed race couple who leave Hawaii to go back to her family’s home to surprise her parents, Mr. Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) and Mrs. Christina Drayton (Katharine Hepburn) in San Francisco, California. Joey later invites Dr. Prentice’s parents to dinner who then fly in from Los AngelesRead MoreThes View Of Reality1500 Words   |  6 Pagesthat Sidney first encountered cinema (PBS.org). It is stated that, â€Å"even at a young age, Sidney recognized the ability of cinema to expand one’s view of reality† (PBS.org). It was in an interview th at, â€Å"Poitier later told Frank Spotnitz in American Film that his father had a wonderful sense of himself. Every time I took a part, from the first part, from the first day, I always said to myself, This must reflect well on his name (Notablebiographies.com). While living in the capital, Nassau, PoitierRead MoreThe Black Of Black And 70s1188 Words   |  5 Pagescharacter and culture has not always been a predominant figure in films like they are today. The display of the African American culture in film has progressed through the years. It has progressed by the change of racism displayed on screen, the character roles, and the emergence black figures and society in motion pictures. (How racism is depicted in the films- Black face-we would see it again) With movies such as Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Shaft, Do The Right Thing, and Madea’s Family Reunion. PeopleRead MoreEvolution Of Racist Portrayals Of Film And Television1644 Words   |  7 Pages Prof. Eye. EN 101B November 27, 2014 Evolution of Racist Portrayals in Film and Television. The most common, if not one of the most common methods the morals and perceptions of American society are shaped is through our own storytellers in Hollywood. Filmmakers, writers, and producers for both cinema and television make it their career to create works that tell a compelling story. On occasion, American Society will be reflected in these works, which raises the question: do the works influence societyRead MoreThe Civil Rights And Black Power Movement2608 Words   |  11 Pagesof the Civil Rights/Black Power movement of the 60s. The two films that are being examined are Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) and Nothing But A Man (1964). Both films feature African-American characters as more than subservient supporting cast members such as maids, and servants. It reflects America’s progressing social attitudes as a result of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Throughout this paper, I will argue that films like the aforementioned reflect America’s c hanging social attitudesRead MoreRacism : A Social Problem And Controversial Issue Around The World Essay2108 Words   |  9 PagesYue Zheng Prof. Aili Bresnahan PHL 324 12/10/2016 Racism in Film Racism is a social problem and controversial issue around the world, which defines the different cultures, ethical principles, and values. These bring some deviances and conflicts to the different classes of people in the society. Also, a racial difference created an inherent superiority for a particular race and was a major factor to determine a person s traits and capacities including skin color, inherent culture, religion and