Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (film 1967)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a 1967 American comedy-drama film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, and written by William Rose. It stars Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn, and features Hepburn’s niece Katharine Houghton.
The film was one of the few films of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light, as interracial marriage historically had been illegal in most states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—until June 12, 1967, six months before the film was released.
Roughly two weeks after Tracy filmed his final scene (and two days after his death), anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia.
The film is notable for being the ninth and final on-screen pairing of Tracy and Hepburn, with filming ending just 17 days before Tracy’s death.
Hepburn never saw the completed film, saying the memories of Tracy were too painful. The film was released in December 1967, six months after his death.In 1998, the film was ranked #99 on the 100 Years…100 Movies list, by the American Film Institute.In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. The film’s Oscar-nominated score was composed by Frank De Vol.In 1967, Joanna Drayton, a 23 year old white woman, returns from her Hawaiian vacation to her parents’ home in San Francisco with Dr. John Prentice, a 37 year old black widower.
The couple became engaged after a 10-day whirlwind romance. Joanna’s parents are Matt Drayton, a successful newspaper editor, and his wife, Christina, who owns an art gallery. Though both of the Draytons are liberal-minded, they are initially shocked their daughter is engaged to a man of a different race. Christina gradually accepts the situation, but Matt objects because of the likely unhappiness and seemingly insurmountable problems the couple will face in American culture.Cast.Spencer Tracy as Matt Drayton
Sidney Poitier as Dr. John Wade Prentice
Katharine Hepburn as Christina Drayton
Katharine Houghton as Joanna “Joey” Drayton
Cecil Kellaway as Monsignor Mike Ryan
Beah Richards as Mrs. Mary Prentice
Roy E. Glenn Sr. as Mr. John Prentice Sr.
Isabel Sanford as Tillie
Virginia Christine as Hilary St. George
Alexandra Hay as Carhop
Barbara Randolph as Dorothy
D’Urville Martin as Frankie.
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