Medium Cool is a weekly series related to popular culture, mostly film, TV, and books, with some music and games thrown in. We hope it’s a welcome break from the anger, hate, and idiocy we see almost daily from the other side in the political sphere.
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Can we talk about Sidney Poitier and his views?
In Sidney Poitier in His Own Words, he says that:
[something something something] exemplifies that some of the restrictions in Hollywood were:un-acceptable
un-fair
un-necessary
un-American
un-Christian.
I was so pleased to see him calling out all of that, and so boldly! Especially the final two!
And then, possibly in the same speech, he talks about wanting to see more and Black, Brown, Asian (though he didn’t use that term) people in the film industry. Possibly mentioned directing, etc, beyond acting. I do not recall whether he included women in his list, but he seems to have been very self-aware, so I would be surprised if he hadn’t. He goes on to say… not just Black, Brown, Asian – but a mix of those races too. Then he comments that he and the people in the audience might not get to see that, but he hoped their children would.
Very forward-thinking. So very inspiring.
If someone with more time to search (than I have today) wants to look for the speech, I believe that at least the second part of what I am recounting was from when Sidney Poitier was given some sort of lifetime achievement award, and it was the same year that Denzel Washington won his first Oscar. I remember that detail because Denzel made some sort of funny remark about having been “chasing Sidney all his life” and now when he (Denzel) was finally getting his first award, Sidney was getting an award, too!
Anyway, we’re obviously not there yet. But are we getting there? Are we getting there quickly enough? Getting there in some ways, but not in others? For some races but not others? For some roles (actor, director, etc) but not others?
I know that for Queen Sugar, Oprah hired only female directors. Are women in the industry helping other women? Are males in the industry still mostly helping other men?
Discuss!
For those new to Medium Cool, these are not open threads.
pika
Can I recommend Percival Everett’s novel I am Not Sidney Poitier? The protagonist is literally named Not Sidney Poitier and also resembles the real Poitier. The antagonisms and confusion that result from his attempts to clarify that he is, indeed, Not Sidney launch him into situations that rewrite actual Poitier films, from Lilies in the Field to The Defiant Ones and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Also bonus: a character named Percival Everett who teaches a class on nonsense…
Suzanne
Nicole Kidman said, some years ago, that she would work with a female director at least every 18 months, in order to raise their prominence in the industry. Apparently she’s now made 15 movies with female directors.
TBone
I absolutely adore Mr. Poitier in everything, and especially in Lilies of the Field. He demonstrated how to do the walking & simultaneous balancing act on the thin, fine line highwire that Black people have had to navigate like acrobats. He did it with a spine of steel and with panache, too. I dearly love that man’s style and lifelong fortitude. He set an example of how to be human.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilies_of_the_Field_(1963_film)
If you love Mr. Poitier and haven’t seen this one yet, you won’t regret finding and watching I guarantee!
UncleEbeneezer
I think we are getting there, slowly. Shows like Snowfall, Black Lady Sketch Show, Lovecraft Country, Queen Sugar, Atlanta, Swarm, This Is Us etc. had very Black casts and production staffs. Beef really leaned into making its staff mostly Asian-American. Dark Winds and Reservation Dogs had a lot of Native Americans in front of and behind the cameras. And the best movie of the last several years, Barbie, did the same with women. And we are seeing more and more top line directors, producers, show runners etc. who aren’t the same old white dudes that dominated for so long. Still a very long way to go but very positive trends.
Starfish (she/her)
In the aftermath of the killing of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner, Sidney Poitier got money to the SNCC activists in Mississippi. He and Harry Belafonte went down to Mississippi and brought cash with them.
Professor Bigfoot
@TBone: I saw that movie many, many times growing up- it was one of my mom’s favorites.
lowtechcyclist
@Professor Bigfoot:
I saw that movie many, many times growing up- it was one of my mom’s favorites.
I’ve seen Poitier in a number of films, but I haven’t seen that one. Maybe I should consider Lilies of the Field.
pika
@TBone: Lilies OF the Field! How did I get that wrong! Thank you for the elegant correction
WaterGirl
@lowtechcyclist: Is that the film with the nuns?
What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?
I have to explore his filmography more. I’m embarrassed to say the only movie of his I’ve seen all the way through is a buddy action comedy called Shoot to Kill which co-starred Tom Berringer and a young Kirstey Alley of all people. He was good in it but it didn’t exactly demand the full range of his talent.
WaterGirl
I updated the post title to make it more clear that it’s not just about Sidney Poitier and his films.
WaterGirl
@What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?:
I highly recommend Sneakers.
In the Heat of the Night.
To Sir With Love.
WaterGirl
I see that it might have been better to have had something more light-hearted on this particular evening. Oh, well.
Doug R
I know Sidney’s Uptown Saturday Night series used very diverse crews.
Unfortunately they costar Bill Cosby.
WaterGirl
@Doug R:
I am not familiar with that. What was that about?
Just thinking about Bill Cosby in the same timezone as Sidney Poitier makes me think Poitier must have HATED that an early black star like Bill Cosby did what he did, which could have undone all the good Sidney Poitier did.
Doug R
@WaterGirl:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Saturday_Night
TBone
@lowtechcyclist:
@Professor Bigfoot:
Mr. Poitier won an Oscar for Lilies of the Field, the first time a Black person won since Hattie McDaniel did in 1939. That’s too long a time.
TBone
@pika: you got the heart of it!
prostratedragon
@WaterGirl: Yes. Haven’t seen it in years, but as I recall it applied some gentle humor to the ironies of the situation from Poitier’s character perspective, and was well-played by all.
Tehanu
@UncleEbeneezer: I don’t really follow what’s going on in Hollywood in either TV or movies, so I can’t add anything, but you’re right that those are hopeful trends. The one thing I can say about Sidney Poitier is that I met him briefly once — my husband used to play tennis at the same courts and his tennis friend Bill Macy introduced them, and when I came to pick hubby up, I was introduced as well — and he was so friendly and courteous and, well, just impressive, I’ve never forgotten it.
CCL
@TBone: so odd story … that movie was filmed very close to where my grandparents lived. Oklahoma was filmed near my great grandparents’ ranch.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
Don’t overlook women directors in TV.
If you spend any time watching Nordic Noir or tons of other killer/murder stuff that we watch via MHZ Choice, you’ll see tons a women directors. That seems to be more of an avenue for work than films.
TBone
@CCL: cool!
TBone
@prostratedragon: the fictional nuns in the film had emigrated to Arizona after escaping over the Berlin Wall. The film also featues Mexican actors and the female lead, Lilia Skala (who plays Mother Superior), escaped from the Nazis in Austria IRL.
NotMax
@comrade scotts agenda of rage
Yes to MHz Choice.
Only flaw is the inability to change the color of the subtitles. White subtitles often don’t play well with Nordic landscapes.
AM in NC
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: We got MHZ Choice because of someone here recommending it, and it’s been great! Although my younger kid mocks us for watching a steady diet of detective shows not in English.
It’s very cool to see the way the different judicial and political systems function. And interesting to see the tonal differences in between dramas from different nations.
Didn’t think about all the women working in these tv shows, but you’re right.