Monday, June 14, 2010

The Classics 001

I read a recent blog that expressed concerns of theatre students not knowing who came before them.


Part of getting older is the agonizing experience of having a conversation later in life with a younger person, and having that younger person not even remotely recognize the person's name that you have just mentioned. Inspirational, incredibly talented icons, whom you've worshiped for years, suddenly fall by the wayside and it is devastating that other people much younger than yourself could not have known these amazing performers. And now, with the hideous creation of reality tv, we follow brainless morons with no talent whatsoever, who acquire their 15 minutes of fame, and because of this have opportunities granted to them (like starring in a Broadway Show for example) without any training or actual knowledge of the craft, and obtain jobs that real performers who have studied and molded their talent for years, would die at the chance to be in their shoes. Reflecting back, I was not given much knowledge of other actors who came before me. I learned of musical theatre composers, lyricists, and choreographers when I was in school, but when it came to the actual actors and actresses in shows or plays, I was pretty clueless as to who they were unless I watched old movies and really paid attention to who each character was portrayed by. I couldn't tell you the names of many of the actors today, because I simply do not get out much, nor do I pay attention to these things. But now is a different time, with thousands of shows and cable channels and actors to access, and there are not enough hours in the day to keep up with everything. Back in the day, before cable, our viewing was more restricted and it was much easier to keep up to date on everything. We had real entertainment, with people who were really talented - variety shows, comedians, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, reporters who cared more about what was broadcast, unlike the mindless drivel that we see on air today - things like eating bugs, projectile vomiting, acting like a stupid trashy whore, and getting into either physical or verbal brawls. When I sit down and really think of what we're becoming - sitting around watching this idiotic nonsense, getting fat, it genuinely disgusts me and makes me want to promote change. So, because of this blog and it's sentiment, I have decided to not only educate myself, but also educate others on some of the classics. They make you think!

My first entry? A movie review of:

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Starring:

Spencer Tracy              as Matt Drayton
Katharine Hepburn    as Christine Drayton
Katharine Houghton  as JoAnna (Joey) Drayton

Sidney Poitier             as Dr. John Prentice
Beah Richards             as Mrs. Prentice
Roy E. Glenn Sr          as Mr. Prentice

Cecil Kellaway            as Monsignor Ryan
Isabell Sanford           as Tillie


This movie is about race relations in the 1960s. It was very controversial at the time, and sadly is still a touchy situation in some places today. At the beginning of the movie we learn that Joey, the pretty young white girl, has very quickly fallen in love (in a matter of weeks) in Hawaii with Dr. John Prentice, an older "negro" man. John is a doctor who is incredibly smart, well spoken and fabulous. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this man other than his "pigmentation problem". Joey brings him to her enormous California home to meet her liberal parents, whom she is positive will just love her new beau. Her father, Mr. Drayton, owns a liberal paper and has spoken out about issues he believes in, like the fact that people should not be prejudice. His own views are challenged when he meets his daughter's fiance. He has taught her not to be prejudice, but has issues concerning this marriage, and his own daughter or grandchildren experiencing the hardship of being part of an inter-racial family. John tells Mr. Drayton that if he disagrees with the marriage that he will walk away from Joey. Mr. Drayton can see that his daughter is completely in love with John, and that by his disapproval, he will risk losing his daughter forever. He has no idea what to do. He and his wife talk to the Monsignor about it. The Monsignor has married many inter-racial couples and though he acknowledges they are difficult, he believes that their bond is even stronger than "normal" couples because they have to fight for their love so much more. Even the maid Tillie has her own reservations about it. She says to John that she thinks he's just another black man trying to "marry up", and that she has raised that child since she was a baby, and if he ever hurts her, she is going to let him know what Black Power really is! To stir things up even more, suddenly we find that John's parents want to come see him and his new girl. They decide to fly down to meet them. Suddenly EVERYONE is coming to dinner. John and Joey pick up John's parents at the airport. They are also incredibly shocked at this strange new romance. We learn that the fathers are against the marriage, while the mothers are for it. One great moment in the film is when John is speaking to his father about is old beliefs. He says:

"Dad...you're my father. I'm your son. I love you! I always have and I always will. But you think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man." (I love me some Sidney Poitier!)


The turning point of the entire movie is when John's mother, Mrs. Prentice, has her pivotal monologue, speaking to Mr. Drayton privately about the situation, trying to convince him not to oppose their children's union:

"What happens to men when they grow old? Why do they forget everything? I believe those two young people need each other. Anybody can see that just by looking at them. But you and my husband are...you might as well be blind men! You can only see that they have a problem. But do you really know what's happened to them? How they feel about each other? I believe that men grow old and when sexual things no longer matter to them, they forget it all, forget what true passion is. If you've ever felt what my son feels for your daughter...you've forgot everything about it - my husband too. You knew once, but that was a long time ago. Now you don't know. And the strange thing for your wife and me is that you don't even remember. If you did, how could you do what you are doing?"

It turns out that after thinking about what Mrs. Prentice has said, that Mr. Drayton can and does remember the passion he feels for his wife, and this sways his opinion so he agrees to give his blessing to the happy couple. The decision is made, and they can finally have dinner.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER was directed Stanley Kramer, and in 1967, it was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. Katharine Hepburn won for her performance, and William Rose won for his screenplay. It's sad to me that we haven't come further in our beliefs and still harbor hatred towards groups of people different than ourselves. Maybe one day we can all be educated enough to really believe what is said in the Declaration Of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." All these years later, this movie still has the power to make you think about these issues. What a provocative movie!



The theme song for the movie is "The Glory Of Love".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ShkYcemgU&feature=related


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