To Sir, with Love

Those schoolgirl days of telling tales and biting nails are gone
But in my heart, I know they will still live on and on
but how do you thank someone
who has taken you from crayons to perfume?
It isn't easy, but I'll try.

If you wanted the sky
I would write across the sky in letters
That would soar a thousand feet high
To Sir, with love.

The time has come
For closing books, and long last looks must end
And as I leave
I know that I am leaving my best friend
A friend who taught me right from wrong
And weak from strong
That's a lot to learn
What, what can I give you in return?

If you wanted the moon
I would try to make a start
But I would rather you let me give my heart
To Sir, with love

Prior to Poitier's breakout role in 1950, the history of African-Americans in the motion picture industry has been checkered at best. Reflective of the attitudes of a largely racist nation, Black actors and filmmakers had been relegated to second-class citizenry. 35 years early, D.W. Grifith's racist manifesto, "Birth of a Nation" had become a cultural phenomenon even counting the sitting President, Woodrow Wilson as a fan.

While several moguls moved from east and created Hollywood, lone filmmaker and visionary Oscar Michauex was one of a few filmmakers that had the resources (barely) and imagination to tell our stories. Early Black actors struggled initially making the transition from silent to talking pictures and then dealing with a limited amount of roles which found them as butlers, servants, labor and criminals. Early stars such as Paul Robeson, Lena Horne, Lincoln Perry (Stephit Fetchit), Herb Jeffries, Nina McKinney, Spencer Williams, Mantan Moreland, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson found that because of the racism that existed in the South that their work could easily be cut out of films and then reinserted when their films played in the North.

Against all odds and in a matter that was unprecedented came Poitier. Possessing dashingly handsome looks, steely intensity and a deep-inner fire to succeed. Armed with that it took a leap of faith by studio chief Darryl Zanuck and director Joseph Mankiewicz to cast Poitier in the lead of the 1950 film "No Way Out." Poitier's searing feature film debut told the story of a doctor tending to slum residents whose ethics are put to the test when confronted with blind racism. Possessing a rare sense of "watchability," Poitier would forever shatter the myth that a Black actor couldn't be a leading man in Hollywood by becoming the first "above the title" Black movie star.

By the close of the decade, it was apparent that Poitier was on his way to being a major film star. He received either BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) or Golden Globe Award nominations for three of his films, "Edge of the City," "The Defiants Ones" and "Porgy and Bess." After two more nominations for "A Raisin in the Sun," Poitier made history becoming the first Black man to win Best Actor for his performance as a handyman in "Lillies of the Field."

Sidney Poitier's Best Actor Oscar Acceptance Speech, 1964

With universal respect from his fears, Poitier was fearless breaking one barrier after the next. He released three landmark films in 1967, "To Sir With Love," "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," and was snubbed for any major awards. His reward was being named the "Top Box Office Star" for that year.

His clean cut image became passé for many younger filmgoers who were turned off his association with the "old guard" of the industry. After several more high-profile studio movies, Poitier turned his attention to directing. He made his debut also starring in the Western, "Buck and Preacher." Teaming with Bill Cosby, Poitier co-starred in three films, "Uptown Saturday Night," "Let's Do It Again" and "A Piece of the Action." In 1980, he directed Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder in the comedy, "Stir Crazy." The film grossed $101 million making Poitier the first black director to ever accomplish that feat.

While this trailblazer's star was on the decline, the torch would be passed to another young actor who possessed many of the same traits that Poitier had in his youth. This actor would build on Poitier's legacy and take it to heights never afforded to him. In a more open society, Denzel Washington has eclipsed Poitier as the most highly decorated Black actor in Hollywood history. A five-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner, Washington should have FOUR Oscars, but that's another story for another day.

Sidney Poitier Salutes Denzel Washington on His Oscar Win

Meanwhile the impact of Poitier's career was not just that he opened the door but that now a need breed of actors including Will Smith, Forest Whitaker, Don Cheadle, Djimon Hounsou, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx and Washington have carved significant niches within the fabric of the Hollywood fimmaking community establishing their own legacies.

It was fitting at the 2002 Oscars that not only would Poitier receive an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievment that both Halle Berry and Washington would take home Best Actress and Actor on the same night. Poitier said it best that Washington's remarks were "the culmination of his career."

One of the charter members of the "O-Unit" (The Oscar Unit), Poitier's impact was so great that to measure his career you have to think of B.S (Before Sidney) and A.S. (After Sidney). For many actors of color today, Black, Hispanic and Asian, they enjoy relative success in Hollywood. While we still have a lot of work today, we need to take time to reflect on one of the true cinematic giants, Sidney Poitier, who dreamed a dream of a better tomorrow that not only came true but will continue to benefit all of us through the end of time - and that surely is no B.S.!

Sidney Poitier Accepting His Honorary Oscar, 2002

       When families had to seek jobs and living conditions that allowed them to survive; they were often seperated from one another.  In those days and before...when family had to become distanced from one another they kept in contact by writing letters, journals or diaries; or in cases of emergency, they sent a telegram.  Phones became the next form of communication and true to form; technology is leading the edge of communication in today's relationships.  Cell phones, email, computers with instant chat, faxes combined with air travel, train, busses and boats are our links to one another.  Many families just don't have the advantage of living as close to one another as they would like to be physically present in each other's daily lives.  Because families don't get lots of time together...alot of our conversations are spent on surface things...or skimming the surface of what's happening with one another. 

        It doesn't go without notice that many people are surrounded by lots of people but are lonelier than they have ever felt.  Family support, often is non-existant; or ,not consistent enough to give children a foundation upon which to build their own families when the time comes.  Divorce has played a part...but, we all crave closeness and support in spite of such adversities.

       That is why i have been interested to hear about those who are finding ways of reaching out to their family and friends in ways that will cement their relationships, in no uncertain terms.  Last winter, i took a course on documenting memories or experiences in a written form; so that future generations can have a window into how we each thought, felt, or acted in any given circumstance.  The instructor just happened to be my former kindergarten teacher who i was reconnecting with some 30 odd years later :).  She impressed upon us all the value of passing on memories and experiences to those that we cherished in our lives. 

      This week i heard about a celebrity who was doing something similar, in his own way.  Sidney Poitier has written a book for his great granddaughter.  He decided to write down things of importance for him to share with his granddaughter.  He is in his 80's and his great granddaughter is now somewhere around 2 or 3 years of age.  He talks of how he was moved to put into written word, things that had relevance for him to communicate to his family member when he was standing in the room with four generations of his family after her birth. 

       Why do we wait until some monumentual moment in our lives to make these decisions; we all have value to share with one another.  It is a form of sharing and caring to be able to "talk" about issues that are near and dear to our hearts with those that we love.  It is our legacy to each other.  When we are gone...everything we think and feel goes with us; unless we have taken action to preserve such things.  Who do you wish to connect with; and what is it that you wish to tell them?  Don't waste another moment...make the time...it doesn't have to be a novel...don't worry about grammar or form...just write it down...you will be glad that you did.  The words you leave behind may just help to influence the next generation when all of the "other" voices they hear may not have their best interest at heart like you do!

From Jeremy O. at LAist:

Barack Obama is scheduled to ask Hollywood's most celestial bigwigs to open up its pocket books on Tuesday during a fundraiser in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It will be Obama's first Los Angeles appearance after securing the Democratic presidential nomination.

Slated to attend: Samuel L. Jackson, Seal, Heidi Klum, Sidney Poitier, Will.i.am, Cedric the Entertainer, Dennis Quaid, Kal Penn, Ari Emanuel, Ron Meyer, Bryan Lourd, Mike and Irena Medavoy, Jim Wiatt and Sherry Lansing.

Glaringly absent? Steve Carell, aka Agent 86, aka Maxwell Smart, who manages to save the President in the movie (apologies for the spoiler).

1. How many conferences do you address on an annual basis?
2. Do you enjoy this aspect of your career? Or is this just part of the job of being an older and somewhat retired celebrity?
3. Who writes your speeches?
4. When Sidney Poitier has IT trouble, who does he call?
5. Who does your books? How tough is it to manage a celebrity's finances?
6. What's Sidney Poitier's worst job EVAH?
7. Is that a purple or a pink shirt that you're wearing, Mr. Poitier? (It's nice. Looks trendy, actually.)
8. Have you ever had a need for HR support, Mr. Poitier? When Sidney Poitier needs to hire someone, who helps you?
9. How did you learn how to speak in such a wonderful, rhythmic cadence, Mr. Poitier? You could read the classifieds and it would sound like poetry.
10. Give me an example of a time you successfully completed a project, Mr. Poitier. What was it? What was your role? Was the project on-time? Did you meet your budget?

Sidney Poitier just commented on the overall beauty of the women of SHRM. It's funny, but I wonder if the tool & dye machinists convention or the flight attendant convention that he'll address at some point will be just as pretty?

crédit photo : eden elizabeth

"I had chosen to use my work as a reflection of my values."

"History passes the final judgment."

Heureuse coincidence.  Au gré de la télécommande, je tombe sur une entrevue avec Harry Belafonte, invité à l'émission « Our World » à CBC Newsworld.  Même si le type a vieilli un brin, des souvenirs réapparaissent.  Dans les années soixante, Belafonte et Sidney Poitier représentaient pour plusieurs l'exception de la règle.  La commauté noire américaine était la grande absente du cinéma et de la télévision.  Les jazzmen commençaient à peine à recevoir une forme de respect.

De la hauteur de ses 81 ans, Belafonte connaît bien l'Amérique.  Pour lui, l'opportunité qui est offerte à Barack Obama par le peuple américain est un événement important pour son pays et toute la planète.  Il nous rappelle que certains présidents américains ont fait preuve de courage afin d'apporter de grands changements : F.D Roosevelt et son New Deal ont révolutionné le rôle de l'état en temps de crise, John Kennedy a su redonner espoir aux américains.  L'acteur était un bon ami de Martin Luther King et a souvent endossé des causes politiques et pacifistes sans craindre les réactions de l'industrie du spectacle.

Harry Belafonte est convaincu que le peuple peut briser l'ordre des choses.  Mais il demande aux citoyens s'ils sont vraiment prêts à provoquer de vrais changements.   Pour lui, la constitution américaine est claire : le pouvoir est au citoyen.  Il nous rappelle que le peuple a le pouvoir d'élire des représentants et de leur retirer ce pouvoir lorsque nous en avons l'occasion.  Les élections présidentielles de l'automne prochain sont donc cruciales : un vote pour Obama pourrait devenir la porte de sortie vers de vrais changements.  Le moment est approprié : le prochain président des Etats-Unis aura le pouvoir de retirer les troupes de l'Irak, il pourra tourner le dos au lobby des pétrolières, il devra enrayer la pauvreté, les injustices et la violence.  Comme nous le rappelle Belafonte, il n'est pas normal que la plus grande puissance économique et militaire au monde compte plus de citoyens en prison que dans les universités...

La globalisation des marchés devait faciliter la répartition de la richesse, enrayer la pauvreté et garnir les assiettes des plus démunis de la planète.  La population de rend bien compte que la situation est toute contraire!  Si les américains veulent de réels changements, ils devront donner une chance à Obama tout en le rappelant à l'ordre régulièrement.  Les canadiens eux devront se débarasser des conservateurs et exiger un vrai programme de réduction des gaz à effet de serre, une meilleure répartition des richesses et une vraie reconnaissance aux peuples amérindiens.  Les québécois devront préciser un jour ce que signifie réellement leur soif de solidarité et la définition de leur richesse collective.  Il nous faudra bien choisir un jour entre nos obsessions égoistes et une authentique justice pour tous, sans aucune exception.

Photo : Filipe Moreira - Flickr

To the unknowing, "Show business" can be an illusive invalid as well as a glamorous occupation. There was a time, however, when for the black performer, it was not too illusive nor was it an invalid. For many years, being in show business was fabulous and most times glamorous. It was fabulous in 1821 when the African Company, with John Hewlett as its star, presented the classics at Brown's Theatre on Bleecker and Mercer Sts., in what was later to become Greenwich Village. The company was so successful that they graciously made a partition in the back of the house to accommodate the whites. It was fabulous when Ira Aldridge was world famous for his portrayals of Othello and the Moor in "Titus Andronicus"; when the black performer decided to make some of the big money being made by the minstrel shows that imitated him by imitating the imitators; and when the Lafayette Players sent two acting companies a season with such stars as Laura Bowman, Abbie Mitchell, Clarence Brooks, Frank Wilson, Rose McClendon and many others.

When Harlem had little theatre groups like the Allied Re players, the Rose McClendon Players, The American Negro Theatre, The Suitcase Theatre and various church groups -- these groups were the proving grounds for Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Frederick O'Neal, Earle Hyman, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Alice Childress and on and on -- these were more of the fabulous days! It was fabulous when Williams and Walker captured the crowned heads of Europe with their production of "In Dahomey," and when Broadway would present at least two major black productions a year, such as "Shuffle Along," "Liza," "Africana," "Running Wild," "Chocolate Dandies," "Blackbirds," "7 Come 11," plus large touring musicals like "The Models," and "Desires." The glamor was evident when we had not two but many film stars like Clarence Muse, Nina Mae McKinney, Daniel Haynes and matinée idol, Lorenzo Tucker.

It was fabulous when Oscar Micheaux, Toddy and Million Dollar Films produced rather good films without using the trite racial conflicts so overworked by Hollywood. I might add that Oscar Micheaux produced, wrote, directed and edited his films and we haven't had one black person or company attempt to take his place in this lucrative field that has a ready market hungry for such a product. No, the films were not all fabulous, nor were the stage productions, but the artists were great and they were able to learn and practice their trade in the only way possible...by working at it.

It was fabulous when every social gathering hired a black band and the choices were Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Noble Sissle, Eddie South, Chick Webb, or one of many small singing and playing combos all over the country; when Harlem was peppered with night spots like the Cotton Club, Dickie Wells', Connie's 101 Ranch, and the Plantation, with full stage shows and not just weekend combos; when Harlem had not just one theatre with stage presentations, but the Lafayette, the Odeon, the Lincoln and the Alhambra with full stage shows every night in the week; when variety theatres over the country didn't feel that they had a good "bill" unless there was a black act starred; when the performer could be certain of at least fifty weeks a year on tour, with shows managed, written and staged by blacks; and when there were scores of chorus girls and show girls plus many singing and dancing novelty acts.

From these opportunities came the stars like Florence Mills, George Walker, Josephine Baker, Bessie Smith, Ada Ward, Ethel Waters, Bob Cole and Bert Williams. It was fabulous when we had serious singers like Caterina Jarboro, Marian Anderson, Etta Moten, Roland Hayes, Hall Johnson Choir, Paul Robeson, and Black Patti and when we had the Helmsley Winfield Dancers, the Van Grona Negro Ballet and the always working and touring Katherine Dunham group. It was fabulous when we had comics like Tim Moore, and a host of fine straight men like Slick Chester. These performers would be tops today without the aid of the black face make-up that was their stock in trade.

I don't want to convey the notion that we don't have great artists today, for we well know that we have. I am saying, however, that we have too few in some fields and none at all in others. Sadder still is the fact that we have few places for our talented young people to get their feet wet and few producres to give them the opportunity to prove their talent. If you look into the backgrounds of the stars of today, such as Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Sammy Davis, Jr., you will find that they all started in small bistros, churches, and experimental theatres in Harlem or in their hometowns where their own people had faith in their ability and gave them the initial help and chance of exposure to eventually make the grade. Believe me when I tell you the big Broadway agents didn't snap them up for the big money jobs until they were well on their way to stardom. I have said all this to express that, if the old invalid of black show business would throw away the crutch of the white producer, director, writer and agent and would crawl backward, black performers just might once again become fabulous and success not so illusive.

The names in this Directory are those show biz folk who have achieved recognition in some way and who serve as building blocks to inspire those who are still unknown in the performing arts

Kenn Freeman, Historian

Negro Actors Guild

Very few actors of our time never have to worry about being typecasted. Nor is typecasting always necessarily a negative thing. Vincent Price was typecasted for a number of years—and it nearly drove him crazy—yet he ended up being a part of an enormously popular film movement that made him a huge star. Sometimes, an actor or actress comes along at just the right moment with just the right attitude and/or appearance. Sidney Poitier once said: “I’d hate for my gift—or whatever—to be circumscribed by color.” Yet, as we all know, Sidney Poitier was the first really famous African-American leading man. As a result, his rise to fame was totally defined by race-specific parts.

Nevertheless, there was still some room left for differentiation among the characters he played. The 1967 Academy Award nomination for Best Picture brought two of his most dissimilar roles together in one category. Mark Harris, author of Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood, classified Norman Jewison’s In the Heat of the Night as a “drama about race,” and Stanley Kramer’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner as a “comedy about race.” The truth be told, the two films are probably closer to being documentaries than either of the aforementioned genres. Both tell stories of exactly what had been going on America up until that point. While there is certainly no question as to Heat of the Night’s superiority, analyzing the two films together exemplifies a distinction between the ways in which a sensitive subject may be presented.

John Ball’s novel, In the Heat of the Night, received a number of changes for its film adaptation in order to better play off the Civil Rights Movement. Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a Pennsylvania homicide detective stuck in Sparta, Mississippi under the orders of Bill Gillespie (excellently played by Rod Steiger), the considerably racist local Police Chief. Tibbs, in his passion for justice, struggles to assist the bigoted Sparta police force in their search for a murderer. While the identity of the murderer is not yet known, it takes Tibbs considerable time just to prove his own innocence. Despite his incomprehensible patience and resilience with the locals, Tibbs’s detective work is constantly disturbed by acts of extreme prejudice. Before too long though, he manages to show his true skill and win some reasonable level of respect from Chief Gillespie and a few others.

After completing In the Heat of the Night, Poitier was fortunate enough to appear in what would be Spencer Tracy’s last film. As far as acting is concerned though, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is all about Katharine Hepburn. Among all the talent featured in the film, she alone manages to exhibit a true emotional attachment to the story’s dilemma. However, the film’s casting actually seems to be more important than its acting. Poitier, Hepburn, and Tracy had all proven their talents in on-screen, but now they were going to be pit against each other in a game of tolerance. The classic Hollywood couple plays Matt and Christina Drayton, who come home to find their daughter, Joey (Katharine Houghton), engaged to an African-American. Dr. John Wade Prentice (Poitier) is the very definition of Mr. Right, except for the fact that he’s not Caucasian. The otherwise totally perfect black guy character had already been pretty overdone by this point, but not in a film with such a strange cast. Old Hollywood Hepburn and Tracy struggle to cope with the idea of their daughter marrying New Hollywood Sidney Poitier. As opposed to Heat of the Night, where racism is a common, understood, and unspoken issue, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner suggests that the whole family sit down and have a little talk about intolerance.

Just to clarify, it was In the Heat of the Night that won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, not Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Norman Jewison’s directing, Haskell Wexler’s cinematography, and the combined talents of Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger proved an unstoppable filmmaking force. In fact, Wexler was the first to recognize the need for a considerable change in lighting when filming an African-American. These changes greatly benefited Poitier, whose acting talent is largely dependent on subtle changes in his facial expression. Steiger, in the most demanding part he ever played, also contributed to the success of Poitier’s performance. Steiger’s portrayal of Bill Gillespie suggests a conflicted sense of prejudice, which deepens the relationship built between the two stars. Surprisingly, In the Heat’s portrayal of racism seemed to make more sense to audiences than that made by Guess Who’s Coming. The latter film makes a lot of good points about racism and is an incredibly well made (there must be some reason it was nominated for an Oscar), but Jewison’s film is just spot-on perfect for how America felt at the time (whether those below the Mason-Dixon line would admit it or not). Racism creates more tension when it is insinuated, but not actually discussed.

One element that Guess Who’s Coming touches on more so, however, is the suggestion of prejudice against Caucasians, as well as African-Americans. When Dr. Prentice’s parents are clued into the suggested inter-racial marriage, they are no more accepting or tolerant than the Drayton family. The elder Prentice makes the case that, after the years of hard work he put in just so his son could go to college, he must have some say in the boy’s future. He then asserts that marrying some white girl will hurt the boy’s otherwise great reputation and perhaps restrict his opportunities in life. Furthermore, he suggests that their children may one day have a difficult time making friends or getting a good job. But, the younger Prentice responds by saying, “You think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man.” The elder Prentice bears the birthmark of a transition generation; African-Americans may have been free, but they certainly were not equal. Poitier’s character may not have been able to pursue such a love interest had he lived 30 years earlier. Luckily, he is now able to look at his opportunities in life as just a human being and can expect to be judged more by the “content of his character” than the color of his skin. Yet, at the same time, he fully acknowledges the radicalness of his marriage proposal. While Poitier’s response may be the most pivotal line of the entire film, the concept it suggests is not touched upon ever again in the film.

In the Heat of the Night, on the other hand, alludes to this concept in several ways. Most notable is when Virgil is over at Chief Gillespie’s home one night for a drink. Gillespie looks Virgil straight in the eyes and says, “Well I think that you're the first human being that's ever been in here,” implying that he is no longer a “funny n***** boy from Philadelphia.” He may certainly not be a friend of Gillespie’s, but at least the old man can see him as an equal. Tibbs, however, seems to be somewhat blind to race. To a detective such as himself, people are either going to be helpful, unhelpful, or somehow resistant to help. In one scene, Tibbs tracks down a local African-American abortionist named Mama Caleba who had supposedly been helping out the girlfriend of the man Tibbs believes to be the murderer. Although she treats Tibbs as one of her own, she also seems to be withholding information. Tibbs threatens to throw her in jail just the same as anyone else. “There's white time in jail and there's color time in jail,” Tibbs says very frankly. “The worst kind of time you can do is color time.” Sidney Poitier as Dr. Prentice is concerned with the struggle between black and white, while Virgil Tibbs worries more about the guilty versus the innocent.

Despite the fact that his ethnicity was once again a plot element, Sidney Poitier was very excited about making In the Heat of the Night. While Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner paired him with two of Hollywood’s greatest legends, it is a film about prejudice before anything else. In the Heat of the Night is arguably a detective story, but with a racial intolerance twist. Both were great milestones, yet never before and never since has one actor done two such incredibly different films, which concern the same issue and were released within the same year. An African-American had never held the lead role in a detective story before, nor had he ever talked back to Spencer Tracy. Nevertheless, the Academy actually got it right in 1967 as In the Heat of the Night addresses the issue of race much more effectively than Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. There may never be another African-American actor as legendary as Sidney Poitier. But, then again, he would probably prefer to be remembered as just an actor, instead of an African-American one.

With a cast of greats including; Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Ackroyd, Ben Kingsley, David Strathairn and the late River Pheonix, Sneakers sees a group of genuinely fine performers revelling in an opportunity to have a little fun. Sometimes the enjoyment that must of come from making a film like this can be almost tangible on-screen, and there's not better example of that than here. 

The movie itself is a lighthearted thriller about computers and cryptography, government and espionage, secrets and deception and betrayal. Sounds complicated at first, but even as a child it was easy to follow and never does it take the unnecessary plunge into complexity some films dealing with similar subject matter have been guilty of.

Director Phil Alden Robinson (Field of Dreams) should also take his lions share of the lavish praise being handed out. Throughout the film the shot composition and lighting is beautiful without ever being flashy or distracting, the pace is perfect, almost Sunday afternoon-like in its gentle saunter and the Jazz saxophone soundtrack sets a perfect background to something that wasn't meant to be an enlightening, powerful or heart-rendering piece of entertainment - it was meant to be enjoyable, and it scores top marks in that department.

I can vividly recall renting Sneakers with my brother and friends as a child and watching it one rainy afternoon when we couldn't find our entertainment outdoors. 16 years later in drizzly, over-cast Bristol I'm just about to do the exact same thing again - the good things, you never grow out of.

Who are your biggest influences in film?
Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith convinced me to move to Los Angeles and try to make a go at being a writer/director. Growing up I was influenced storytelling wise, by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Charlie Chaplin.

What is your favorite movie?
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. I love how it talks about the labels we give ourselves (and others) and how love is universal. It also helps grounded as a daughter and as a mother. It’s a fantastically wise movie with amazing performances by Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn.

Best line from a film?
“Do or do not. There is no try” The Empire Strikes Back.

What is the experience of making a movie like?
If you’re the director or the writer, it’s like mentally being put into a blender. Its long days of high adrenaline, quick thinking, and anything and everything can go wrong (or right) in a moment’s notice. I put every ounce of energy into making a film and generally crash hard after wrapping a film.

You also write fiction and non-fiction pieces. Which do you prefer?
Fiction, I love creating characters and putting them in incredible circumstances. But my non-fiction voice is so different and many times, a lot more fun to write.

Who is your favorite writer?
Debra A. Kemp

What is your favorite book?
The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell. I read it before every fiction project I write.

I know you have a passion for music. What are the first five songs on your iPod/MP3 player right now?
Right now I’ve got a screenplay idea germinating and I write to music, so it’s "Night Moves," by Bob Seger, "Romeo & Juliet," by Dire Straits, "The Load Out," by Jackson Browne, "A-Punk," by Vampire Weekend and, "I Don’t Like Monday’s," by the Boomtown Rats.

You're the president of IWG- the Indy Writer's Group. How did that come about?
When I lived in Savannah, GA I had an amazing writing group. When I moved to Indy, I struggled to find that same kind of laid back group, so a few weeks after moving to Indy I started IWG. I knew I needed it and if I needed it than others must too. I met some amazing writers through IWG the talent that is in this city is incredible.

If you could be anything other than human, what would you be?
A movie theater.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Dublin, Ireland.

What can readers expect to see from you?
I’m working on a movie memoir called The Red Coat. It’s my life told through the movies that changed and shaped my life. I’m also working a new short film called, Shoki’s Bag, it’s a mythic tale about letting go of your shame.

Let's talk politics for just a minute. Who's your candidate and why?
I am so on the fence. I’m not jazzed about the candidates at this point.

You're married, a mother of 2, a writer and film maker. Wow! How do you do it?
My girls are my inspiration. I remember the day when my youngest was still in diapers and speaking in baby talk and I was telling her “Honey, you can be anything you want in this life. Don’t let anyone take away your dreams.” Then I thought, I can’t just say this, I have to show her this. I work each day to show my girls that dreams are not handed to you; you work for them. They are not jI’m good at and I have to do ust a figment imagination, they are achievable, you can touch them. I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker, it’s what it. At this point, I don’t have much of a choice, it fills my soul. Because of my children, I am living my dream.

Crystal Ball: Where will Kate Chaplin be in 5 years?
My youngest daughter will be in school by then, so my guess is busier. I’ll be onto making feature films by then, continuing to do workshops, seminars and panels. I’ll be making movies and talking about movies. I’m a simple girl, making movies and talking about movies, that was me 5 years ago, and that will be me 5 years from now.

Directed by Stanley Kramer

Starring Tony Curtis, Sidney Poitier

Awards: Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen

In the same genre of movies like Cold Hand Luke and Midnight Run, The Defiant Ones, is the ultimate prisoner-on-the-run movie. The classic pairing of Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier as racist Joker and Noah respectively creates a building tension that satisfyingly culminates in one of the great on-screen friendships. Interesting shot choices from a cinematic viewpoint also lend to this film's artistic merit.

Noah and Joker are prisoners who loath each other and are chained together. Together they escape from a chain gang, and through numerous trials learn to respect and trust each other.At one point the duo is aided by a lonely woman and her son and their chains are broken. Following the woman's directions, Noah runs off into the swamp to safety and Joker stays behind. Joker later finds out the woman lied and led Noah into a trap and despite having everything he wants, runs to the swamp to help his friend.

There are several remakes out there of this film, including a crap 90's version with talented Laurence Fishborne and born-again hack Stephen Baldwin called Fled. Flee from it, see the original. Tense, entertaining, and topically controversial for its time.

Other Notable Films by this Director: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

7.4

When you're addressing power, don't expect it to crumble willingly. If you're going to say, "Hey now, look you guys, please look at what you did and look at yourselves and punish yourselves and at least try to square this thing, right?" -- well, you'll make even slower progress at that than you would expect. I mean, even the most modest expectations are going to be unfulfilled...

There are also people who say, "Hey, after thirty years of affirmative action, they've got it made. Black people -- it's their own fault if they can't make it today."

Yeah, well, of course they say that. And they say it not just about black people. They say it in every country. We did something for you people, whoever "you" are. And we think that's quite enough now.

That's the gist of it: we've done something, and we think it's enough. It may not be perfect, but it damn sure comes close to being okay. Now let us hear you applaud that for a little while. And thank us. And you can take that hat off your head when you come in here thanking us.

That's the way it is. But let's not get stuck there. We have miles to go before we sleep. We have lots to do, and some things just aren't going to get done, you know?

Questa volta vorrei parlare dell'importanza del perdono. Come già descritto nel nostro primo e fortunato articolo - è uno dei più letti - anche la scienza si sta dedicando allo studio dei benefici psicologici e fisici del perdono. E' vitale per noi poter perdonare. Significa recidere i legami, liberarsi dalle catene che ci impediscono di volare verso la gioia, che dovrebbe essere il nostro unico stato.

Il perdono è una qualità dell'agnya chakra, il punto energetico dove a livello fisico si formano i nostri pensieri. Se non riusciamo a perdonare, questo chakra si blocca e facciamo più pensieri del necessario. Per questo ci stanchiamo di più, perdiamo lucidità e commettiamo altri errori che concludono questo circolo vizioso facendoci innervosire.

Una persona fondamentale per la storia dell'umanità, da questo punto di vista, è stato Gesù Cristo. Ha dimostrato che si può perdonare tutto, in qualsiasi situazione. "Padre, perdonali perché non sanno quello che fanno". Queste parole esprimono la piena compassione per coloro che sono ignoranti e che stanno facendo del male.

Che dire di noi? Dobbiamo prenderLo ad esempio, per capire che possiamo perdonare tutto e liberarci da tutti i legami del nostro passato che ci impediscono di poter cambiare o solamente gioire dell'esistenza.

Un altro aspetto del perdono, spesso trascurato, è quello rivolto verso di noi. Perdonare noi stessi è fondamentale per accettare le nostre lacune e i nostri errori. Grazie a questo perdono possiamo liberarci dal senso di colpa che ci degrada e migliorare la nostra vita.

E' interessante leggere cosa diceva a riguardo Sidney Poitier:

Il perdono lavora in due modi, nella maggior parte dei casi. Le persone devono perdonare anche loro stesse, e questo dovrebbe essere un processo sacro.

E lungo la strada loro stessi realizzeranno che non c'è modo di vivere con le richieste della loro rabbia, con le esigenze del loro odio. Devono trovare la pace, perché non troveranno la pace dalle loro emozioni. (Fonte)

La parola perdono deriva dal verbo perdonare che ha origine da condonare, che a sua volta deriva dalla parola donare. Come sappiamo questa è un azione che deve essere fatta con il cuore, non può essere un mero esercizio mentale o intellettuale. Perdonare è come pensare con il cuore e amare con la nostra mente.

Lo stesso Dante descrive così il potere del perdono:

"Camera di perdon savio uom non serra

ché 'l perdonar è bel vincer di guerra."

come a voler indicare che il saggio non blocca il proprio chakra del perdono, proprio perché questo gli farà superare la difficoltà.

Anche il Mahatma Gandhi si espresse sul perdono. E' importante sapere cosa rispose alla domanda :"Supponiamo che si faccia avanti uno che ti copra di insulti. Dovresti lasciarti umiliare?"

"se ti senti umiliato, sei autorizzato a dare un ceffone al prepotente, o a fare quanto ti sembri più opportuno per ottenere il rispetto. L'uso della forza, in questo casso, sarebbe una conseguenza inevitabile, se non sei un vile. Ma se hai assimilato lo spirito della non-violenza, non ci sarebbe modo di farti sentire umiliato. Il tuo comportamento non-violento, allora, o farebbe sì che il prepotente si vergognasse di se stesso e quindi preverrebbe gli insulti, o ti renderebbe immune contro di essi, cosicché l'insulto resterebbe soltanto sulla bocca del prepotente e non ti toccherebbe affatto.[...] nessuno potrà mai disonorare un valoroso."

"La regola d'oro è di essere amici di tutto il mondo e di considerare l'umanità intera come una famiglia. Colui che distingue tra la propria famiglia e quella di un altro, diseduca i membri della sua famiglia e apre la strada alla discordia e alla irreligiosità. Non violenza significa perdonare le offese e non ripagare con la stessa moneta. Il perdono è l'ornamento dei forti, dice un proverbio in sanscrito. La non violenza non è un fatto meccanico. Essa è la più bella qualità del cuore e la si conquista con l'esercizio. Quando la si raggiunge appare come naturale, spontanea, e chi la possiede si domanda perché si sia fatta tanta fatica a conquistarla.

Cosa c'è di più naturale che restituire colpo su colpo, dice il bruto che è in noi. Che cosa può essere più naturale che ripagare l'offesa con il perdono, dice l'uomo che è in noi. Colui che ha recato offesa non sapeva quello che faceva. Perché l'offeso dovrebbe anche lui non sapere quello che fa?"

"la coscienza non è la stessa in tutti. Pertanto, mentra essa è una buona guida per la condotta individuale, l'imposizione di tale condotta a tutti sarebbe un'intollerabile interferenza nella libertà di coscienza degli altri. Hanno tutti una coscienza? [...] Il significato etimologico di coscienza è "conoscenza del vero". La definizione nel dizionario è "facoltà di distinguere tra ciò che è giusto e ciò che è ingiusto e di regolare di conseguenza la condotta." Queste parole spiegano in maniera stupenda quelle appena citate di Gesù. Da qui il consiglio di Gandhi : "Non giudicare gli altri. Sii giudice di te stesso e sarai veramente felice."

There is one important scene where Tibbs confronts Mr. Endicott.  He is the rich guy who pretty much runs the town, and was trying to stop the new factory from coming into town.  He viewed himself as a caretaker for the helpless black man.  He realizes they have come to question him about the murder of the Chicago businessman and slaps Virgil in the face.  He promptly strikes him back.

Endicott is shocked that Chief Gillespie does nothing.  Tibbs and Gillespie head to the car.  Gillespie realizes that Tibbs really ought to leave town now.  Tibbs asks for 2 more days to take that fat cat out of his house on the hill.

The light goes on for Gillespie.  "You're just like we are, ain't you?"  The light when on for me too, for I hadn't noticed that exchange before.

Tibbs looked down on white people just as much as white people looked down on him.  This seems to be the big obstacle in the whole discussion of race in America.  We seem reluctant to admit that many blacks look down on whites as much as many whites look down on blacks.  This is what shocked so many people about Rev. Wright's sermons.  This was not Chris Rock, who we expect to be outrageous.  But here was a pastor, a respected pastor in his community and denomination, speaking to a (mostly) black audience and saying many of the things white people are afraid to hear- many blacks really don't like or trust us.  And Obama just minimized it.

The obstacles are on BOTH sides of the fence.  And we'll never make any real progress unless we address this on both sides.  In some ways Rev. Wright's numerous comments (reality check, it is not an isolated slip of the tongue) deflate my hopes for racial reconciliation.  On the other hands, it reminds me how necessary it us for us to proclaim, believe and live out the gospel.  Sadly Rev. Wright felt content to play the victim rather than address the sins of the people under his care (which seems more the role of a sermon than the sins of those 'out there'.

Some other people have drawn some notorious finish lines. Following are actual quotes about famous personalities you know.

• “He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation.” (Vince Lombardi)
• “He lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” (Walt Disney)
• “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.” (Fred Astaire)
• “Why don’t you stop wasting peoples’ time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?” (Sidney Poitier)
• “Try another profession.” (Lucile Ball)
• “You’d better learn secretarial work or else get married.” (Marilyn Monroe)
• “You ain’t got it, kid. You ain’t got it. Now get out of here.” (Harrison Ford)
• “You will be a laborer all your life.” (Michael Caine)
• “Least Likely to Succeed” (Robin Williams)
• “We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on their way out.” (The Beatles)
• “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.” (Elvis Presley)
• “Hopeless as a composer” (Beethoven)
• “Unable and unwilling to learn” (Leo Tolstoy)
• "Mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams” (Albert Einstein)
• "Too stupid to learn anything” and “non-productive” (Thomas Edison)

These people went on to show that they weren't done running yet. They drew their finish lines much further back.

The problem with drawing premature finish lines (for others or for yourself) is that there still may be race yet to run. When you draw the finish line, you relax; you let down your guard; you stop running or you take your eyes off the race. Mentally and emotionally, you start the cool-down period. If you are correct that the race is over, terrific! If you're not, you're in for a surprise.

We draw finish lines in smaller ways, too. I've been drawing premature finish lines when I travel. Even though I know better, I do it almost every time. My finish line is "home." While I'm out in the impersonal, apathetic, "not-my-problem"-lack-of-service world, I keep it together by telling myself, "Just a few more hours and you'll be home. Just a few more hours. You can put up with this for a few more hours." No matter what the inconvenience; no matter how difficult the frustration... I keep a smile on my face and lower my expectations.

But "home" as a finish line is too early, because when I get home, kids will want to spend time with me, and my wife will need to decompress from her week alone. I can't go straight into relax mode or selfish city, because others have been waiting for me to return. They've got a week's worth of stories, frustrations and information to download, and I'm the only one left who hasn't heard it all already.

Inevitably, this brings us into conflict. I've already stopped running the race, but they are ready to pass me the baton for the second leg of the relay. When they find me unprepared to do any more running, they are disappointed, frustrated and sometimes angry. "Didn't you save anything for us?... Did you use all your words and your energy with people on the trip?... Aren't we more important to you than they are?"

And the truth is, yes, they are, but it wasn't a matter of prioritization. It was a matter of expectation. I drew my finish line too early, and I already had my running shoes off by the time I came out of the baggage claim area. Once the shoes are off, it takes three times the energy and willpower to get them on again. Had I drawn the lines a little further back, I would have saved some of my energy for the final few laps.

I know I'm not the only one who struggles with where to draw their finish lines. Running the race with me are husbands who use all their words at the office and just want to get home for a little peace and quiet... wives who give everything they have to work and the kids and come to bed wanting nothing but sleep... couples who spend everything they make, not realizing they are about to have to put the car in the shop for an overhaul... employees who turn in work that is far less than what their boss was expecting... and anyone who thinks this life is all there is.

You may think you have nothing left to give, but you will be surprised. When your brain knows how much race is left to run, it shows remarkable endurance. The problem is much less about energy and emotional resources than it is about expectations. Draw your finish lines further back, and you'll find that you can go the distance.

1- L. A. Confidential (1997): puede parecer un sacrilegio, y seguramente lo sea, encabezar este Top 10 con una cinta de finales de los 90, cuando el género, en principio, parió sus mejores exponentes entre los 40 y los 50; pero hablamos de una película que no sólo funciona como espléndido homenaje de aquella época y de aquellos filmes, sino que es, por sí sola, cine con mayúsculas; un ritmo impecable, unas actuaciones soberbias, una ambientación magnífica... poco más se le puede pedir a un producto que consigue, como pocos, dejarte clavado desde el primer hasta el último minutos; en seguida se le perdona que sea en color y que no ronde por ahí el incomparable Humphrey Bogart, porque los Pearce, Crowe, Spacey y compañía rayan a una altura de vértigo.

2- Perdición (Double indemnity, 1944): con el maestro Billy Wilder, el autor de la mejor comedia de todos los tiempos (El apartamento), daba igual el género en el que posara sus manos de orfebre, porque el resultado iba a ser una obra maestra; con Fred McMurray en su (probablemente) mejor papel, Edward G. Robinson siempre de diez y Barbara Stanwyck impactante como femme fatale, todos ellos dirigidos por el genial Wilder, uno sólo puede sentarse ante la pantalla y disfrutar.

3- Sed de mal (Touch of evil, 1958): después de Ciudadano Kane, Orson Welles cometió muchos errores y logró algún acierto; este está entre los segundos, y con letras de oro; no sólo nos regala el plano-secuencia, el inicial, más famoso en la historia del séptimo arte, sino que da una lección magistral de cómo crear una atmósfera opresiva, agobiante, que se cierne sobre un estupendo Charlton Heston fuera de registro, a menudo eclipsado, eso sí, por el propio Welles y su poli obeso, desfigurado y corrupto.

4- El halcón maltés (The maltese falcon, 1941): clásico entre clásicos, basada en la novela del mítico Dashiell Hammett, con Humphrey Bogart at his best, como dicen en USA, en su recreación del icónico Sam Spade, es de obligada inclusión en cualquier Top serio del género.

5- El sueño eterno (The big sleep, 1946): de nuevo Bogart, ahora con la referencia del, para mí, mejor autor de novela negra, Raymond Chandler, dirigido por Howard Hawks y flanqueado por la gran Lauren Bacall; referencia con mayúsculas.

6- Atraco perfecto (The killing, 1956): lo escrito sobre Wilder vale también para Kubrick; es lo que tienen los genios, que van más allá de géneros y etiquetas; con Sterling Hayden a la cabeza del reparto, el protagonismo se lo acaba llevando la apabullante recreación de un atraco, el del título español, que tal vez no sea tan perfecto, como sugiere el original.

7- Chinatown (1974): y Polanski también quiso dejar su huella en el género, con look setentero pero, ante todo, un tremendo Jack Nicholson como private eye al que no le importa lo que le echen, aunque sea toda una Faye Dunaway.

8- El caso Slevin (Lucky number Slevin, 2006): todo Top que se precie debe contar con su elección arriesgada, y este no iba a ser menos; ni siquiera el habitualmente flojo Josh Hartnett echa a perder una función que se apoya definitivamente en un estupendo y sorprendente guión, al que acaban de dar cuerpo tres clásicos como Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley y Bruce Willis; ¡hasta Lucy Liu resulta pasable!; el final, con la resolución del rompecabezas, es de los que conviene seguir con atención y disfrute.

9- En la cuerda floja (Tightrope, 1984): no es la más conocida de Clint, ni como actor ni como director; tampoco una referencia; pero es una debilidad personal, y como tal se merece un hueco; me cautiva ese policía que se sumerge en los fondos más bajos de Nueva Orleans a la caza de un serial killer, perdiendo por el camino la poca moral que le pudiera quedar.

10- En el calor de la noche (In the heat of the night, 1967): valiente en su época, con su denuncia del racismo del sur de USA, ha envejecido, pero todavía soporta una agradecida visión gracias al memorable pulso entre Sidney Poitier y Rod Steiger, a los que Norman Jewison dirige sin estridencias pero tremenda efectividad; a la denuncia se suma un buen manejo del tempo: el resultado, una cinta multi-premiada en los Oscar que, hoy, sigue sin admitir demasiados reproches.

Felicia R. Lee's article in the New York Times raises excellent points about the relevancy of the play in 2008. I've always believed that the play touches on universal issues like accessing higher education and the role of men and women in a family. I just don't know how much of an audience the film will get on a Monday night on ABC. The fact that ABC is a basic channel doesn't say much for trying to reach a wider audience because of the large number of people with cable, and Sean Combs (not Diddy) isn't enough to reach the audience that I believe should watch this movie.

It's unfortunate that movies like this tend to preach to the choir: folks, for the most part, who know that dreams have to be realistic to even have a chance of being realized. So if a student sucks at math and science and has no intention of improving on certain skills, can't expect to become a doctor; a teenager who aspires to become the next Michael Jordan, but never played on an organized basketball team... I know that this movie wasn't purely intended as a guide for teenagers, but they are a key portion of the population that would benefit from the messages in the movie regardless of their socioeconomic background.