Vanguard: Sidney Poitier

The first Sidney Poitier film that I saw wasn't one of his more well known films, it wasn't one of his best.  I was in school, and went along with my father and a couple of films to see Shoot To Kill.  I remember thinking the movie was ok and that Tom Berrenger was hot, but the film didn't really leave a lasting impression.

Shoot to Kill (1988)

It wasn't until I was older that I learned more about his life and his ground breaking career. Although Hattie McDaniel was nominated and won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 1939, it wasn't until almost twenty years later that Sidney Poitier became the first male black actor to be nominated for best actor for his role in The Defiant Ones.

Lilies of the Field (1963)

Poitier didn't take home the award, but was nominated again five years later and went on to become the first black actor ever to win an Oscar for 1963's Lilies of the Field. The film tells the story of Homer Smith, an African American handy man and jack-of-all-trades who encounters a group of East German nuns.  Smith believes that he was sent to them by God to help them build a new chapel.

Again this year there is a lot of talk about how white the Oscar nominations are.  Out of ten acting nominations, there is just one, for actress Cynthia Erivo in Harriet.  I often feel the Academy gets a bad wrap when it comes to diversity.   There are a lack of diverse nominee's for sure, both in area's of race and of sex.  I've never felt the problem however was the Academy, but society and the industry itself.

For Love of Ivy (1968)

There are always actors, directors and projects overlooked, and I'm sure sexism and racism plays a role, but the real issues don't lie with the awards, but the industry they're rewarding. The film industry is simply not making many films for mainstream audiences that don't star white men. Today, those white men are usually wearing superhero spandex or wielding a big gun.

Thankfully, regardless of what Hollywood produces, the Oscars usually cut through the spandex and reward performances over box office receipts and trends.  Although it doesn't happen for everyone, great actors like Sidney Poitier often shine through.  Although he won an actual acting Oscar, Poitier also won an Honorary Oscar in 2002.  The award was given for Poitier's  extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence.

Guess Who's coming to Dinner (1967)