Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
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A white woman and a black man face the challenges of an interracial engagement as they navigate the reactions of their respective families.
The story
In 1967, Joanna Drayton, a 23-year-old white woman, returns from a Hawaiian vacation to her parents' home in San Francisco with her fiancé, Dr. John Prentice, a 37-year-old black widower. While the Draytons are liberal-minded, they are shocked by the interracial nature of the engagement. Matt Drayton, a newspaper owner, expresses concern over the obstacles the couple will face. To resolve the tension, John informs the Draytons that he will only proceed with the engagement if they offer their blessing. As John prepares to leave for a three-month assignment in Switzerland, the families gather for a dinner that will determine the future of the couple's relationship.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Joanna Drayton and her fiancé, Dr. John Prentice, face a tense dinner with their families in San Francisco. Joanna's parents, Matt and Christina, are liberal but shocked by the interracial engagement. Matt is particularly concerned about the societal obstacles the couple will face. John, who is about to leave for a three-month stint in Switzerland, insists on the Draytons' blessing to proceed. During the dinner, the families of both individuals are present. John's parents are surprised by Joanna's race, while the Draytons grapple with their prejudices. A local Monsignor supports the union. Amidst the debate, Matt eventually realizes that he has no right to stand in the way of their love and gives his blessing. The film concludes with the families moving to the dining room to share a meal together.
- First release year
- 1967
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stanley Kramer
- Writers
- William Rose · writer
- Cast and characters
- Spencer Tracy · Matt Drayton; Sidney Poitier · Dr. John Prentice; Katharine Hepburn · Christina; Katharine Houghton · Joanna Drayton
- Genres
- romantic comedy; drama
- Themes
- interracial marriage; prejudice; romance
- Tone and mood
- romantic; serious; traditional
- Setting
- San Francisco, 1967
- Premise and plot tags
- social drama; romance
- Reception
- The film was a box-office success and received positive reviews for its performances and bold subject matter, though it was later criticized by some for its idealized portrayal of the male lead and for potentially reinforcing certain stereotypes.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 71% · scale: percentage · review count: 38; Metacritic · score: 63 · scale: 100 · review count: 13
- Awards and nominations
- Oscar · score · nominated
- Production trivia
- Spencer Tracy's final role; Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2017
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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