Guess Who's Coming To Dinner Essay

The 1967 motion picture “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” written by William Rose was a controversial film that touched on the subject of interracial marriage between two lovers, John Prentice a successful upper-class black man and Joanna Drayton an upper-class white woman in the 1960’s, the message depicted was that love conquers all as shown through the characters, John and Joanna, the setting in upper-class San Francisco, CA, and the theme of man v. society.

During the 1960’s the most prominent event that occurred was the Civil Rights Act, which made it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or nationality. This event tied in with the film’s message because of the racial controversy that it brought up. Even though racial discrimination was illegal and dated there was still some racial tension between John and Joey and both of their parents. “That was the year interracial marriage made headlines. Just take the Hollywood classic “Guess who’s coming to Dinner”. The film was a new kind of love story for Hollywood. The movie was about a black man who wanted to marry a white woman — a huge taboo at the time.” (Kellogg). The film might have been influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the intense racial discrimination occurring throughout the country at the time; for the time period “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” was a

scandalous film to show but it accurately depicted the stereotypes of interracial marriages at the time. Another contributing factor to the film’s theme was the generational gap that existed between characters John and Joey and their parents. While John and Joanna had a dissimilar perception of race from their parents, both the Drayton and Prentice parents had old-world notions of race and interracial marriage. “What the film captured was the social codes that existed around race and relationship and the tension that existed for both blacks and whites.” “The divide between the generations is a point that the film is emphasizes in the understanding of race. John and Joey both carried some hesitation about their marriage but the reaction that they receive from their parents shows a clear divide in their views of race.” (Film Analysis of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner). Even though there is an obvious difference in race and color, the love that John and Joanna feel towards each other trumps all of the criticisms and disapproval they get from their family and friends. ““It never occurred to me that I would fall in love with a Negro, but I have, and nothing's going to change that.” (Quote of the Day)
The main protagonists of the film, John and Joanna are dynamic characters that play a key role in the development of the plot; they demonstrate how love goes beyond race or color. They defy the preconception of interracial marriage in the 1960’s. They show how their love is strong through their persistent and unwilling fight for their parent’s approval for marriage. A specific characterization of John is his honor and truthfulness, it’s shown through the agreement that he sets with Mr. Drayton, the agreement was that if be the end of the day the Drayton’s didn’t approve of the marriage between him and Joanna that he would leave Joanna forever. Throughout the beginning and middle of the film it did seem that Mr. Drayton would never approve the marriage, no matter what they said, but in the end of the film he had a change in heart after much convincing and his own self-realization of his marriage; .” “Anybody could make a case, a hell of a good case, against your getting married. The arguments are so obvious that nobody has to make them. But you’re two wonderful people who happened to fall in love and happened to have a pigmentation problem…” (Redei). He had finally looked past his own liberal ideals and saw that the love between John and Joanna was true, he only warned them that they would have trouble throughout life because of their untraditional marriage.
The significance of the film taking place in upper-class San Francisco, CA is to show what type of people the Drayton’s were, upper-class rich folk.

It location serves to place a background for the reasons of all of the reactions and disapproval that Joanna gets from friends and family about here marrying a black man. Even after the Civil Rights Act there was still racism present in the U.S., mainly seen in rich white folk. “The film embodies the time in which it was created and continues to do so by serving as a resource in understanding racial perspectives during the 1960’s.” (Film Analysis of Guess Who’s Coming to

Dinner)
“Guess who’s coming to dinner” has several themes relating to race, color, and gender, but one of the most significant themes that are shown throughout the film is the theme of man v. society. There is a consistent argument between John/Joanna and both of their parents. The situation remains unsettled, the fathers of both John and Joanna do not want to approve the marriage between them. They believe that an interracial marriage would not be accepted in society during this time being as how racism and discrimination was at its highest in the 1960’s. The writer portrays the theme of man v. society through the arguments and contradictions that the parents have with John and Joanna; “When they finally arrive at Joey’s home her mother meets them. Christine Dayton (Katharine Hepburn) is in utter disbelief when she finally sees John. Soon after, Joanna’s father, Matt Dayton comes home to discover that his daughter is engaged to a black man. As the tension between the family and John rises, their situation gets even messier as John’s parents get in on the action.” (Bonnin). Since the beginning Joanna’s father is opposed to allowing any further relationship to continue between John and Joanna, but it worsens when he finds out that John’s parents are coming to dinner; he realizes that the situation is getting to risqué for comfort. There is also some other minor conflict with Joanna’s mother, Christina, she is shocked at first knowledge of the engagement, but she doesn’t oppose the marriage after she realizes that Joanna is happier than she had ever been with John.
“Guess who’s coming to Dinner” is a significant classic film that touched on the topics of interracial marriage and race. It not only opened the eyes of people during the 1960’s but also expanded the liberal views of many during this time of racism and discrimination. What I learned from the film was that as long as two people love each other nothing else matters, not color nor race. I would recommended this film to anybody interested in experiencing the drama and uproar that interracial marriage caused in the 1960’s. It’s a wonderful film with accurate acting and lots of symbolism within the plot, symbolism that alludes to race and the generational change in the 1960’s. It stayed true with demonstrating the racism and stereotyping that had a strong presence in the 60’s; “The film takes place during a turning point in the Civil Rights era in which the student-led faction begins to shift toward Black Power, but the film is informed by the accomplishments proceeded by this rift in the movement.” (Perrin).