- Sidney Poitier understood the art of being an entertainer,
and he delivered the goods consistently.
(tranquil music)
When Sidney first started,
the persona we think of as Sidney Poitier did not exist.
In fact, it was the opposite.
Through inception of cinema, you know,
you had the kind of vile, racist stereotyping
that came out of "The Birth of a Nation,"
which became a template for Hollywood
where, at best, Black people are stupid,
and at worst they are evil.
And him single-handedly smashing that image
with his intelligence and courage and nobility and elegance
in movie after movie after movie, was amazing.
- How about you? You too bitter, man?
Don't you see no stars gleaming
that you can reach out and grab?
- He had the voice, he had the height,
he had the looks, he had the bearing.
More importantly, he had the will to back it up.
You know, he was a very courageous man, for real.
- I am artist, man,
I am an awful lot of things,
so I wish you would pay me the respect due.
- He wasn't just playing that guy, he was that guy.
- You're pretty sure yourself, ain't you, Virgil?
Virgil, that's a funny name
for a boy that comes from Philadelphia.
What do they call you up there?
- They call me Mr. Tibbs.
- The partnership between Jewison and Sidney
in that movie is incredible
because clearly he knew what he had,
and Sidney had built a body of work at this point,
so, you know, he had established himself as a brand.
But if you're gonna say, what are the three movies
that kind of define peak Sidney,
it is those three movies that came out
in the summer of 1967: "To Sir, with Love,"
"In the Heat of the Night," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."
And "In the Heat of the Night" and the slap
is the moment of moments.
(Endicott slapping)
(Tibbs slapping) (Endicott grunting)
It's not just the physical response,
although the timing of it is perfect
because before you can even respond in full anger
that Sidney Poitier had been slapped:
Pow! He hits him right back, and you're like, "Whoa, okay."
But equally important is the cutaway to Sidney afterward,
his complete indignation
that this racist would have the nerve to assault him.
And that long look and the fact that, you know,
Norman took his time.
Said, "No, no, leave the moment alone.
"Just let him stare him down like,
"'I know you ain't got no more for me.'"
And he does not.
And then when he walks out,
then who takes control of the scene is the butler,
because the butler, who's, I'm sure, had to suffer
countless indignities working for this man,
takes a moment and his look, his contempt for his boss.
Anyway, it's an extraordinary moment.
(students chattering)
(Mr. Thackeray clapping)
- Sit down.
- The script appealed to him
because being a teacher is something
that is part of who he is as a person.
And I just think that it was a natural fit for him,
and he had an incredible intuitive sense
of what the culture needed at any given time.
- We are all going to observe
certain courtesies in this classroom.
You will call me Sir or Mr. Thackeray.
The young ladies will be addressed as Miss,
the boys by their surnames.
- But yes, he gives a warmth there
because he knows these kids who think they know everything
are still not remotely fully baked,
and that he believes in his mission
that he can change the lives of these kids.
And that's why I think you have the warmth
and the playfulness because he knows it's not too late.
- I'm a volcano.
I'm a giant, and I'm surrounded by ants,
ants who don't even know what I'm talking about.
How's that?
- "A Raisin in the Sun" is a really important film
for a lot of reasons.
One, it captures one of the most important pieces
of Black theatre, in Broadway theatre period,
with the original cast immediately after they had just had
this enormously successful Broadway run, national run,
and we get to see it exactly as it was.
- I think you better get down and go to school, man.
- Okay.
- It's a film that is almost entirely about Black people,
right, and so much of Sidney's work,
particularly his early work,
is all about Black-white relations.
- Nothing to give him but stories,
like on how rich white people live, eh?
- Eat your eggs, Walter.
- Damn these eggs!
- "A Raisin in the Sun" is an exception in that regard.
This is about contemporary Black life,
the complications and dynamics of different class conflicts,
different generational conflicts.
It's a beautifully nuanced piece of work
that absolutely stands the test of time.
So, Sidney knows it's important.
It allowed him to grow as an actor.
When you see his explosive performance throughout the film,
it's incredible, and he's so physical. As he says, you know,
"I'm a giant among ants."
Yes, that's exactly right, you are. (chuckles)
So, we're so lucky to have it
because we get to see the original cast of the play.
It's an amazing work of art that has stood the test of time.
(serene music)
I think it's really important to see Sidney Poitier movies
in a theatre because he wasn't making little art films.
These aren't little precious things.
These are crowd-pleasers.
Yes, these are movies with a message, but they are fun,
they are fun popcorn movies, and you should experience that.
You'll get an another level of understanding
that you won't get sitting at home
watching it on your desktop computer.
- I believe that my life has had
more than a few wonderful indescribable turns.
I have come a long way.
I really have come a very, very long way.
All I can say is a very special thank you.
(serene, emotional music)