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Cast

Spencer Tracy
as Matt Drayton

Katharine Hepburn
as Christina Drayton

Sidney Poitier
as John Prentice

Katharine Houghton
as Joey Drayton

Cecil Kellaway
as Minsignor Ryan

Beah Richards
as Mrs. Prentice

Isabel Sanford
as Tillie

Virginia Christine
as Hilary St. George

Alexandra Hay
as Carhop

Barbara Randolph
as Dorothy

Tom Heaton
as Peter

D'Urville Martin
as Frankie

Grace Gaynor
as Judith

Skip Martin
as Delivery Boy

John Bear Hudkins
as Cab Driver

Thomas Heaton
as Peter

Roy E. Glenn Sr.
as Mr. Prentice

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Critic Reviews for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Audience Reviews for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

• Mar 24, 2016

  Representing the swan song of Spencer Tracy and solidifying Sidney Poitier's resume, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is an examination of the changes going on during the mid to late 1960's. The film has a very basic premise in which young Joey (Katherine Houghton) comes home from a trip to Hawaii with John Prentice (Poitier) to meet her parents (Tracy and Katherine Hepburn). What follows is the conflicted feelings that go along with the changing times of the 1960's. John will not marry Joey without the consent of her parents. Her parents are unsure about giving consent, not due to their own racism, but due to the fear of how difficult their life will be as an interracial couple. Added in are the two cents of everyone around the family. True, this can be a comedy at times, but it's more a look at the old guard facing the new guard. Directed by the legendary Stanley Kramer, the film represents a kind of social experiment. Let's drop '60's progressivism on the nuclear family of the 1950's (although the privileged life of the Drayton's is far from nuclear). The Drayton's are not conservative minded individuals, but very left leaning. Still, they fear for their daughter and how that current state of the world would react to them. Tracy delivers his final performance with a flourish and considering his death was imminent brings even greater power to his role. Add to the fact that this is one final pairing with Katherine Hepburn makes it even more bitter sweet. Hepburn also mesmerizes on the screen as the mother giddy over her daughter's upcoming nuptials, yet fearful at the same time. Once again Poitier proves that he is one of the greatest actors of this era, a witty and likeable presence that thinks things out for the protection of others. The only real negative of the film is Houghton's performance as Joey, which comes across as very snotty and annoying. Whether it was written this way or not, you can almost feel like maybe John would be better of with not being tied to her in some instances. I asked myself a question while watching this film. Have we moved forward in the last half century compared to our ideals? In some ways we have. Interracial marriage is not illegal in seven states, as the film reminds us. There's very little stigma related to it anymore, other than the old school and uneducated. The thing is that it feels like where we have progressed as a society, we're still slipping in other areas. To avoid making this review an ideology discussion I'll stop there. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is a time capsule of the '60's and represents one of the greatest psychological battles of all time. When your ideals come home how are you going to react?
  Chris G Super Reviewer
• Mar 23, 2014

  Guess Who's Coming to Dinner made both the Cheers and Passion lists for AFI's 100 years 100 movies. While the story about acceptance of an interracial marriage by two sets of parents had an important message, the movie has become highly dated. The acting was a big drawback: Sidney Poiter expressed his emotions well but never excelled, Houghton was overly bubbly and often naive, Katharine Hepburn emotions changed far to quickly, the supporting actor were often overly obvious, Spencer Tracy on the other hand excelled. Guess Who's Coming Dinner can be comfortable to watch with The Glory of Love playing away in the background, but the social drama really doesn't work, and speaks to few.
  

  Daniel D Super Reviewer
• Mar 21, 2014

  A remarkable drama considering its important subject for the time it came out, and it works very well despite a few discrepancies in tone, like a silly ice cream scene that plays for cheap laughs. But it is Hepburn and Tracy who bring it to a higher level with wonderful performances.
  Carlos M Super Reviewer
• Oct 04, 2013

  Quaint by today's standards. If the film was remade today, there would likely be more of an issue of the age difference between the prospective bride and groom. Notable only for the last appearance of Tracy and Hepburn together.
  

  John B Super Reviewer

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