In honor of the film legend’s iconic life, we’re looking back at some of our favorite classic Poitier films from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. How many of these have you seen?
Sidney Poitier’s Best Movies
1.No Way Out (1950) In his feature film debut, Poitier plays a young doctor forced to confront the racist attitudes of his patients and their families. 2.Edge of the City (1957) Poitier stars alongside John Cassavetes in this drama, which has been praised for its unusual (for the time) portrayal of an interracial friendship. 3.The Defiant Ones (1958) In this Oscar-winning crime drama, Poitier plays an escaped convict who is chained to a fellow criminal (Tony Curtis). The men hate each other, but must learn to get along in order to escape together. 4.A Raisin in the Sun (1961) In this award-winning drama adapted from the 1959 play of the same name, Poitier plays the patriarch of a poor black family struggling to make it on Chicago’s East Side. 5.Lilies of the Field (1963) Poitier won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in this landmark drama, becoming the first African-American man to win a Best Actor Oscar. 6.A Patch of Blue (1965) Poitier delivers an acclaimed performance in this drama about a black man who falls in love with a blind white teenager. 7.Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) Poitier once again tackled the then-controversial subject of interracial relationships in this powerful drama about a black man meeting the parents of his white fiancée. 8. In the Heat of the Night (1967) In this Oscar-winning mystery drama, Poitier plays a police detective who must deal with racist attitudes as he investigates a murder in a small Mississippi town. 9.To Sir, with Love (1967) In this British drama, Poitier plays a teacher at a London inner city school who changes the lives of his unruly students. 10.Buck and the Preacher (1972) Poitier stars alongside Harry Belafonte in this Western about a black trail guide bringing former slaves to western homesteads following the Civil War. This film also marked Poitier’s directorial debut. Next, celebs we lost in 2021.
