20 Black Movie Characters Hollywood Should Learn From

12. Dr. John Prentice (Guess Who€™s Coming To Dinner)

12_Dr. John Prentice

Sidney Poitier€™s Dr. John Prentice is of course one of the most classic figures in film history (and Hollywood likes to constantly remind us of that, as if Hollywood is the reason the world is different€”as Jon Stewart said, €œAnd racism was never a problem again.€). But he truly is a wonderful character. The screenplay of Guess Who€™s Coming to Dinner goes in many unexpected directions, and Prentice€™s character certainly goes through some fantastic emotional twists and turns with Poitier€™s outstanding signature acting attributes. In this case, race is at the heart of that story, and like A Soldier€™s Story, John Prentice is a man dealing with a problem in society that pervades his experience almost everywhere he goes€”but he doesn€™t need to be a victim, uneducated, or a criminal, nor does he need to speak poorly, be violent, curse, ruin his life, or even really raise his voice to give the audience an incredibly intense journey. He doesn€™t need or expect anything from the world of white people€”not approval, pity, apathy, or even the woman he loves. Not every character has to be as refined or demonstrate the range of emotions John conveys, and that wouldn€™t be beneficial anyway, but it€™s very effective in this story. He makes you feel what he feels as a man. This is true cinema about understanding, but even more, it€™s not just about the problems, but the people within the problems. If this movie was so influential, why aren€™t more movies with these layers and sensibilities made every year? It€™s not just talent.
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Contributor

Ian Boucher is many things when he is not writing for WhatCulture.com -- explorer, friend of nature, and librarian. He enjoys stories of many kinds and is fascinated with what different mediums can bring to them. He has developed particular affections for movies and comic books, especially the ones that need more attention, taking them absolutely seriously with a sense of humor. He constantly strives to build his understanding of the relationships between world cultures, messages, and audiences.