As you remember Sidney Poitier this weekend, cue up these films

I know Sidney Poitier was the first Black man to win an Academy Award for best actor in a leading role for his portrayal of Homer Smith in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field.

I know the 94-year-old thespian, who died Thursday in the Bahamas, was a man of dignity, elegance, and grace who dared to have a career as a leading man in an industry that ignored the talents of Black actors.

And I know how much the world loved him. He was the recipient of dozens of Golden Globe and NAACP Image Awards, and in 2006 our city presented him with the Marian Anderson Award at the Kimmel Center. Three years later, President Barack Obama awarded Poitier the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I’m familiar with Poitier’s incomparable legacy, yet I’m sad to say I haven’t seen many of his movies. Sure, I’ve caught snippets of A Raisin in the Sun and Uptown Saturday Night while channel surfing, but I haven’t seen a film starring the iconic actor in its entirety.

And as I reflect on the lives of pioneering actors from Betty White to Diahann Carroll, I’m looking to cue up classic movies so I can better understand what we’ve lost.

I asked local film experts for advice on what to watch this weekend to brush up on my Poitier knowledge. Here are their suggestions:

No Way Out (1950) — In this thriller, Poitier plays a doctor whose patient would rather die than be treated by a Black man.

“In this breakthrough movie, Poitier — Dr. Luther Brooks — was called to treat a racist criminal in jail. The tension between [Poitier’s] character and Richard Widmark’s (Ray Biddle) was memorable. It was quite a debut for a Black actor in Hollywood. He was already great and this was 15 years before he became a superstar.”

In the Heat of the Night (1967) — Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs in the Academy Award-winning film.

“Poitier’s character is called upon in the South for his expertise. He’s a Philadelphia detective. And I love that scene with the southern white racist (Larry Gates) smacking him and Tibbs smacks him back. It’s really great. People are forced to look beyond his race.”

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) — The first film to depict an interracial relationship that was illegal in many states. Six months after the film was released, anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia.

“This is one of my favorite movies because of the acting. He’s in this film with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. People have to remember the context. For a Black man to be in a relationship with a white woman on screen, he had to be a super Negro. And that’s what Sidney Poitier was, a super Negro.”

A Raisin in the Sun (1961) — Poitier stars opposite Ruby Dee in the film adapted from the Lorraine Hansberry masterpiece.

“In all of his performances there’s a groundedness and an elegance — no matter the material. One of the most brilliant things about his work was an ability to find humanity and depth in these extraordinary, but sometimes flat, characters he was given to play.”

Buck and the Preacher (1972) — Poitier stars as a former Civil War soldier in this western set after Emancipation.

“Sidney Poitier directed and starred in this with Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee. It was more a comedic role for him. But what impressed me was how he gave Ruby Dee agency in that movie. And the respect he has for her as an actress shows up in the film.”

The Defiant Ones (1958) — In this drama, Poitier and Tony Curtis play escaped inmates chained to each other who must cooperate to survive.

“He’s his own man in this movie. This film deals with racism, but doesn’t turn a blind eye to the times and it shows the bigotry on both sides. The two characters come to be friends and develop a hard-earned respect for each other and it’s message is hopeful.”

Paris Blues (1961) — In this love story, Poitier stars as an expat jazz musician in Paris.

“If you want to see Sidney Poitier in pure romantic mode, I’d definitely watch Paris Blues. He’s definitely a more supporting character in there, but if you watch his relationship with Diahann Carroll, you can see the embers of their affair. That chemistry is popping.”

To Sir, with Love (1967) — This British drama covers the social and racial issues in a city school.

“My absolute favorite Sidney Poitier film. He’s a teacher in London and it’s a role where you see his ability. You see his dignity. You see him as this sort of paragon of humanity the way the film revolves around him. Everyone then just views Poitier that way. So I think if you want to talk about the ideal Sidney Poitier movie, this is it.”

They Call Me Mr. Tibbs! (1970) — The sequel to In the Heat of the Night.

In this movie, he really gets into the character of Virgil Tibbs that you meet in In the Heat of the Night. You know where this man is coming from. You get to see his life in an urban setting, not him in the South.

A Patch of Blue (1965) — This is the first film that showed an interracial kiss.

Here we see Sidney Poitier play Sidney Poitier. There was a point in the 1960s when America is just enamored with this beautiful, articulate Black man, so he could be himself in his films. This is a sweet movie where he befriends a blind white girl. They strike up this neat little friendship.

Lilies of the Field (1963) Poitier plays a handyman who helps a group of East German nuns.

“He’s such a strong actor in that role. He portrays Homer Smith as a strong man with so much personality. He doesn’t become a part of the movie, he is the movie.”

Porgy and Bess (1959) Poitier plays Porgy in the Gershwin classic.

“I remember as a child I really wanted to see this movie. My grandparents took me and in the end I remember feeling that not only did we enjoy the story, we learned something.”