Curtain: The Newspaper Movie of the Month

'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'

In this 1967 Stanley Kramer classic, Spencer Tracy plays his last role - as Matt Drayton, the revered publisher and editor of the San Francisco Guardian confronting his own prejudices when his daughter surprises the family by announcing she plans to marry a successful Black doctor. Much of the material feels dated 55 years later, but Sidney Poitier, in particular, gives a stirring performance, and memorable soliloquies abound. Outside of Tracy's position, the movie has little to do with newspapers but much to do with race relations. Katharine Hepburn picked up an Oscar for her performance, although she reportedly never watched it because of her heartbreak over Tracy's death 17 days after the movie wrapped. Widely available on DVD, Blu-ray and most streaming platforms.