From the Desk of Jim R: At the Movies: January 2022

By James V. Ruocco

Sidney Poitier, the Oscar winning actor whose work in films during the 1950s and 60s included "The Defiant Ones," "Lilies of the Field," "In the Heat of the Night" and "To Sir, with Love," died at the age of 94 on January 6, 2022. His death was made public by Fred Mitchell, the minister of foreign affairs for the Bahamas.

"We have lost an icon. A hero, a mentor, a fighter, a national treasure," said Chester Cooper, the deputy prime minister of the Bahamas. "When I learned of his passing, I was conflicted with great sadness and a sense of celebration.
"Sadness that he would no longer be here to tell him how much he means to us, but celebration that he did so much to show the world that those from the humblest beginnings can change the world so very much."

Poitier, who was born in Miami in 1927 and raised in the Bahamas, was the first black actor to win an Academy Award in 1963 for his poignant portrayal of African-American handyman Homer Smith in "Lilies of the Field," directed by Ralph Nelson. He is also best remembered for outstanding film work in "A Patch of Blue," "In the Heat of the Night," "To Sir, with Love" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

"The grace and class that this man has shown throughout his entire life, the example he set for me, not only as a black man but as a human being will never be forgotten," remarked actor and director Tyler Perry, once he learned of Poitier's passing.

"No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life," added actress Viola Davis. "The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!!"

Poitier is survived by his wife, retired film actress Joanna Shimkus ("The Lost Man," "The Virgin and the Gypsy," "Boom!") and his five daughters Beverly, Sherri, Anika, Sydney and Pamela. His sixth daughter Gina Poitier died in 2018.

In 2002, Poitier received an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his "extraordinary work and unique presence on the screen" for gracing American and worldwide cinema with dignity, style and intelligence. Seven years later, President Barack Obama awarded the actor with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor."

"Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace," the former President remarked on "Twitter" Friday following the announcement of the actor's death. "He does not make movies, he makes milestones."

The actor was also granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974 and received the Kennedy Center Honors at a tribute in 1995. In 2016, he was awarded a Fellowship by BAFTA in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cinema.

"Acting isn't a game of pretend," Poitier explained. "It's an exercise in being real."

In celebration of Poitier's long and treasured film career, what follows is a listing of some of his greatest cinematic achievements, in order of their importance and greatness.

"If I'm remembered for having done a few great things," he once told the press, "and if my presence here has sparked some good energies, that's plenty.
"I was a pretty good actor and I believed in brotherhood. I hated racism and segregation. And I was a symbol against those things."

Charming.
Passionate.
Magnetic.
Debonair.
Intelligent.
Humble.
Cool.
That was (and is) Sidney Poitier.

Lilies of the Field