A black man's burgeoning love affair with a blind white girl is complicated by her racist, controlling mother.
One of the first studio films to deal with interracial romance (or even the possibility of it), A Patch of Blue was a huge hit upon its release, appealing to those looking for both social protest and a smart date movie. Sidney Poitier plays Gordon, a compassionate stranger who befriends a blind white girl named Selina (Elizabeth Hartman). Selina, the next thing to a shut-in, can only judge people by their voices, and Gordon's is unusually patient, kind. Troubles ensue when Selina's abusive mother (Shelley Winters in her second Oscar-winning performance) happens upon the pair during one of their park rendezvous. Ivan Dixon plays Poitier's militant brother, and veteran Wallace Ford appears as Selina's kindly lush of a grandfather. Jerry Goldsmith earned an Oscar nomination for his lilting piano theme, surely one of the simplest, most effective pieces of music to grace a Hollywood film. --Glenn Lovell

Customer Rating:
Summary: Cookie cutter
Comment: There is predictability to a great majority of Poitier's films. This film turned out to be just what I thought it would be. Wouldn't it be great if the world was color blind? Yes. I just think this film and even perhaps the story the film was based off on was trying too hard. There's no real character arches for the characters. They are the same people in the beginning of the film as in the end. So just the situation changes-Selina leaves her crazy guardians and goes to school. There were opportunities to go deeper and to take more risks-but this film, IMHO, played it safe (or safer) despite the controversial kiss and therefore didn't touch me as much as it could have.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: A Timeless Classic
Comment: This movie is a timeless classic that will continue to live on. It is a well done version of the book...a good read.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Abt A Patch of Blue
Comment: Almost 42 years ago I read the story while I was learning English during a one-year stay in England in 1966. Unfortunately I lost the book somewhere between 1966 and 2008! However I kept hoping that some day I would be able to see the movie and I did, thanks to Amazon. This was great!

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: One of Sidney Poiter's Best!!
Comment: I first saw this movie a long time ago, late night on television. I was blown away by the acting of all the cast, especially Sidney Poitier and Elizabeth Hartman. The tragedy is that their was never a second part to this movie, though I don't think you can out do the first. I watch this movie over and over again and still get choked up at the end. This is definitely a "classic" and a "keeper". Any true Sidney Poiter fan will have this one in their collection. Remember, this movie came out at a time when black actors had meager roles to play and could never, ever have a "romantic" role with a white female actoress. There was some backlash to its making, but most of the reviewers at the time gave it 4 stars. There is something for all of us to learn in this movie - black, white, old or young. Just like Elizabeth Hartman's character says " Tolerance". What a little word that says so much!

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: A Patch of Blue
Comment: This movie was my favorite growing up. It's become a classic in my family as my daughter enjoys watching it as a young adult.

---