Although it's easy to dismiss the savior role he's playing in this sentimental and surprisingly comic fable, this is a good reminder of just how good Sidney Poitier was at the height of his career in 1963. Although it's not one of his favorite performances, it's one of mine, and he won the Oscar for this, the first for a leading black actor. You can still see why as it retains its feel-good aura.
Review of Lilies of the Field
