A Patch Of Blue (1965)

A young girl (Elizabeth Hartman), who is blind, lives in a two room apartment with her abusive hooker mother (Shelley Winters in an Oscar winning performance) and her alcoholic grandfather (Wallace Ford). In the park one day, she meets a young black man (Sidney Poitier) whose acts of kindness will change her life forever. Based on BE READY WITH BELLS AND DRUMS by Elizabeth Kata and directed by Guy Green (THE ANGRY SILENCE). A beautiful film about two people who must overcome adverse obstacles (racism, blindness) that stand in their way to a better life. Poitier gives one of his very best performances displaying strength and dignity in the face of hate (perfectly encapsulated by Winters' monster) and Hartman gives a lovely performance that just about breaks your heart. Yes, it's a "message" movie (a genre I'm not fond of) but it makes its point through its succinct narrative without lecturing to us as if we were attending a civics lesson. The gorgeous score is among Jerry Goldsmith's very best. With Ivan Dixon, Elisabeth Fraser and John Qualen.