A woman whose past is scorned by nearly everyone around her meets a man who'd love her regardlessly- if only everyone else would allow them to.
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Title: Porgy and Bess (1959)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sidney Poitier | ... | Porgy | |
| Dorothy Dandridge | ... | Bess | |
| Sammy Davis Jr. | ... | Sportin' Life | |
| Pearl Bailey | ... | Maria | |
| Brock Peters | ... | Crown | |
 |
Leslie Scott | ... | Jake |
| Diahann Carroll | ... | Clara | |
|
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Ruth Attaway | ... | Serena Robbins |
| Claude Akins | ... | Detective | |
| Clarence Muse | ... | Peter | |
|
|
Everdinne Wilson | ... | Annie |
|
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Joel Fluellen | ... | Robbins |
|
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Earl Jackson | ... | Mingo |
|
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Moses LaMarr | ... | Nelson |
|
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Margaret Hairston | ... | Lily |
Edit
Plot Summary
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See All (42) »
Storyline
In this legendary Gershwin opera set among the black residents of a fishing village in 1912 South Carolina, Bess - a woman with a disreputable history - tries to break free from her brutish lover Crown after he becomes wanted for murder. The only person willing to overlook her past and offer her shelter is the crippled Porgy. Their relationship is threatened by the disapproval of the townspeople, the presence of her old drug supplier Sportin' Life - and the threatened return of Crown. Written by scgary66
Plot Keywords:
national film registry | murder | south carolina | drugs | fishing village |Taglines:
The Goldwyn Touch!...more dramatic than ever before! See more »Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 October 1959 (France) See more »Also Known As:
Porgy y Bess See more »Filming Locations:
Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$7,000,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$3,500,000, 31 December 1959Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1
Edit
Bess: I like it.
[Bess and Crown began to kiss]
Crown: Give me a franc, make it quick.
Sportin' Life: All right, Crown.
See more »
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by Sammy Davis Jr.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film's renditions of "Summertime" by Loulie Jean Norman (dubbing Diahann Carroll) and Adele Addison (dubbing Dorothy Dandridge) have placed at #52 in the AFI's (American Film Institute) list of the 100 Best Movie Songs of All Time. See more »Quotes
Sportin' Life: Tell me, Bess. Do you like the little present I sold the Crown for you?Bess: I like it.
[Bess and Crown began to kiss]
Crown: Give me a franc, make it quick.
Sportin' Life: All right, Crown.
See more »
Soundtracks
There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New YorkMusic by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by Sammy Davis Jr.
See more »
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I saw this on television more years ago than I can remember, but never forgot the performance of Sammy Davis, Jr. I just by chance thought to look for it on video. This rendition of Porgy and Bess is a treasure. I would love to see it again and introduce my son to it as well. I just can't imagine why it is not heralded as one of the greatest performances Sammy Davis, Jr. every gave. Whoever is responsible for not bringing this to audiences should be ashamed of his/her ignorance. I will continue to look for it though. Maybe the execs responsible for such things will come to realize the forgotten work of so many African American actors.