For Love of Ivy

Sidney Poitier's trio of movies in 1967 was going to be a hard act to follow. But he starred in an impressive movie in 1968 (if not a masterpiece). What "For Love of Ivy" lacks in the forcefulness of "In the Heat of the Night", it makes up for in elements of the '60s. Sidney Poitier and Abbey Lincoln make the perfect couple, and the movie's Academy Award-nominated song only adds to the joy. I get the feeling that Lincoln's character's desire to stop being a maid reflected the desire of the era's African-American actresses to get roles that didn't exist only in relation to white people.

Among the other cast members, we have Beau Bridges in an early role, and also Carroll O'Connor in a role mildly reminiscent of a certain bigot railing against anyone different from him.

Anyway, I recommend it.