For Love of Ivy (1968)

Upon learning their maid will be leaving to earn an education, the son of the family decides to set her up with a man.

Director:

Daniel Mann

Writers:

Robert Alan Aurthur (screenplay), Sidney Poitier (original story)

Stars:

Sidney Poitier, Abbey Lincoln, Beau Bridges

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sidney Poitier	...	Jack Parks
Abbey Lincoln	...	Ivy Moore
Beau Bridges	...	Tim Austin
Nan Martin	...	Doris Austin
Lauri Peters	...	Gena Austin
Carroll O'Connor	...	Frank Austin
Leon Bibb	...	Billy Talbot
Hugh Hurd	...	Jerry
Lon Satton	...	Harry
Stanley Greene	...	Eddie
Paul Harris	...	Dealer
Tony Major	...	Dealer
Clark Morgan	...	Dealer
Christopher St. John	...	Dealer
Bob Carey	...	Dealer

Storyline

A white family has had the same black maid for many years. When she tells them she wants to go back to school and will be leaving soon, the 20ish year old son decides what she needs is a change and begins searching for a man to wine her, dine her, but who won't marry her thinking that this will turn her aside from her plans. The man he finds doesn't entirely cooperate.

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Plot Keywords:

maid | manhattan new york city | harlem manhattan new york city | black american | master servant relationship | 

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Taglines:

Sidney Poitier in the love, love, loveliest movie of the year.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film Sidney Poitier's character says that he is 36 while Poitier was actually 41 at the time of the movie. Abbey Lincoln's character says she is 27, although she was actually 38 at the time of the movie.

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Quotes

Jack Parks: Looks like you've got a pretty good setup here.
Ivy Moore: Too good. I don't want to die here.
Jack Parks: You've got to die somewhere.
Ivy Moore: Well, isn't it better not to go ignorant and alone?

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Connections

Featured in Abbey Lincoln: You Gotta Pay the Band (1993)

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Soundtracks

My Side of the Sky
Lyrics and Vocal by Cashman, Pistilli & West
Music by Quincy Jones

User Reviews

The Austins lose a maid

When Abbey Lincoln in the title role of Ivy announces she's quitting to go out on her own, the Austins except for father Carroll O'Connor hit the panic button. Nan Martin is beside herself as the mom and the kids Lauri Peters and Beau Bridges recoil at the prospect of doing for themselves.

Beau Bridges who is a rather shallow character with pretensions of being a flower child comes up with the idea of fixing Lincoln up with a disreputable character so she would see how well off she is and stay. His choice is Sidney Poitier a man with a trucking company who on the side at night has moving casino inside one of his moving vans.

But as these things work out, Poitier falls for Lincoln and mounts an earnest campaign to win her. That campaign is some of the best parts of the film, Poitier and Lincoln have a real chemistry together.

The other part I like is what goes on with Beau Bridges. Some of the dialog between him and his parents remind me of Carroll O'Connor and son-in-law Rob Reiner from All In The Family.

This is a nice feel good movie about a princess who finds a Prince Charming in a strange place.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

17 July 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

For Love of Ivy

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,590,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Pictures International, Cinerama Productions Corp., Palomar Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1