Camden library film club to pay tribute to Sidney Poitier

A film still from “Lilies of the Field,” 1963. United Artists/Photofest

During February, the Friday Film Club at Camden Public Library is honoring Black History Month. With the death of Sidney Poitier in January, the club is reflecting on his career as one of the most influential Black actors in America, according to a news release from the library.

On Friday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., the club plans to discuss “Lilies of the Field” (1963) and “The Defiant Ones” (1958), two of Poitier’s most acclaimed films. The films should be viewed prior to the online meeting.

“Lilies of the Field” is a movie about a Black handyman named Homer Smith (Poitier) who stops by a farm in rural Arizona. He is welcomed by a group of Roman Catholic nuns who have emigrated from Germany. Realizing that the farm needs a lot of work, Homer takes on a number of repair projects for the women, who are led by the headstrong Mother Maria (Lilia Skala).

Impressed by Homer’s kindness and strong work ethic, the nuns come to believe that he has been sent by God to help build them a chapel.

Poitier won an Oscar for Best Actor for the film, marking the first time a Black actor won an Academy Award in that category.

“The Defiant Ones” is set in 1950s America. Members of a chain gang are being transported through the South when their truck crashes. Two of the convicts, John “Joker” Jackson (Tony Curtis) and Noah Cullen (Poitier), who are chained together, find an opportunity to escape.

Jackson is white, Cullen is Black and, at first, the men appear to be opposites in every way. But as they flee across the country, the two form a deep bond.

The film won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture and an Academy Award for Writing (Original Screenplay).

To request details for how to stream the films and to receive the Zoom link to attend the discussion, email jpierce@librarycamden.org.

The Friday Film Club meets on third Fridays to discuss a wide variety of movies and documentaries. New members are always welcome. More information about this and other library programs can be found online at librarycamden.org.