Semiotics: The Guess Whos

For the purpose of this analysis I will be analyzing the cab scene from both films.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner     

·         Social History:

o   Late 1960’s

§  In the 1960’s racial tension between blacks and whites was at an all-time high. This movie was released after JFK stated in a 1963 speech that he believed in Civil Rights for all Americans

o   Movie is set in the present time (late 1960s)

• ·        Making out in the cab
• ·         Cab driver gives them dirty/ confused looks
• ·         Sidney wants to check into hotel
• ·         Her parents don’t know they’re coming
• ·         She’s oblivious to his skin color
• ·         Uses napkin to wipe his face

Guess Who

·         Social History

o   Mid 2000’s

§  The 2000s seen a major rise in the minority population. The early 2000s appeared to be a beginning of a better decade for the African- American Community. Affirmative action was removed from universities and people of color were becoming top notch actors in Hollywood.

o   Present day (2005)

• ·         Scared of her dad
• ·         Uses napkin to wipe his face
• ·         She didn’t tell her parents that he was white (Oblivious to skin color)
• ·         Cab driver seems nosey and he judges them
• ·         Much more light-hearted and comedic

While the 1967 version of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner focuses on major social issues of the era the 2005 remake serves as almost a parody for the original movie.