I was prompted to comment because of the previous reviewer's comments about "the hissable whites" and that "what we really want from the movie is some windswept romance and more of Belafonte." I was in my preteens when this movie came out and I saw it in the segregated South. It was the talk of the town because it was the first movie that dared show an interracial couple. It was such a controversial topic, however, that while the movie makers showed daring in matching Harry Belafonte with Joan Fontaine, they allowed them to only hug and not actually kiss. That's why there was no "windswept romance".
Here it is nearly 50 years later and I just watched part of the movie Alexander with Colin Farrell and read some reviews on the movie. Several reviewers commented that while Alexander was shown often with his gay lover, the two were only allowed to hug and not to kiss. So intolerance persists--albeit with a different set of protagonists.
Back to Island in the Sun: It was a ground-breaking movie and worth viewing by those who are willing to judge it by the standards of the time and not today's standards. And yes, Harry Belafonte was and still is gorgeous.
Here it is nearly 50 years later and I just watched part of the movie Alexander with Colin Farrell and read some reviews on the movie. Several reviewers commented that while Alexander was shown often with his gay lover, the two were only allowed to hug and not to kiss. So intolerance persists--albeit with a different set of protagonists.
Back to Island in the Sun: It was a ground-breaking movie and worth viewing by those who are willing to judge it by the standards of the time and not today's standards. And yes, Harry Belafonte was and still is gorgeous.