'Sidney' Review: A Touching Farewell to a Hero of Hollywood [TIFF 2022]
He was an imposing, glowering student in a tough school, forming a bond with an inspirational teacher. He was a desperate man on the run, chained to someone who didn’t even see him as a person. He was a steely-eyed inspector who declared that he was called Mr. Tibbs, and when an old racist slapped him across the face, he slapped him right back. He was the handsome doctor being brought home to meet his future in-laws. He was back in the classroom, and this time he was the inspirational teacher for a group of youths who grow to love him. But more than any role he ever played, he was an upright man of great dignity who not only demanded respect and recognition, he dedicated his life to uplift as many others as he could. This film certainly believes that about Sidney Poitier, and the filmmakers present a very compelling case.
Released the same year that Poitier passed, Sidney casts a wide net, intending to cover as much of Poitier’s life that it can manage. Certainly, Poitier’s legacy is worthy of such a thorough effort, and the film is greatly augmented by the man himself recounting his life. Poitier is a master storyteller with a captivating presence, and the film sometimes recreates incidents for our benefit. We are told of a premature baby in the Bahamas who was not expected to live, a little boy who learned how to live from observing the example his parents set. Until he moved to the city when he was ten, that little boy had never seen a car, or even a mirror. That young boy becomes a youth who travels to the United States in search of a better life. He learns about acting, and learns the craft. No matter how difficult the path is for him, though, he turns down any film role which doesn’t match his standards for how he will appear onscreen. He sets a standard and breaks barriers by winning the Academy Award for lead actor. His earlier gift for observation serves him well throughout his adult life, as he continued to transform as an artist and expand his talents.
That’s not to say the stories, or his life, are pleasant. Poitier’s success gave way to criticism from many who insisted that he was catering to white audiences, even as the next generation came of age and made their own mark on cinema. When Poitier maintained his support for a fellow artist persecuted by the government during the Red Scare, he was persecuted in turn. Poitier also recounts chilling stories of narrowly avoiding death at the hands of police officers and Ku Klux Klan alike. One of his daughters reflects on the day when her father got onto her schoolbus and told the children that Martin Luther King had been assassinated. His first wife reflects on the time when she discovered that he was seeing another woman; her silences speak louder than any words could. Moments like that certainly remind us that Poitier was a human being with flaws, doubts, but also convictions. Five of his six daughters appear onscreen, and it’s clear from their reminiscences that Poitier did his best to be a father to all of them.
In addition to Poitier’s daughters, both his former wives are interviewed for the project, as are a wide number of other people. All of them provide further insight or anecdotes for us. Poitier’s longtime friend Harry Belafonte does not appear onscreen, but the film supplies us with plenty of archive footage, including a moment where he wryly jokes about how Poitier owes his career to Belafonte’s work as a garbageman. Rev. Willie Blue talks about the terrifying night when he risked his life to save Poitier’s own. Barbara Streisand reflects on the production company she co-founded with Poitier. Biographer Aram Goudsouzian and historian Nelson George give context to explain just why Poitier’s accomplishments were so remarkable. Katherine Houghton reveals what happened on the day that she filmed her onscreen kiss with Poitier. Actors and filmmakers like Denzel Washington, Robert Redford, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and Oprah Winfrey all share what Poitier meant to them, how his onscreen performances inspired them, and what happened when they were fortunate enough to interact with him.
This journey through Poitier’s biography also makes stops along the way to explore his filmography. The films which are discussed include No Way Out (the first film that Poitier’s parents ever saw), Lilies of the Field (which featured his groundbreaking Oscar win), In the Heat of the Night (Poitier only did the film if he was allowed to deliver the slap heard round the world), and The Lost Man (where Poitier was introduced to the woman who was not only his co-star but who also became his second wife).
Sidney, produced by Winfrey, is clearly meant - and succeeds - as a loving tribute to Poitier. Some might accuse this project of wearing rose-coloured glasses, but Winfrey probably didn’t make this film for people who might think that way. Her love and admiration for Poitier is impossible to doubt, especially when she reflects on the night when she met him and he gave her some heartfelt advice. And true, the film can only cover so much, but nobody can doubt the passion behind this production. Nor can they underestimate the impact which the subject matter made upon the world in which he lived. His last words to the camera, spoken so poignantly, provide not only a perfect conclusion to this film, but also a perfect summation of his long life.