Selected by Steven Krams
In 1912, in a small fishing town in South Carolina, Bess (Dorothy Dandridge), a woman with a bad reputation, tries to break free from her lover, Crown (Brock Peters). The only person willing to overlook her past is Porgy (Sidney Poitier), a disabled man. However, their relationship is threatened by the disapproval of the townspeople and Crown's return.
Based on the opera of the same name by composer George Gershwin, with a libretto by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward.
Note: This screening of Porgy and Bess is presented in its original quality from a rare, out-of-print DVD release. The film has been largely unavailable in theaters or on home video for decades and is described by film historian Foster Hirsch as the “Holy Grail of unavailable films.” Though not formally preserved, this presentation offers a rare opportunity to experience a piece of lost cinema history.