A Patch of Blue

Filmed in black and white in 1965. This film starred Poitier (To Sir with Love) as en educated young black man living in NYC with his older brother who is an intern at a local hospital. He works evenings and one afternoon he happens upon a young girl (Elizabeth Hartmen who does the voice for Mrs. Brisby in The Secret of NIMH) in the park. She is blind and was born to a poor, white trash family. They never educated her or taught her much of anything. She lives for spending afternoons in the park when someone can escort her. Her grandfather loves her, but he's a drunk. Her mother (Shelley Winters who won the Oscar for best supporting actress for this film) is a prostitute; one of her callers rapes the young girl. She and Poitier form a bond as they become friends while he teaches her how to become more self sufficient. Knowing her circumstances he finds a school that will help her and keep her safe. She falls madly in love. He feels for her too, but because she is 18 and has become so dependent on him, he wants to know for sure what they feel is love and promises to keep in touch. He asks her to give the school a year and then they will see how they feel. I do NOT like the ending because it seems so permanent. I hope the writer did foresee them begin together later. All in all, I say: SEE IT