Film Guide- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)

Learning English with Film

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was released in 1967 at a time when interracial marriage was a hotly debated subject in the United States. Just twelve years earlier, Emmet Till, a fourteen year old black boy was lynched by a white mob in Mississippi, after being accused of offending a white woman. The brutality of his murder and the fact that his killers were acquitted caused outrage, and not only among the African American community.

By the mid 1960s revolution was in the air. From anti-war protests to the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution young people were challenging the old orthodoxy and campaigning for civil and political rights. The famous Loving v Virginia legal case, brought by a mixed race married couple, was headline news after the supreme court unanimously struck down Virginia’s long-standing ban on interracial marriage. This is the historical context of Stanley Kramer’s, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Illuminating these themes before showing the movie will give learners a much deeper appreciation of the film

One of the key reasons for using movies in ESL is to expose learners to comprehensive, authentic language on a regular basis. This is particularly important in countries where English language films and programmes have been dubbed with a soundtrack that is different from the original. But we also want to provide students with an opportunity for using English. The following structure is purposely designed to ensure that students are actively engaged in all the aspects of language acquisition

Preview: This session is primarily concerned with conversation. Students take part in a number of paired discussions (on themes related to the movie) each lasting approx fifteen minutes. The aim is to ensure that every participant speaks with at least three other members during an entire ninety minute session

Homestudy: Each ESL film guide offers the possibility of extensive reading and listening, incidental and intentional vocabulary learning, and provides helpful background information . Students receive the material six days in advance ensuring they have ample time to complete all the tasks

Movie Night: Here students are provided with a forum for extensive listening, reading (subtitles) and discussion

Details below

Previewing: Classroom Discussions (90 mins)
Home Study: Student’s Film Guide (2-3 hours)
Movie Night: (2-3 hours)

PREVIEWING

Classroom Discussions (90 mins)

Step 1:

Discuss in pairs (15-20 mins)

what was the the last film you watched in the cinema (5-7 mins)
take feedback (2-3 mins)
write down the first four words that comes to mind when you hear the following. “1960s”
allow students twenty seconds to write four words
place students in pairs to discuss their words (5-7 mins)
take feedback (2-3 mins)

Step 2: Change partner

1960s– Discuss in pairs (15-20 mins)

Name the psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960
Who won the 1960 United States presidential election?
Which city had a 140 km wall built through and around it in 1961?
Who gave the “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., on 28 August 1963?
Which piece of woman’s clothing is designer Mary Quant credited with introducing in 1964?
What was the significance of the Supreme Court Case, “Loving v. Virginia”,that was settled on 12 June,1967?
Name five famous musicians/bands from the 1960s
What event was held at Woodstock from August 15–18, 1969?
Name the slogan that was used during the late 1960s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence.
What do you think life was like for a young adult growing up in the 1960s?

Step 3: Change partner

Listen –Discuss in pairs (10-15 mins)

Click link Loving v Virginia and answer the questions

Who entered the home of Richard and Mildred Loving on 11th July, 1958?
What law had Richard and Mildred broken? (0:38 mins)
What ultimatum were they given?
Why did the move to Washington,DC ?
Who did Mildred write a letter to in 1963?
What does the equal rights clause of the 14th Amendment guarantee?
What happened on 12 June,1967? (2.15mins)
What is Loving versus Virginia about?

Step 4: Change partner

Discuss in pairs (20-25 mins)

Next time we’re watching a movie about interracial marriage. Six months before the movie was released mixed-race marriage was still illegal in 17 states in the US. Imagine you and your partner are making a film about interracial marriage.What story could you create from the information you have? Think about the title, setting, story-lines, themes, characters, genre,etc.

Where is the film set ? (location)
What time period will the film occupy? (a day, a month, a year, years)
Age and ethnicity of actors? (young, old, middle age, mixture)
Which genre? (adventure, drama, sci-fi, comedy, romance, etc.)
What is your story? ( many stories follow the following basic formula)

The Beginning: introduce the characters and place.
The Middle: introduce a problem.
The End: solve the problem.

Longline-summarise your story in two sentences–*see below

* There are 3.7 trillion fish in the ocean. They’re looking for one.– FINDING NEMO

Home Study

(2-3 hours)

Film Guide– Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Guess Who's Coming to DInner

Instructions

download the film guide Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
complete the gap-fill exercises on page 28 & 29
complete the idiom/phrasal verb exercises on page 30 &31
read the dialogue page 4-27
listen to interviews (weblinks) page 34 and answer the questions
compare answers next time in class
consider two questions to ask your partner after watching the movie

MOVIE NIGHT

2-3 Hours

Check Homework (10-15 mins)

check gap-fill exercise
check idiom/phrasal verb exercise
check listening exercise
discuss dialogue

Watch Movie (90-130 mins)

English subtitles
English language
mobile phones off
completely darkened room

Discuss Movie (20-30 mins)

Q1: in pairs (10-15 mins)
Q2: change pairs (10-15 mins)
Feedback entire group (5-10mins)

Subscribe

Subscribe to vhsteacher to receive notifications of new film guides,workshops and lesson plans.