WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Ketrivie It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

dimplet Before you dismiss this story as too improbable to believe, particularly with regard to the very fair Jeanne Crain, read Jillian A. Sim's article in American Heritage Magazine: "Fading to White." It is the story of her great-grandmother, Anita Hemmings, the first black woman to attend Vassar College. Only Vassar didn't know she was black, until Anita's roommate did a little digging shortly before graduation and told everyone. This created quite a scandal that got a lot of press attention. Although long forgotten today, her story may have been the inspiration for Pinky.There are some other twists to Sim's account. But one she did not know about at the time was that Anita was a descendant of President Thomas Jefferson. It is a case of truth being stranger than fiction. What if the movie ended with the discovery that Pinky was a descendant of a U.S. President? No one would believe it!Pinky deserves far more recognition today for its bold theme of racial injustice, along with the better known Gentleman's Agreement two years earlier, both produced by Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century-Fox. It is also a fine film, with some interesting twists to the plot.Some might criticize the negative depiction of some blacks early in the film as racist, but that's the kind of nonsense you see a lot of from oversensitive critics. Some whites in the movie are bad people, so why would you not expect that there might be some bad black people in the world, too? We see that there are very good black and white people, too, who rise above the issue of race. I see nothing particularly unrealistic or unfair about Pinky, but at the same time, one should remember this is a Hollywood movie, not a documentary.The theme of a light-skinned black woman passing for white did not originate with Pinky, but with Showboat, including the 1936 and 1951 films. Showboat's first musical incarnation was as a Broadway musical in 1927, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Before that, it was a 1926 novel by Edna Ferber.One of the strengths of the Pinky is the strong sense of atmosphere and place, and some fine cinematography. In the end, it is an inspiring movie, both for the ultimate resolution of the story, and for the fact that it was made in 1949, well before the birth of the modern civil rights movement.

kenjha It is interesting that a light-skinned black actress was not chosen to play the title role; perhaps this decision was made with an eye on box office. There is nothing about Crain that suggests that she's even one percent black, straining the credibility of the story. Having said that, Crain does a fine job of conveying the frustrations of a person treated as sub-human because of her race. She is well supported by the two Ethels, with Waters particularly effective as Crain's grandmother. As is often the case with Kazan, he overplays the issue to some extent. Everything is black and white (so to speak); there are no gray areas in the way the characters behave.

edwagreen Outstanding 1949 film with director Elia Kazan matching his 1947 Oscar winner "Gentleman's Agreement." A very belated kudos for Mr. Kazan in tackling social issues, in this case racial prejudice.What performances are depicted here. Jeanne Crain is the trained nurse who returns to the south and is immediately caught up in its worst form of bigotry. She is the granddaughter of the kind, wisely, illiterate woman who takes in clothing and sacrificed all so that her granddaughter could get ahead. Ethel Waters was so adept in her performance here. She is equally matched by Ethel Barrymore, as a crotchety woman, never forgiven by Pinky for a childhood incident, but ailing now and as a favor to Grandma Waters, Pinky agrees to take care of her.What a social problem erupts when the Barrymore character dies and it is revealed that she left her property to Pinky. A cousin and a cousin by marriage contest the will in court. Evelyn Varden, as the heavy set, bigoted cousin-in-law is terrific and a scene stealer in every scene she appears.This is an outstanding film depicting racial inequity and ultimate redemption.William Lundigan is memorable as the doctor who loved Pinky, but could not marry her. He could not accept her way of life.The film showed that there was anything but racial harmony in America. Notice the musical theme throughout the film is exactly the same as the music played at the beginning of "Gentleman's Agreement." Am sure that Kazan and 20th Century-Fox had plenty to do with that.

wes-connors Well-mannered nurse Jeanne Crain (as Patricia "Pinky" Johnson) returns to her poor "Black" neighborhood, in Mississippi. There, she is welcomed by washerwoman grandmother Ethel Waters (as Granny). The pair are confronted by racism both outside and inside their home. Most importantly, it is revealed that Ms. Crain has been "passing" as "White". Moreover, Crain has become engaged to Caucasian doctor William Lundigan (as Thomas Adams). While working at home, to support Crain's nursing education, Ms. Waters has grown close to ailing Ethel Barrymore (as Miss Em). At first, Crain does not understand or accept the friendship between Waters, a former slave, and Ms. Barrymore, a former plantation owner. But, for her grandmother, Crain agrees to become Barrymore's nurse."Pinky" is a nerve-rattling classic.Probably, the most obvious "debate" point was the casting of Crain in the title role. Crain was definitely "pink" enough (or, white-looking); but, her general "movie star" persona makes the casting decision seem risky. Yet, Crain, under Elia Kazan's direction, triumphs. There are so many ways Crain could have fallen into acting traps - she could have used mannerisms, make-up, and/or other stereotypical devices to "camp" up the "Black" - but, she avoids each trap. Crain performs the role with a great amount of dignity. She was deservedly honored with an "Academy Award" nomination.Barrymore and Waters also perform well (as you might expect).We are never, in the film, given a clear statement of facts regarding the heritage of Crain's "Pinky". My guess is that she is related, by blood, to both Waters and Barrymore. An attempted rape of Crain's character accounts, arguably, for her pink appearance; this might have occurred in more than one generation. It's also possible that a loving "mixed race" relationship was part of either Ethel's past. Making the "Black/White" history more clear would have only gotten the film into more trouble."Pinky" was quickly censored, and headed for the US Supreme Court.One of the Board of Censors' objections was, "a white man retaining his love for a woman after learning that she is a Negro." However, Mr. Lundigan's "Thomas" is only willing to retain his love under certain conditions; and, this leads to a sharp, less "Hollywood"-styled ending. The Supreme Court was correct. Some of the film's best scenes show the way Crain is treated after other characters learn she is not white. ********* Pinky (9/29/49) Elia Kazan ~ Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, William Lundigan