THE COLOR OF LOVE: JACEY'S STORY

US, 1999, 95 minutes, Colour.
Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jnr, Penny Fuller, Penny Bae Bridges.
Directed by Sheldon Larry.

The Color of Love is a very moving telemovie, geared towards the popular audience with strong feeling and sentiment. It is set in Georgia, focusing on a group of older ladies who keep the traditions, think themselves advanced, but are really aristocratic and racist. They have meetings for charity but yet have African American maids, and are horrified at the prospect of mixed-race marriages and children.

Gena Rowlands portrays a genial and generous woman who has been alienated from her daughter by her violent husband. On hearing of her daughter's accidental death, she discovers that she has a grandchild and that it is black. She remembers her husband's attack on her daughter's husband and his father and her being unable to do anything about it. Her husband is now dead. She lives alone and decides to take the child back to Georgia. However, the child's grandfather turns up from San Diego and wants to take the child back to California. He is a diabetic and is forced to stay in Georgia for two weeks. He is invited into the house to be with his granddaughter, finds many opportunities for reminding the white woman of her racism. However, as might be expected in a film like this, attitudes change, people get to know one another, the shared love for a child almost works miracles.

The film is satisfying in that it raises the race issues very strongly but also gently in this genteel context. There is an edge to the screenplay but a very strong focus on the colour of love transcending all colour. Director Sheldon Larry is better known for directing thrillers.

1. A moving telemovie? Portrait of people learning to change their attitudes? Issues of love, family? Issues of racism and snobbery? A film about grandparents?

2. The title, the focus on the little girl? The audience identifying with Georgia Porter? Her plight and sadness? Audience surprise at Jacey being black? The shared surprise of Georgia's friends when she returned home, those who disliked, disapproved? Those who approved and helped out?

3. The Georgia settings, the mansions, the homes - and the contrast with the areas where the black people lived? The musical score?

4. The portrait of Georgia, with her friends, the flashbacks to her husband, the loss of her daughter? The planning of the dinner, her baking? Her going to San Diego, discovering Jacey? Adjusting, bringing her back, introducing her to the women? Her grandfather coming? Having to deal with him, deciding that she wanted to keep Jacey? Her helping her with her memories of her mother, making her at home? Listening to what Jacey said about her own daughter? Learning from her? Their outings, the swing, the stars? Mr Hastings' arrival, his attitude, her reaction? The meal, his wanting to take Jacey? His collapse? The diabetes, in the hospital? His needing care? Georgia insisting that he come into the house?

5. Mr Hastings, his character, his love for his granddaughter, the memory of his son, Mr Porter's attack? His presumptions about Georgia? His going to the house, his putting up with things, his having Georgia's room? The gradual change?

6. Georgia and her taking Jacey out, in the park, the snobbish woman pointing out her grandson? Playing in the park with Mr Hastings, squirting the drink over each other? The birthday party, her preparing a cake? Her sister-in-law's grandchildren not coming? Going home, the friends turning up with their children, Betty turning up with her children? The point that Georgia had made to the Georgia Peaches - friendship, calling Betty by her name, having Mr Hastings under her roof?

7. Taking her to church, the first time not going in but praying outside, the second time going in, people's reactions, quiet in church? Her dropping Jacey at the party, her staying, mixing with the black people, learning to dance?

8. Her coming down to help Mr Hastings with his wound, the attraction towards each other? Her pulling back? Mr Hastings' decision to go back to California?

9. Jacey, her moods, trying to remember her parents, wanting them back, the scenes of the accident coming back vividly? Her loving both grandparents? Mr Hastings deciding to go, their going to the airport, trying to persuade him to stay?

10. The film's dramatisation of grandparents, the influence on their grandchildren, the children learning from them?

11. The importance of the race issues, the two stars and their powerful presence, making the message very clear? The whites embracing the blacks? The blacks overcoming resentment and the possibility of being reconciled? Through children and love?