Many people here have criticized this film for using a white actress (Jeanne Crain) in the lead, feeling instead they should've used a biracial actress. I came here to offer some suggestions as to why a white woman would've been cast in that role.
1- it would've been hard to cast a white man in the role of the fiancé. In 1949 it would've been career suicide for a white actor to kiss and African-American actress.
2- This was 1949. Back then how many white people would have gone to see a movie that started an African American actress? Not many I'll bet!
I can't say more about this movie because I'm viewing it for the first time right now and I'm only about halfway through it. So far I'm enjoying it immensely!
1- it would've been hard to cast a white man in the role of the fiancé. In 1949 it would've been career suicide for a white actor to kiss and African-American actress.
2- This was 1949. Back then how many white people would have gone to see a movie that started an African American actress? Not many I'll bet!
I can't say more about this movie because I'm viewing it for the first time right now and I'm only about halfway through it. So far I'm enjoying it immensely!