This movie based on a real-life family and it plays rather well.
Without excessive sentimentality, it portrays the adjustment of a family that looks white but has a trace amount of "negro" in their blood line and are therefore regarded as black.
The lead character - a competent, young doctor Scott Carter - is rejected for employment by a black hospital administrator because he doesn't look black. Carter then tries to pass for white in a northern state and get a job as a doctor there. He succeeds in the north and raises a son and daughter never telling them of their mixed racial background. His secret is uncovered when he applies for a commission in the US Navy. It becomes known that he and his wife are both negroes and negroes at that time were not allowed to become Naval officers. The Navy policy was soon revised to allow black officers.
The film serves as an object lesson in the difficulty of interracial relationships, biracial children and never quite fully fitting in either world. Although that's somewhat changed from when this film was made some 65 years ago, it will continue to be a issue.
The film treats the subject fairly and without the hyperbole and excess of today's films on racial issues. The net result is compassion for this family.
Without excessive sentimentality, it portrays the adjustment of a family that looks white but has a trace amount of "negro" in their blood line and are therefore regarded as black.
The lead character - a competent, young doctor Scott Carter - is rejected for employment by a black hospital administrator because he doesn't look black. Carter then tries to pass for white in a northern state and get a job as a doctor there. He succeeds in the north and raises a son and daughter never telling them of their mixed racial background. His secret is uncovered when he applies for a commission in the US Navy. It becomes known that he and his wife are both negroes and negroes at that time were not allowed to become Naval officers. The Navy policy was soon revised to allow black officers.
The film serves as an object lesson in the difficulty of interracial relationships, biracial children and never quite fully fitting in either world. Although that's somewhat changed from when this film was made some 65 years ago, it will continue to be a issue.
The film treats the subject fairly and without the hyperbole and excess of today's films on racial issues. The net result is compassion for this family.