USA,
1963, 94 min
Directed by:
Ralph NelsonScreenplay:
James PoeCinematography:
Ernest HallerComposer:
Jerry GoldsmithCast:
Sidney Poitier, Lilia Skala, Isa Crino, Francesca Jarvis, Pamela Branch, Ralph Nelson, Stanley Adams, Lisa Mann, Dan Frazer, Bobby DriscollVOD (1)
Plots(1)
Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier), an itinerant handyman, is driving through the Arizona desert when he meets five impoverished nuns. Stopping to fix their leaky farm house roof, Homer discovers that not only will the Mother Superior not pay him for the job, but she also wants him to build their chapel for free! Hesitant at first, Homer soon finds himself single-handedly raising the chapel and the financing. But although he will not receive a monetary reward, Homer knows that when his work is done, he'll leave that dusty desert town a much better place than when he found it. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Awards
- Winner
- Nominations
Academy Awards
- 1964 - Sidney Poitier (Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role)
- 1964 - Best Motion Picture of the Year
- 1964 - Lilia Skala (Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role)
- 1964 - James Poe (Best Adapted Screenplay)
- 1964 - Ernest Haller (Best Cinematography (Black-and-White))
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
- 1965 - Sidney Poitier (Best Foreign Actor)
- 1965 - United Nations Award
Golden Globes
- 1964 - Promoting International Understanding
- 1964 - Sidney Poitier (Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama)
- 1964 - Best Motion Picture – Drama
- 1964 - Lilia Skala (Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
- 1963 - Sidney Poitier (Best Actor)
Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival)
- 1963 - Sidney Poitier (Silver Bear for Best Actor)
- 1963 - Ralph Nelson (Golden Bear for Best Film)