A family tires to match a maid to a trucking company president.The first 15 minutes of the film is painful to watch. But maybe that's the point. I was about to through this disc out of the truck Then I found out Sidney Portier is a trucking company president. So I watched the rest of the movie,painful parts and all. It ended up being a pretty cool movie.Mr Portier ends up with the girl at the end. The racket he came up with was pretty ingenious. The wrighting and acting in this film are pretty good.Hugh Hurd drives the White big rig.Hugh Hurd was a permanent A list actor.Abbey Lincoln and Nan Martin was hot!!Lauri Peters is hot!!---One Truck Drivers Opinion---erldwgstruckermovies.com

This is a great film starring Sidney Poiter as Jack Parks, who runs a gambling racket in a large van which is always on the move and he is beloved by all kinds of females who find him very attractive and sexy. It just so happens that a White family has a female Black female servant named Ivy Moore, (Abbey Lincoln) who is very attractive and has been with the family for over nine years of service. Ivey decides she wants to leave their employ and the family becomes very upset and Mr. Frank Austin, (Carroll O'Connor) decides something has to be done to keep Ivy from leaving. The family arranges for Ivy to meet Jack Parks who is a friend of the family and desires to become a match making family to get these two people together in order to keep their family maid still in the family service. There is plenty of comedy and funny situations which makes this a great story created by Sidney Poitier and he gives an outstanding performance along with a great supporting actress, Abbey Lincoln. Enjoy.

I do understand the social importance of this film. It is refreshing to see this period of film-making tell a novel story where the lead characters are black and involved in a romantic plot line. I get it. That being said, the screenplay is over the top and heavy-handed; clubbing us over the head with the sentiment of "See, blacks are cool, suave, and sophisticated." As a result, the plot is flimsy, awkward, and often confusing. We are expected to follow the story without ever really getting to know any of the characters, again with way too much emphasis on the situation. And, sorry to say, the acting is somewhat tragic. A weak performance by the BRILLIANT Poitier and Abbey Lincoln is beautiful but boring and flat. Weird direction also accompanies the players; odd angles and points of view that only distract. Beau Bridges turns in the most interesting performance and does the best he can do with what he is given; specifically the nonsensical monologue he is given at the end of the film. The most interesting thing about the film is that it does give us a peek into the somewhat decadent and experimental social aspects of 60's nightlife. The scene in the club is very intriguing!

For film history buffs,this is the film that followed,"Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" in Sid's career. What a great choice it was too! I can't believe I'm only the third person to review this film. I bought a marked down copy of this on DVD and I'm glad I did.Sidney plays Jack Parks,owner of a trucking company who is a client for Mr. Austin (Carroll O'Conner). This is not the somewhat "good guy" we're used to seeing Sidney play. He's got a secret,his company is a front for an illeagal "traveling casino",in the back of the semi.The Austin family have a maid named Ivy whose worked for them since she was 18. ...but now she's 27 and wants to leave her job to become a secretary in the city and go to school too. The Austin family react like their whole world is falling apart! Especially Mrs. Austin,who hasn't kept house herself in those 9 years with Ivy. Mr. Austin seems to be the only voice of reason,as far as Ivy leaving is concerned.Mr. Austin's spoiled hippie son concocts a plan to keep Ivy working for them. If she marries Jack,she'll "have" to stay! Even his usually level-headed sister goes along with it,making it clear that they have only their own selfish interests in mind and not what it is Ivy wants.I wont spoil the movie for you by saying how it all plays out but it's well worth the watching. It's not strictly a question of race in this film but more about what anyone as a human being wants and needs in their life. 1960's or now,that message is still universal to all. The dialouge,acting and direction are smartly done,so without a doubt,10 stars. Buy it or rent it...but you have to see it. (END)