The film was produced without the studio investment that might have given it a wider initial platform. Poitier’s participation was central to its getting made at all. He deferred his salary in exchange for a percentage of the profits — a decision that reflected both his belief in the material and his understanding that the film was not going to get the kind of studio backing that would guarantee his regular rate.
When Lilies of the Field was released in 1963, the critical response was warm and the box office performance was modest but solid. The film found its audience. And when the Academy nominations were announced, Sidney Poitier’s performance was among those recognized for Best Actor.
He was thirty-six years old.
## April 13, 1964: The Night the History Books Opened
The 36th Academy Awards ceremony took place at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on April 13, 1964.
The Best Actor nominees that year were Albert Finney for Tom Jones, Richard Harris for This Sporting Life, Rex Harrison for Cleopatra, Paul Newman for Hud, and Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field. The category was competitive. Tom Jones had dominated the nominations. Albert Finney was the favorite in many projections.
The presenter of the Best Actor award was Anne Bancroft.
When she announced the winner — Sidney Poitier — the moment carried a weight that went beyond any individual performance. Poitier walked to the stage in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and Anne Bancroft leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
The kiss was, in the context of 1964 America, not entirely without controversy. An interracial kiss, even a decorous peck on a cheek at a formal awards ceremony, was noted in some coverage. What was noted more was the win itself.