The film Pinky(1949) tries to take what was a liberal stance on social issues in the United States, in specific regards to the south, but does not entirely hit the target.
For one, the main actress, Jeanne Crain, is a white woman who plays the role of a colored person that is merely passing for white. It is understandable that to fulfill the role effectively, the actress should be able to pass convincingly for the audience, but the casting choice still seems amiss. It raises questions about who’s really passing for who, and about who has a claim to portray such weighted and socioculturally important characters as Pinky. To me, it seems that Jeanne Crain’s casting was intended to be inoffensive, but remains frustrating in that it dismisses underlying claims of the very racism the film preaches against.
The portrayal of Pinky and her boyfriend Tom’s relationship also stands on shaky ground. Early in the movie, Pinky is harassed by two white men because of her status as a woman of color. She escapes the violence, and the message is categorical: Men should not harass women. However, that message doubles back on itself later in the film. When Tom comes to try and convince Pinky to give up her life in the South and move back north with him to pass as a white woman, he forcefully holds her to him and kisses her unnecessarily and without regards to her assent. She eventually gives into his behavior and agrees to his idea. This modifies what was originally a very clear take away from “Men should not harass women” to “Men should not harass women… unless they’re her boyfriend and race isn’t the issue at hand. In that case it’s fine and even desirable.”