Sapphire 1959

Sapphire is a 1959 British crime film. It was directed by Basil Dearden and produced by Michael Relph and Earl St.John.

It was written by Janet Green, the film focused on racism in London toward immigrants from the West Indies.

The film received a BAFTA Award for Best film. Janet Green also won an award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Foreign Film Screenplay.

Storyline : The film is about a pregnant girl found stabbed on Hampstead Heath. Although she appears to be white, her brother arrives at the police station to give evidence and he is black. It then becomes evident to the police officers that this girl has been passing for white.This film reveals the underlying insecurities and fears of ordinary people that exist towards another race.

The soundtrack to the movie had an influence to the audience creating more of an impact if a black person came on the screen and 'shocked' the audience.

• Families coping with the thought of having a black in their family and how it creates an impact on them all.

• When a black character said 'Me and my kind." This shows that they even split themselves apart from the white people.

• When they say the 'International club' the response 'oh i see they've let the jungle in' it suggests that they didn't think the west indies as people more like animals instead.

• At the end of the film it is shown how uncomfortable it is for the family to be in the same room as the coloured man. Yet again discrimination against coloured men.