Kramer’s legacy

DENNIS LIM takes a cheap shot at deceased producer-director Stanley Kramer in his review of the new Sony film collection of Kramer’s work [“A Guest Who Just Won’t Go Away,” Feb. 10].

Lim declares “many of” Kramer’s films “suffered from a stiffness and simple-mindedness that was antithetical to convincing drama” -- this about a film library that includes “Champion,” “The Men,” “The Caine Mutiny” and “High Noon.”

Lim lauds the dreadful “ . . . Mad World” which obscured the comic talents of no less than Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar and Dick Shawn to name a few; only Buster Keaton managing a hilarious 30-second silent vignette. Lim savages “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” branding same “hokum” and “self-important” -- this for a film nominated for 10 Oscars and garnering two.

Lim states that Kramer created a new “non-threatening black character who set the benchmark for on-screen minorities for decades.” Tell that to Woody Strode, Richard Roundtree or Sidney Poitier for that matter.

Stuart Weiss

Beverly Hills