EQUALITY - COMING TO A THEATER NEAREST YOU : YOU'LL LAUGH. YOU'LL CRY. YOU'LL BREAK THE TRADITIONAL RACIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC BARRIERS THAT KEEP WHITE AUDIENCES OUT OF MOVIES WITH ALL-BLACK CASTS . . .

Byline: Kevin Ross 

FOR many Angelenos, Hollywood is the next best thing to heaven. So it wasn't surprising when People magazine was skewed earlier this year for airing one of Tinseltown's dirty little secrets; that blacks in show business are not afforded the same opportunities as whites and whites don't patronize black movies.

While the article highlighted the conspicuous dearth of minorities nominated for an Academy Award, the flaccid response by many was ``these things take time'' or ``next year will be better.''

On the heels of 1996, the facts, well, speak for themselves. Films such as ``Independence Day,'' ``Eraser,'' ``Space Jam,'' ``A Time to Kill'' and ``The Nutty Professor,'' have shown ``the suits'' at the studios that blacks can deliver and whites do appreciate their talent.

But let's not uncork the bottle just yet. In 1996, unfortunately, one query still remains. What happens when an all-black picture is produced, with a budget of more than $60 million, and you have no white characters?

Enter Disney's ``The Preacher's Wife,'' which opened Friday in theaters nationwide. This classic remake, starring Denzel Washington as an angel and Whitney Houston in the title role, has all the ingredients for what Time magazine calls, ``A box-office slam dunk.'' Having seen the film, I would wholeheartedly concur. But while I found the acting to be outstanding, the story endearing and the singing superb, those who have seen the movie and also enjoyed it are concerned about the film's commercial prospects given the racial dynamic.

Although this may be a sad reality, all is not lost. As we approach a new millennium, eradicating racism in the entertainment industries has been a slow but steady progression. In sports, society has accepted seeing 10 black men running up and down a basketball court, two black men slugging it out in a boxing ring, one biracial young man hitting a hole in one, and descendants of slaves garnishing one-third of the 101 Olympic medals awarded this country at the Summer Olympics.

On the runways, in commercial ads and magazines, more people are acknowledging that dark skin, high cheekbones, textured hair and full features add up to beauty, American style. Music, in its universal language, continues to cross racial lines. From classic R&B oldies to hip hop and rap, the substantial contributions black artists have made to the recording industry are irrefutable. Cable and television are also being responsive to the call for equality, particularly HBO and the fledgling UPN and WB networks.

And, yes, even in film, movies like ``House Party,'' ``Boyz in the Hood,'' ``Waiting to Exhale,'' ``A Thin Blue Line'' and ``Set It Off'' featuring black casts and directors have proved to be very successful financially. With the exception of ``Exhale,'' they've also been done with relatively small budgets.

To some, that's a problem. In fact, many African-American filmmakers and critics passionately contend that white audiences would support black films even further if Hollywood executives would loosen their purse strings and spend more money enhancing the quality and marketing of these projects. It is their belief that certain things in life, such as great story telling, transcend our mortal misconceptions and prejudices about race.

Ironically, the central theme of ``The Preacher's Wife'' is renewal of faith. Never mind that just a few short years ago, Disney was ranked the worst company in the entertainment industry regarding advancing, hiring and creating opportunities for minorities.

In the most critical period of the movie business, the holiday season, Disney has demonstrated a commitment both to the bottom line and to doing the right thing. Maybe they were touched by an angel. The question we as a society must now answer is whether we can come to terms with our own bigotry and begin to truly appreciate our differences.

Waging war on the ghost of racism past is going to take a lot of work and maybe even a little prayer. But if everyone can take that leap of faith, who knows, we all just may end up at a local theater, sitting side by side, sharing a box of popcorn, watching a really good movie.

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Photo: With help from Dudley (Denzel Washington), Julia Biggs (Whitney Houston) finds new meaning in her life, but will white audiences find ``The Preacher's Wife?''