Conrack

1974
PG
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

2.3K

YOUR RATING

Play clip2:35

Watch Conrack: Fight With The Kids

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34 Photos

Drama

The true story of Pat Conroy, a handsome, idealistic Caucasian who is an elementary-school instructor for a group of poor Black children in an isolated school.The true story of Pat Conroy, a handsome, idealistic Caucasian who is an elementary-school instructor for a group of poor Black children in an isolated school.The true story of Pat Conroy, a handsome, idealistic Caucasian who is an elementary-school instructor for a group of poor Black children in an isolated school.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

2.3K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Videos1

Clip 2:35

Conrack: Fight With The Kids

Photos34

+ 30

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In a 2007 interview on the Dennis Miller Radio Show, Jon Voight recalled a reunion that was held 20 years after the movie's release, with all of the available actors and actresses. Of the 21 actors and actresses who portrayed students, three were teachers at the time of the reunion.

Goofs
When Pat Conroy goes to a student's home, a pack of dogs rushes out to him and the owner calls them off. As Conroy is leaving, the dogs chase him again, and as he runs down the road at least one of them runs past Conroy, presumably toward the trainer calling them.

Quotes
Pat Conroy: As for my kids, I don't think I changed the quality of their lives significantly, or altered the fact that they have no share in the country that claimed them - the country that's failed them. All I know is I felt much beauty in my time with them.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: This is based on a true story. It began in March of 1969.

Connections
Features The Black Swan (1942)

Soundtracks
5th Symphony
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven (uncredited)
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as the New York Philharmonic)
with Leonard Bernstein as Conductor
(and used by courtesy of Columbia Records)

User reviews45

Review

Featured review

8/10

Martin Ritt and social issues

Martin Ritt seems to be a director who was always interested in social issues (as the son of immigrants, he had every incentive to be so, especially since he was blacklisted in the '50s). "Conrack" is based on Pat Conroy's novel "The Water is Wide", about his own experience in 1969 teaching a school of impoverished black children about the outside world, much to the chagrin of the right-wing superintendent (Hume Cronyn). What added to the movie's strength was the cultural and historical context: Conroy (Jon Voight) frustratedly tells another teacher how many of the children don't know about Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, the Vietnam War, or even where Vietnam is. He proceeds to enlighten them about all these factors.

Somewhere, I read a complaint that when Conroy played music for the children, he only played white music. The truth is, you can't blame the movie for that; it was based on Conroy's real experience. Either way, the movie's a real gem.