Sounder
(1972)

Director: Martin Ritt

Key Cast: Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks, Carmen Mathews, Taj Mahal, James Best, Eric Hooks, Yvonne Jarrell, Sylvia Williams, Teddy Airhart

Rating: G

Genre(s): Family, Drama

"Sounder" Movie Trailer

This is the original "Sounder" movie starring Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield and Kevin Hooks.

They may be poor, but they are close. And they are strong.

It's the Great Depression and the Morgan family is struggling as sharecroppers. When the toll of hunger gets too great, the father, Nathan (Paul Winfield), steals some meat for his family. He is arrested and sent to prison. This leaves the mother Rebecca (Cicely Tyson), and her children to work the land and get the crop in for the season. "We'll do it because we have to do it" is Rebecca's response is to the overwhelming challenge that the family now faces.

The eldest son, David (Kevin Hooks) becomes the man of the house and helps his mother as best he can. After finally finding out where his father has been sent, he sets out to find him. Along the way, David discovers an all-Black school with an African-American schoolteacher. She tells him about the great accomplishments of African-Americans and offers to teach him to read. This becomes a hope of opportunity for the young man.

"Sounder" is a powerful and uplifting story about a family's love and perseverance through hard times. Rated G, this is a film that all children (especially African-American) should see at some point in their life because of the history that it teaches and the lessons about family and life that it provides.

• The movie "Sounder" is based on the award-winning book named "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong. In 1970, the book "Sounder" won the distinguished Newbery Medal which is a special award given to only one children's book per year. The Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association) gives this award to what they consider to be the most outstanding children's book written that year by an American author. Click here to get purchase information for the book "Sounder."

• In the book version of "Sounder" the Morgan family did not have names. Also, the racism and violence in the book is more pronounced than in the film.

• Kevin Hooks (who plays the son) and Paul Winfield (who plays the father) joined together to appear in an updated movie version of "Sounder" that was made 30 years later in 2003. This new movie was made for ABC's Wonderful World of Disney and the roles that Kevin Hooks and Paul Winfield played in this new film were different. Kevin Hooks directed the new version and Paul Winfield plays the teacher. For purchase info for this newer version of Sounder, please click here.

• Actors Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield appeared together again in the movie "King" which is about slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King. "King" is a Top 100 Black Classic Movie. Click here to find out more about the movie "King."

• "Sounder" was shot on location in Louisiana.

• "Sounder" was nominated for four 1973 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Winfield), Best Actress (Cicely Tyson) and Best Screenplay Writing

• "Sounder" was also nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress (Cicely Tyson) and Most Promising Newcomer (Kevin Hooks)

• Famous blues artist and musician Taj Mahal was nominated for a Grammy Award for his musical score for the movie "Sounder."

Buy "Sounder" on DVD
"Sounder" is based on the award-winning book of
the same name by William H. Armstrong.

Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield and Kevin Hooks
star in this moving family drama about a sharecropper
family that overcomes an enormous crisis during
the Great Depression.

 
Click the above button
for purchase info.

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"Sounder" book by William H. Armstrong
This is the book that the movie "Sounder" is based on.
First released in 1970, this book won the distinguished
Newbury Award.

The book is a classic and is read in classrooms across
the country.