CONRACK

US, 1974, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jon Voight, Paul Winfield, Hume Cronyn, Madge Sinclair, Tina Andrews.
Directed by Martin Ritt.

Conrack is pleasant. Years ago, Sidney Poitier showed us the warm-hearted teacher in To Sir with Love. Jon Voight is offering the same kind of enthusing idealism as Pat Conroy, Conrack, to the Negro children he teaches on an island off the Carolina coast. He succeeds with the children but it is the Education Department, unused to his humane methods and fearing the worst in lack of school discipline and rabble-rousing, that he clashes with. Attractively photographed and full of charm and sentiment (especially in the visit to the mainland of the children for Halloween celebrations), the film is in the noble school of optimism about education and human nature.

1. The focus of the title on Pat Conroy? Symbol of his name and of his attitude towards the children?

2. How pleasing a film was this? Audience involvement in it and with Conrack? The technique of starting the day with him,, his leaving the city and trip to the island? The initial suspicion and hostility? Watching him begin school and communicate with the children? How was the audience ready to follow his story?

3. The importance of colour, wide screen, the contrast of the city with the island, the details of life on the island, separated by water the picturing of water, the atmosphere of the whole island and its hold on its community?

4. The portrayal of Conrack as a teacher? How interesting and enjoyable? His techniques. adaptation to the children? His discovery of their ignorance? The way that he was trained, adapting his style, his humane style? How useful and appropriate were his unconventional methods? How did he really educate the children?

5. The contrast with Mrs. Scott and her attitude? Her pessimism about the negroes? Her hardness, calling the children 'babies', humiliating them? The children's sullen reaction? Conrack's clashes with Mrs. Scott?

6. The portrayal of the children and their needs? The initial evidence of retardation? The spontaneity and quality of their response e.g. nature, the film, swimming etc.?

7. The background of life on the island: the girl who was Conrack's cook, being bought for marriage, her wanting to attend the classes? The gossip in the village? Mrs. Scott's comment on Conrack's swim? 'Mad Tom' and his wanting lessons? The isolation of the people and their not having left the island? Their fear of letting the children go?

8. Mr. Skeffington and his inspection? His hostility to Conrack's methods? His comments at the television and seeing his own son? The situating of this story in real life, 1969f and with real dates and American attitudes?

9. The importance of the Halloween celebrations? The discussions with Skeffington. Mrs. Scott, the grandmothers and people on the island? The enjoyment of the children? The way that they carried out the celebrations in the town? Even Skeffington helping?

10. Audience response to Pat Conroy's sacking? The motives of Skeffington? The appeal, the trial, Skeffington's statement of his attitudes?

11. The pathos of Conroy leaving the island? How he had changed, how the children had changed, Mrs. Scott?

12. The insights into human nature and a positive approach to life? Despite defeat? The insights into education and schooling. racism? Sentiment? Wisdom?