i saw this movie for the first time a little over a year ago . i have see it 4 more time since . i have never hear of it before and i consider myself knowledgeable of classic cinema . a true and polished and diamond in the rough . this gem of a movie revolve around jon voight ( lead character conrack ) a a young schoolteacher assign to yamacraw island to teach the island child and all in one school . at first and the student reveal they know very little of the world beyond their island home . the heart of the movie be conrack find inspiration to awaken their young mind to the world around them . the student quickly reward their teacher with an eagerness to learn and a remarkable ability to grasp concept that and only a short time before and have be foreign to them . conrack use unconventional and clever teaching technique that happen to be and oh a little fun . god forbid . learning and fun . together . can not be and or so say the one in charge . to avoid a spoiler and i shall just say that conrack find resistance with the bos man . and the end be truly bittersweet . i be a 35 year old white male with some teach experience and so i should identify with the lead character and pat conroy ( aka and conrack and mr. petroy ) . but i do not and i identify with the black kid . a a kid and i be buss to the school on the other side of town from the 4th to the 6th grade and circa 1979. these kid in the movie remind me of my classmate then . luckily and in 4th grade a a 8 or 9 year old and one doesn not understand racism . i just remember we be all be kid and play 4 square and kickball and hide and seek and and run relay . this movie be very move . there be delightful and poignant moment from begin to end and non stop . i find myself many time with tear in my eye and then suddenly laugh out loud . it a funny movie . git away from that winda . sir and if youre prepare to accept crap and i should tell you that rabbit just do it in your lap . so and you the white schoolteacher and mr. conrack . my grand love mr. conrack . you a good look teacher and you a good look white man . wind 15 mph from the east . small boat warning . small boat beware . big boat ok and do not get ta worry bout nothing . not a fry cook and but eleanor roosevelt and not a share cropper and but ( something latin ) . that latin . hey wait . conrack sing like a frog . i sing good and whatcha talkin bout . it still mystify me that i still hear nothing about this movie or that it have very little reputation or follow . i intend to seek out more review and comment and background and and make of tidbit and if they be out there . what amazes me be the act give from the untrained kid . one of the kid and mary and i understand be an actress and and you can tell . however and the other kid have plenty of line and genuine reaction . i wonder how they do it . i be guess that conrack and mary have precise dialogue to work with while some of the scene unfold naturally or ad libbed . conrack be a special movie . in my opinion and it be one of the very few movie that be so good and so unknown . others in that category be king rat ( 65 ) and dark passage ( 47 with bogie and bacall ) and god must be crazy ( 80 ) and and bad day at black rock ( 55 ) . i recommend them all . but first and take a seat in the class of mr. conrack .