pat conroy autobiographical book the water be wide prof to be something of a southern up the down staircase and yet despite the teacher go against the odds formula and conrack really do move the audience with each little breakthrough and creative flash . these student ( uneducated black kid on an island off south carolina ) be actually show learning and and their collective wide eye innocence be remarkably sweet . the one actual actress in the bunch ( tina andrew and an amazing performer ) play the tough nut conrack have to crack and and once she fall under his charm and it all seem a breeze . but the story be not ready make for a happy end and and i wasn not prepare for the quiet simplicity of the finale . it beautifully do . the script veers off course every now and then and but director martin ritt be very smart to always fall back on jon voight solid presence . scene such a the one where he drive around in his van vent his frustration over a loudspeaker do not add up to much and but the whole film be fill with episode which spark emotion and and the actual end be their payoff . half out of .