Sounder (1972): Cast, Ratings & Plot
Sounder is a 1972 family drama directed by Martin Ritt, starring Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson and James Best. It is based on Sounder by William H. Armstrong and James Barkley. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes. It was nominated for 4 Oscars. Critics gave it 80 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 45m (105 min)
- Director
- Martin Ritt
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Sounder About?
The premise of Sounder without spoilers, adapted from Sounder by William H. Armstrong and James Barkley. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During the Great Depression, a Louisiana sharecropping family faces immense hardship and struggles to survive. The father, a deeply religious man, resorts to theft to feed his family, leading to his arrest. This event sets his son on a difficult journey to find him, encountering both adversity and valuable lessons about faith, family, and resilience in the face of poverty.
Sounder Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- coming of age
- national film registry
- marriage
- husband wife reunion
- sharecropper
- louisiana
- father son relationship
- mother son relationship
- family relationships
- school
- race relations
- great depression
+38 more Show fewer
- dog
- 1930s
- african american
- independent film
- animal name in title
- father daughter relationship
- animal character name as title
- raccoon
- court hearing
- washerwoman
- chocolate
- jail
- work camp
- camp
- shooting a dog
- injured dog
- cake
- schoolhouse
- kindness
- cruelty
- hand injury
- bloody hand
- blood
- missing dog
- recovery
- scene during opening credits
- rifle
- hound
- minister
- overalls
- prison camp
- prison
- reading aloud
- negro spiritual
- black church
- judge
- starving child
- brother sister relationship
Sounder Cast
Paul Winfield leads the cast, with Cicely Tyson and James Best. Directed by Martin Ritt; 9 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Martin Ritt
Also Starring in Sounder
· 5 moreMore from Martin Ritt
More films directed by Martin Ritt, best-rated first: Hombre, Norma Rae, Hud and Paris Blues.
Sounder Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Sounder 80 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
-
IMDb 7.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 80 Metascore
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 74% User score
See on TMDB
Sounder Plot Summary
What happens in Sounder from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Rural Louisiana, in the year 1933, sets a poignant backdrop as twilight descends. A father, Nathan Lee, depicted by Paul Winfield, strolls across the serene open grassland accompanied by his son, David, who clutches a lantern while their loyal hound dog, Sounder, prances alongside. Soon, the day gives way to night. As excitement brews, Sounder spots a raccoon and takes off in hot pursuit, prompting Nathan and David to dash after him, calling out his name. With the thrill of the hunt, Nathan draws his rifle to secure dinner, but alas, his aim falters, and the raccoon escapes. Regrettably, he shoulders the blame for their fleeting opportunity.
Full summary
The whole story of Sounder, scene by scene
Sounder Awards & Nominations
Sounder was nominated for 4 Oscars. The 9 nominations come from 4 ceremonies, the most at the Oscars 1973.
9 nominations4 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1974 2 nominations- Nominated Best Original Music
- Nominated United Nations Award – Martin Ritt
-
Oscars 1973 4 nominations- Nominated Actor – Paul Winfield
- Nominated Actress – Cicely Tyson
- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Writing (Screenplay—based on material from another medium)
-
Golden Globes 1973 2 nominations- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actress) – Cicely Tyson
- Nominated New Star of the Year – Actor – Kevin Hooks
-
DGA Awards 1973 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Martin Ritt
How Well Do You Know Sounder?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In what year is 'Sounder' set?
Sounder Also Known As
5 alternative titles, including “儿子离家时” and “Саундер”.
- Also known as
-
- 儿子离家时
- Саундер
- Lágrimas de Esperança
- 사운더
- Csibész
Seen Sounder?
Movies Like Sounder
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Sounder, The Sound and the Fury and Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.
Sounder FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, the book behind it, awards and post-credit scenes of Sounder, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Sounder?
Sounder runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was Sounder released?
Sounder was released on August 18, 1972.
Who directed Sounder?
Sounder was directed by Martin Ritt.
More films by Martin Ritt Who is in the cast of Sounder?
Sounder stars Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson and James Best, among 9 credited actors.
How is Sounder rated?
Sounder has 7.5/10 on IMDb, 80 on Metacritic and 74% on TMDB.
Is Sounder based on a book?
Yes. Sounder is adapted from Sounder by William H. Armstrong and James Barkley.
Was Sounder nominated for any awards?
Sounder received 9 nominations across 4 ceremonies.
Does Sounder have a post-credit scene?
No. Sounder has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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