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Sounder

Play trailer Poster for Sounder G 1972 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
91% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
The Morgans, a family of poor black sharecroppers in the Depression-plagued South, struggle to find enough to eat despite the help their hunting dog, Sounder. When father Nathan (Paul Winfield) resorts to stealing food, he is captured by police and sent to prison, and his wife, Rebecca (Cicely Tyson), is left to care for their son, David (Kevin Hooks). Though Sounder has run away, David never gives up hope that his dog will return, just as he believes that he will see his father again someday.
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Sounder

Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker Sep 21, 2023
Ritt never pushes a moment too hard or too far -- the movie earns every emotion we feel. And I think it will move audiences -- move them truly, that is -- as few films ever have. Go to Full Review Michael Booth Denver Post Apr 3, 2007
Director Martin Ritt soaks us in the heat, the beauty, the racism and the buzzing cicadas of Louisiana. Go to Full Review Derek Adams Time Out Jun 24, 2006
Ritt's film must respond to the needs of an entertainment industry, and in its desire to be uplifting, leaves its characters one-dimensional without ensuring that the one dimension is heroic. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Feb 6, 2025
8/10
It may be a simple, unadorned premise, but the morals, the performances, and the striking portrayal of heartening humanity are undeniably winning. Go to Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm May 4, 2021
3/4
...depicts its central family's life as one of resilient beauty. Go to Full Review Tom Meek Cambridge Day Feb 12, 2021
3/4
A great awakening and lesson for kids here... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Oct 7, 2026 Sounder is a 4.5 star movie! See more Junior S @RT39899143 Jul 12, 2026 Beautifully photographed, poignant story of a sharecropper family in 1930s Louisiana. The movie uses excellent framing and superb acting to build the narrative and avoids melodrama by specifically utilizing only music of the time and place and almost never to accentuate the emotions. An outstanding American film. See more J M @RT96798310 Apr 19, 2026 Profound childhood memory. The power of Cicely Tyson. The power of education. The power of kindness. The power of bravery. The lovely moment when Paul Whitfield and Cicely Tyson run toward each other with pure longing. See more thiago S @Thiagostone Apr 15, 2026 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Leaburn O @RT35452347 Sep 9, 2025 A simple tale made all the more affecting by its bare bones simplicity. Tale of the bond between a sharecropper and his son. Not too much drama but enough going on to keep you engrossed. Warm and hopeful, it’s a nice thing to sit through. Watched on Amazon Prime. See more diva h @RT39730470 Feb 27, 2025 film yang sangat menarik dan rekomen untuk di rewatch ga ngebosenin See more Read all reviews
Sounder

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Martin Ritt

Director

Cicely Tyson

Rebecca Morgan

Paul Winfield

Nathan Lee Morgan

Kevin Hooks

David Lee Morgan

Carmen Mathews

Mrs. Boatwright

Taj Mahal

Ike

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Sounder

Sounder (1972) Sounder (1972) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The Morgans, a family of poor black sharecroppers in the Depression-plagued South, struggle to find enough to eat despite the help their hunting dog, Sounder. When father Nathan (Paul Winfield) resorts to stealing food, he is captured by police and sent to prison, and his wife, Rebecca (Cicely Tyson), is left to care for their son, David (Kevin Hooks). Though Sounder has run away, David never gives up hope that his dog will return, just as he believes that he will see his father again someday.
Director
Martin Ritt
Producer
Robert B. Radnitz
Screenwriter
Lonne Elder III
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Radnitz/Mattel Productions
Rating
G
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 24, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 45m
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