The Water Is Wide (2006)

Pat Conroy, an ambitious, slightly rebellious idealistic teacher accepts Bennington county, SC's school board superintendent's offer to teach the all-black kids of the pauper fishery ... See full summary »

Director:

John Kent Harrison

Writers:

Pat Conroy (novel), Jonathan Estrin (teleplay)

Stars:

Jeff Hephner, Frank Langella, James Murtaugh

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jeff Hephner	...	Pat Conroy
Frank Langella	...	Superintendent
James Murtaugh	...	Ezra Bennington
Alfre Woodard	...	Mrs. Brown
Terry Nienhuis	...	Zeke
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Halle Brown	...	Cindy Lou
Lynda Clark	...	Lou Stone
Robert Clotworthy	...	Narrator (voice)
Marcus Carl Franklin	...	Charles
Shakura Franklin	...	Mary
Ivana Grace	...	Ethel
Samantha Griffin	...	Jennie
Michael Harding	...	Ted Stone
Don A. King	...	Country Club Golfer
Julianne Nicholson	...	Barbara

Storyline

Pat Conroy, an ambitious, slightly rebellious idealistic teacher accepts Bennington county, SC's school board superintendent's offer to teach the all-black kids of the pauper fishery community on Yamacrew Island. Staffless 'head' mistress Brown incarnates stupidity and blind rule obedience, her didactic skills consisting in scolding and spanking her students. Pat moves heaven and earth to motivate and educate, but after finally getting through to pupils and parents is refused contract renewal by the arch-conservative authorities.

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Plot Keywords:

abuse | public humiliation | corporal punishment | spanking | scolding | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Water Is Wide (#55.2)

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, McGee Street Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)

User Reviews

How can Pat, the hero teacher, always be smiling smugly?

I see from an internet search that Pat Conroy, an able novelist (I've read The Great Santini, which tells you all you need to know about the Marine Corps, good and bad) "fictionalized" his experiences as a teacher in writing "The Water is Wide". In the Hallmark production, his character is named Pat Conroy, so the "fictionalization" didn't go too far. Even with a Marine fighter pilot for a father (which is also referred to in "The Water"), Pat has a whole lot of brass for a brand new teacher, and he almost never loses his smug smile (which, come to think of it, I think would drive a Marine father crazy).

But I think that Conroy's characterization, or the portrayal by Jeff Hephner, or direction by John Kent Harrison, or all of the above, might be as true-to-life as the hero's name or his Marine fighter pilot father.

So, how could a teacher facing so many difficulties have an unfailingly smug smile? If he took the absolutely worst teaching job in the State of South Carolina, which absolutely no other teacher wanted, it would give him a certain confidence. They might still fire him, but he would know every step of the way that he was doing it for love. I know from my own experiences that that situation gives you a certain buccaneer confidence. Maybe I smile smugly like that a lot. I guess I have a right. If you have right on your side, and it's your only friend, I guess you have a right to tease people a little about what your secret is.