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Honky

  • 19711971
  • RR
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
130
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Honky (1971)
  • Drama
  • Romance
Sheila, an affluent black teenager, begins dating working class white teen Wayne, and asks him for help to sell a kilo of marijuana.Sheila, an affluent black teenager, begins dating working class white teen Wayne, and asks him for help to sell a kilo of marijuana.Sheila, an affluent black teenager, begins dating working class white teen Wayne, and asks him for help to sell a kilo of marijuana.
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
130
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William A. Graham
  • Writers
    • Will Chaney(screenplay)
    • Gunard Solberg(novel: Shelia)
  • Stars
    • Brenda Sykes
    • John Neilson
    • Maia Danziger
Top credits
  • Director
    • William A. Graham
  • Writers
    • Will Chaney(screenplay)
    • Gunard Solberg(novel: Shelia)
  • Stars
    • Brenda Sykes
    • John Neilson
    • Maia Danziger
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos

    Honky (1971)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Brenda Sykes
    Brenda Sykes
    • Sheila Smithas Sheila Smith
    John Neilson
    John Neilson
    • Wayne 'Honky' Divineas Wayne 'Honky' Divine
    Maia Danziger
    Maia Danziger
    • Sharonas Sharon
    Lincoln Kilpatrick
    Lincoln Kilpatrick
    • Fabulous Traveling Shoesas Fabulous Traveling Shoes
    John Lasell
    • Archer Divineas Archer Divine
    William Marshall
    William Marshall
    • Dr. Craig Smithas Dr. Craig Smith
    John Fiedler
    John Fiedler
    Elliott Street
    Elliott Street
    Matt Clark
    Matt Clark
    Ivor Francis
    Ivor Francis
    Marion Ross
    Marion Ross
    • Mrs. Divineas Mrs. Divine
    Paul Sorensen
      Tony Colti
      Tony Colti
      Jeff Nauser
      Amentha Dymally
      • Mrs. Smithas Mrs. Smith
      John Hillerman
      John Hillerman
      Belinda Palmer
      Belinda Palmer
      Ted Gehring
      Ted Gehring
      • Director
        • William A. Graham
      • Writers
        • Will Chaney(screenplay)
        • Gunard Solberg(novel: Shelia)
      • All cast & crew
      • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit
      Sheila, an affluent black teenager, begins dating working class white teen Wayne, and asks him for help to sell a kilo of marijuana.
      • teenager
      • racial tension
      • race relations
      • drugs
      • hixploitation
      • 36 more
      • Plot summary
      • Add synopsis
      • Taglines
        • A love story...of hate
      • Genres
        • Drama
        • Romance
      • Certificate
        • R
      • Parents guide

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Connections
        Featured in Grindhouse Universe (2008)
      • Soundtracks
        Something More
        Lyrics by Bradford Craig

        Music by Quincy Jones

        Sung by Carlton Dinnall

      User reviews5

      Review
      Top review
      An interesting era- but questionable.....
      "Honky" is about the inter-racial relationship between two high school kids, sliding off the rails in Middle America. Sheila (Brenda Sykes) is seventeen, black and some would say "a wild card". Her carefree attitude is, in part, defiance against her wealthy middle-class background.

      At a high school football rally, she meets a white boy, Wayne (John Neilson) and the two hit it off. Wayne's mother is played by Marion Ross from TV's "Happy Days"- perhaps a spur for Sheila's attraction towards Wayne.

      After a few sequences highlighting long lost daisy-age dialogue, Sheila asks for Wayne's help in dealing grass. After doing a drug run, the two get high and smash their wheels into another car. On this, the two pack their bags and flee west to California. On their way they encounter a doubtful group of rednecks, with a brutal plan in mind for the couple.

      I don't know how accurate such films from the early '70s reflected racial attitudes of middle America- but ending this film on such a pessimistic note was a cop out. Why do so many films depicting Black and white relationships head towards an inevitable tragic outcome? It's also unfortunate that a character such as Sheila, living life with a rebellious sense of fun, should have to reach such a brutal comeuppance.

      Still, there's much appeal for those wishing to dig up this 1971 time capsule. I'll even double this films rating thanks to Brenda Sykes- who is absolutely gorgeous. Someone should track her down for "Honky 2000", hopefully with an update on its racial comment.
      helpful•18
      5
      • katzenjammer
      • Jan 31, 2001

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • November 26, 1971 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Sheila
      • Filming locations
        • Kansas City, Missouri, USA
      • Production companies
        • Getty & Fromkess Corporation
        • Stonehenge Productions
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 32 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 2.35 : 1

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