He’s won Oscars and headlined blockbusters, yet the movie that has haunted Denzel Washington for 52 years is a little-seen true story from 1974. Which forgotten film still tops his list?
Denzel Washington, an Oscar winner for Training Day, keeps his most cherished pick off the usual lists. He points to The Education of Sonny Carson, Michael Campus’s 1974 adaptation of a true story, led by Rony Clanton with Don Gordon and Joyce Walker. The film’s raw look at gang life and consequence struck him young and never let go, shaping how he measures power on screen. From there he maps other milestones, from The Godfather to Blue Velvet, but this is the title he circles back to.
A lifelong cinematic passion of Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington, celebrated for his dynamic career and numerous accolades, including an Oscar for Training Day, has long championed a film many viewers might overlook. For over 52 years, he has kept The Education of Sonny Carson close to his heart, describing how profoundly it resonated during his younger days. Why this film, though? Let’s unravel the story.
The Education of Sonny Carson: a forgotten gem
Directed by Michael Campus and adapted from the autobiography of Sonny Carson, this 1974 release tells a powerful story of hardship and resilience. The plot follows Sonny, played by Rony Clanton, as promise gives way to gang life and crime, before a hard-fought climb toward redemption. Washington has often highlighted the film’s emotional weight and how it connected with him as a young man, calling the experience humbling and eye opening at a pivotal time in his early adulthood.
Why this film matters to Washington
Washington’s admiration for The Education of Sonny Carson stems from its raw portrayal of urban realities, a mirror of systemic struggles that many communities faced and still face. The authenticity of Sonny’s transformation stayed with him, evoking people and situations he observed growing up. For Washington, the movie moves beyond entertainment and feels like unvarnished history.
He has also wondered what it would be like to revisit it now, many decades and countless roles later. Would the emotions resurface with the same intensity, or would time reshape the truths he first found in it?
The lasting impact of great cinema
Washington’s relationship with film extends well beyond a single work. He has cited towering touchstones such as The Godfather and Blue Velvet as defining achievements that continue to shape the art form. These films linger in memory, haunting and inspiring in equal measure. The Education of Sonny Carson left a comparable imprint on him, remaining an enduring favorite even as its name has faded from wider memory.
When films become personal
Some films etch themselves into our identity. For Denzel Washington, The Education of Sonny Carson opened his eyes to something larger about the world and about himself. Though he has journeyed through many unforgettable roles and influences since, the persistence of this lesser-known movie in his thoughts underscores the lasting power of storytelling.