Movie with a black boxer, a prison camp, and a dead chicken?

Question

This post describes a graphic movie, rated R. Be careful if you're young.

I saw a movie when I was little that kind of traumatized me, and I want to watch it again as an adult and rid myself of the nightmarish way in which I remember it. However, I was young and I know almost nothing about it.

Things I remember:

There was a white boy who was orphaned(?) or somehow sent to a boarding school. The kids were exceptionally cruel to him, they beat him up, urinated on him in the shower, and killed his pet chicken (goose?) by hanging it on the end of a rope and possibly beating it with something. (I just remember blood and it swinging around.)

I believe it may have later been set in the South, or possibly in Africa, as even I sensed racial tension.

The white boy befriended a black man who was going to teach him how to box.

The black man was sent to a prison camp where he was forced to eat feces and then beaten in the face with a bat. He died from the injury.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

it's called the power of one. based on a book by bryce courtenay. and yeah, it was a boarding school, a chicken, and south africa

and i can understand why you might have been traumatised by it... the chicken ("grandfather [or grandpa] chook", if i recall correctly) was killed by a group of boys who tied him upside down in a tree and flung rocks at him. very violent.

Answer 2

The Power Of One 1992

Stephen Dorff Portrays PK (Phillup Kenneth Keith), an English Boy Growing up in South Africa during the the 30's and 40's. PK has somewhat of a tragic life growing up. He lost his mom at a young age, and then is sent to an orphanage in South Africa. The setting involves pre war Nazi-ism, and (sickening and inappropriate) Nazi politics and fascists are escalating the (already sickening) aparthide social situation in South Africa. A Nazi bully (Jaapie Botha) in the orphanage kills his pet chicken, and pees on PK. Later on Jaapie becomes a police officer (with a Nazi swastika tattooed on his head). PK meets up with Doc (Armin Mueller-Stahl), an accomplished musician, and somehow they get tossed into prison by bigot underhanded cops. Morgan Freeman portrays African Prison Inmate Geel Piet, who takes a liking to PK and teaches him how to box. Morgan Freeman deserves an Academy Award for this one. PK moves on to be a contender in a boxing match and is called 'The Rainmaker' by his supporters. PK moves on to college, continues to box,

Answer 3

That poor chicken.

Answer 4

the power of one...stephen dorff...love that movie!