TEACHERS

US, 1984, 107 minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Jo Beth Williams, Judd Hirsch, Ralph Macchio, Allen Garfield, Lee Grant, Richard Mulligan, Royal Dano, William Schallert, Art Metrano, Laura Dern, Crispin Glover, Morgan Freeman, Madeleine Sherwood, Steven Hill, Zohra Lampert, Anthony Heald.
Directed by Arthur Hiller.

Teachers is a satiric black comedy in the tradition of M*A*S*H and other films which highlight stress professions and the lunatic aspects of coping. The film was directed by Arthur Hiller (who directed Paddy Chayevsky's similar film about medical practice, The Hospital).

The film was made in Columbus, Ohio, in winter; has a very strong cast of character actors; shows with realism and exaggeration the difficulties in the education system where children's needs are not met, where the school is really for the administrators more than for the children. The tone is particularly American, sometimes strident, sometimes sentimental. The ending is something of an '80s version of To Sir With Love. Judd Hirsch is particularly good as the administrator. Ralph Macchio, The Karate Kid, is an attractive delinquent. The sullen-looking Nick Nolte ultimately has to carry the weight of the film and its message.

1. An entertaining film? Response to satiric black comedy? Message?

2. Americana? The use of Columbus, Ohio, the city, schools, systems and boards, the title of J. F. Kennedy School, the atmosphere of the school - real/heightened? The office? The music and the moods? The range of contemporary songs as background?

3. The focus on the teachers: vocation, profession, reputations, difficulties, coping, lunatic aspects, parody and realism? The examples shown? The response of the students? For whom is education - children, parents, teachers, administrators? The meaning of the ending?

4. Audience emotional response to the teachers, the profession put in a bad light, to caricature and exaggeration, to the easy targets, characters, their exasperation and giving up, change, ups and downs, serious decisions? Manipulation? Predictable zany aspects? The villains and their comeuppance? The ending?

5. Intellectual responses: to the facts, accuracy, questions of curricula, office administration and difficulties, supply teachers, time-tabling? The authorities and the need for money grants? Lawsuits? Problem chi1dren? Teachers coping or not, cover-ups, differing stances, the system against individuals? The ultimate solution for teachers and pupils?

6. The portrait of the school: winter, realism, the kids lining up, the unlocking of the gates, the bars? The security guards and keys? The kids and their manner, dress, style? Privileged, underprivileged? Their behaviour, noise, carry-on? Surface? Deeper? The problem areas selected for the screenplay: brawling parents, slow learners, the poser, the gym teacher and his sexual relationships with the girls, the guest-ion of abortion and teacher support? The samples and audience reaction to these? As representing the whole issue?

7. The teachers, the office and the behaviour, the staffroom? The variety of personalities and experience? Responsibilities and sense of responsibility? Vision? Teamwork? Policy? Wear and tear? Coping and not coping, particular cases, abuse? Supplies? Madness and sanity? The bureau and Burke? The principal? System, pressures, job, vocation and impact?

8. The framework of the case: Lisa Hammond, observation, the issue, interrogations? The role of the head? The meetings for the drivers? Rosenberg, the deal, causes? Observing, photos etc?

9. Stiles, the ink and the squirting, the machine, sleeping, his being hurt, the prize for order? His death? The psychological background? Roz and nice, the hand, the car? Pacing, the deposit, the ending?

10. Herbert, the phone, his madness, his background, the institution? Going to the school, the bureaucratic mistakes? His classes, bringing history alive through his acting? His being caught, the farewell?

11. Alex, 1974, the girl and the lie? The phone call? His teaching, the heater, kids? Nick Nolte and his stolid presence? The children’s potential? Lisa and the attraction, talk, the ideology, the clash, being hurt? The issue of Diane and the abortion? Eddie and his parents, the discussions, the deals, the truth? The clash with the parents? Danny’s death? Alex’s return? His ability to challenge? Wanting the children to come alive? Interactions with Roger, friendship? The clash, falling out? The deposit? Eddie and the kangaroo court? His reaction, leaving? The challenge with Lisa? With Eddie? The class, the end? The background of the 1960s, age, ideals, youth, letting go, being awake? The challenge to not being bureaucratic?

12. Lisa, as a student, the law, the deposits, Alex and the outing? The after-effects? Learning? The head and avoiding her? Her anger, disappearance, pleading, naked? American idealism?

13. Roger and his disillusionment, preserving the values, with Alex, the administration and crises, the files? Burke, the lawyer, change and effect, severing relationships?

14. Carl Rosenberg, his place in the school, trying to teach, not communicating with the students?

15. Eddie, his age, experience, at school, remedial work, his parents, the cars, the fire alarms? The abortion? the deals, going away, the end?

16. Diane, her age, background, the abortion?

17. The investigations, the depositions, Burke and the pressure, board in the gym, the threats, the ultimate defeat?

18. The purpose of the film, and its effect for audiences in their appreciation of education and teaching, and teachers?