THE PRINCIPAL
US, 1987, 105 minutes, Colour.
James Belushi, Louis Gossett, Rae Dawn Chong, Esai Morales.
Directed by Christopher Cain.
The Principal is a tough action film. It is reminiscent of The Blackboard Jungle and other films which show the ugliness of the American school. What was true in the '50s is probably just as true in the '80s, except violence and drugs are much more explicit, the schools look more squalid. However, the audience knows at the beginning that, despite the Blackboard Jungle look, the film is going to end as To Sir With Love. It is interesting following the transformation in the character of Rick Latimer, the Principal. He is played with great energy by James Belushi. He gets solid support from Louis Gossett, in the kind of role that he plays almost without thinking. There are some interesting students, some loathsome, some sympathetic. The mixture is that of tough '80s violence as well as American sentiment.
The film was directed by Christopher Cain who directed The Stone Boy.
1. School drama? Violent action drama? A moralising drama about education, authority, taking stances? The stance of the film on authority and its exercise?
2. The tradition of films about school: Blackboard Jungle and To Sir With Love in the '80s?
3. Los Angeles, the ordinary schools, the contrast with Brandel and its squalor? The background of homes, apartments, bars? The musical score?
4. The focus on the role of a school principal: the role of schools in society, the authority of the principal, obedience, rebellion, orders, values? Self esteem and principles for the principal? Service and challenge? The attitude of '80s authority, the Reaganism of the early 180s and Right-wing stances? The presentation of liberal and conservative values?
5. The introduction to Rick Latimer: James Belushi's screen presence and energy, drinking in the bar, his wife and her boyfriend, his anger, the baseball bat, the police? Seeing himself as a loser? Remembering his father's attitude, his wife's? Irresponsibility? The credibility of his character? The irony of the Board giving him the unpleasant job? Riding his bike to the school, the arriving, his having to cope or fail?
6. The Education Board and their expectations? Brandel and its squalor, the staff and their fear, lack of interest. asleep in the staffroom? Casual staff leaving? The ugliness of the grounds? The effectiveness and ineffectiveness of the classes? The corridors? The drug dealing? Negroes and whites? Racial violence? Poverty? Authority and peer pressure?
7. Latimer's arrival, encountering the two young men and their fight, holding them, the Introduction to Jake, to the deputy? The deputy and his warnings? The initial resentments by staff and students? Decisions, discipline? The assembly and his speech, the reaction of the students, 'No more'? His encounters with the staff, the support of Miss Orosco? The gangs in the school, the leaders and their challenge, the white boy and his attack on Miss Orosco, the attempted rape, his going to prison? The drug dealer in the toilet? The positive attitude of the Principal, wanting to coach the girl, yet being bashed by the masked students in his office? The boy who couldn't read? The boy with his poetry? The group that could fix the bike?
8. The culmination and confrontation: fear, Jake and his support, the empty school, the return of the white boy, the gang arriving chasing Rick to the toilets, their stalking him and his evading them, the final confrontation, the shooting, Rick's humiliating the gang leader?
9. Miss Orosco and her class, the background of World War One, the support of the students, fear, the attempted rape, her decision to leave? The sketch of the other members of the staff?
10. Jake and his background in the school, tough, control, strong presence, vigilant, his support of the Principal, the finale and his being locked in, getting out?
11. The portrait of the school kids, the range of gentle and tough, the drug empire, peer pressure, their staying back to watch the culmination?
12. The boy who liked Miss Orosco, support of her, with the baseball bat and saving the day, his learning to read? The garage boy and his poetry and the encouragement? The girl with her child, tough, the invitation to graduate, her coming for special coaching?
13. The purpose of the film, exploitation or moralising? (Or both?)
