HEAVEN HELP US (CATHOLIC BOYS)

US, 1985, 104 minutes, Colour.
Andrew Mc Carthy, Donald Sutherland, John Heard, Jay Patterson, Wallace Shawn, Kevin Dillon, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kate Reid, Philip Bosco.
Directed by Michael Dinner.

Heaven Help Us (Catholic Boys) is the first feature by director Michael Dinner (Off Beat). It was photographed by Miroslav Ondricek, the Czech photographer for most of Milos Forman's films. Atmospheric music is provided by James Horner as well as a selection of classical music and contemporary '60s songs.

The screenplay by Charles Purpura resembles, in some way, Fred Schepisi's The Devil's Playground. However, this is not a minor seminary but a Catholic boys' school in Brooklyn in the mid-'60s. Some Catholic educationalists have criticised the film as being a caricature - however, most people involved in education at the time can probably relate to the characters and the situations to various personalities they have encountered in their experience.

Andrew Mc Carthy (Class, St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty In Pink) is the sympathetic hero. Donald Sutherland appears as the rather stern headmaster with John Heard as the sympathetic brother and Jay Patterson as the sadistic Brother Constance. Wallace Shawn is the chaplain - who definitely seems like a caricature until one thinks of various priests one has met. The boys are led by Matt Dillon's brother Kevin as the cheeky Rooney and Malcolm Danare as the intellectual but overweight Caesar. There are a number of sub-plots with the various characters.

While the film resembles many of the youth-oriented movies of the mid-'80s, this one is far less crass and, indeed, offers a memoir and a critique. The technical adviser, Rev. Henry Fehren, appears as the Priest celebrant.

1. An interesting and enjoyable film? A re-creation of the situations of the '60s in education? A critical look at the period?

2. The film as a piece of Americana, yet with universal response? The changes in the 1960s in society, in educational styles, in the breaking of more rigid styles? The portrait of youth? Formal education, religion? The film as a memoir and a critique?

3. New York and Brooklyn? buildings, classrooms? ethnic locations, street sequences? songs of the period? The atmosphere of St Basil's school, Paul VI's Papal Visit? Shops, homes? Authentic atmosphere? Classical music background?

4. How realistic was the film? How exaggerated? A blend of fact and fiction? The stances of the film-makers towards the characters, the situations, education, religion and the Catholic church?

5. The school and its ethos, the Franciscan Friars on the staff, the Catholic background, the chaplain and his presence, the hearing of confessions, the speech before the dance? The administration) of discipline? Authority and rules? Religion as taken for granted, required? Values and morals? The teachers as symbols of Christianity? Their teaching abilities, the treatment of the boys? The ability of the boys to be educated? The parallels between Catholic schools and government schools?

6. The boys and the cross-section of types? Ordinary, rough, bullying, conmen, studious, devout? The educational processes? Education for what? The focus on vocations to the priesthood? Donald Sutherland's style as Brother Thaddeus? Authority, authoritarian, formal, the insistence on his name and terms of address, the regulations of the school, supervising the grounds from afar, his relationship with the rest of the staff, decisions, somewhat aloof - yet his severe judgment on Brother Constance at the end?

7. Constance and his severity, his behaviour in the classroom, vigour, sadistic punishments, the raids on the shop, the antagonism of the other members of the staff, of the boys? The clash with Brother Timothy? Brother Thaddeus removing him from the school?

8. Brother Timothy and the sympathetic younger brother, humane, religious? Smoking, sport, aware of what was going on, not so strict at the shop in the street? The confrontation with Brother Constance?

9. Father Abbruzzi and the role of the priest in the school, his severity, formal style, the hearing of confessions (and the behaviour of the boys as they prepared their confessional lists)? The formal speech before the dance and the emphasis on lust and sinfulness?

10. The girls' school nearby, the meeting of the girls, sexual issues, the dance and the supervision, the nuns and Father Abbruzzi moving round amongst the cancers to supervise?

11. Michael Dunn as hero? Sixteen, transferring, family, the support from his grandmother? Fitting in? Brother Thaddeus and his formality? Classes? Covering for Rooney? Meeting with Caesar? The visits to the shop, the encounter with Danni? The puzzle about her father? Pranks, Caesar and study, Rooney and his loud mouth? Relationship with the brothers? The question of vocation? Home sequences, the quiet boy, grandmother, meals? The statue and his having the head? The attack by Brother Constance? Michael's reaction? His vindication by the removal of Brother Constance? The boy growing up, changing? Encounter with Danni, the outings, sympathy for her father? Education for what?

12. The sketch of the boys: Rooney as a rogue, joker, mischief, the joyride with Caesar and the girls, Kathleen being sick? Caesar as overweight, studying? The Papal Visit and their going to the pictures? Williams and his being punished? Typical of boys in such a school?

13. The shop, the students going there to talk, music, smoking? The raids by the brothers and the escape, the putting out of cigarettes etc.?

14. Danni as truant, working in the shop, friendship with Michael? her secrecy about her father? His depression? The pathos of the family life? Her coping, his going co the institution?

15. Themes of boys, friendships, peer pressure?

16. The voiceover commentaries by Rooney at the end about each of the characters and their future? The comments on the reality of their education?