CRISIS AT CENTRAL HIGH

US, 1981, 125 minutes, Colour.
Joanne Woodward, Charles Durning.
Directed by Lamont Johnson.

Crisis at Central High sounds like some teenage horror epic. However, it is a film based on fact. It is a reconstruction of integration problems in an Arkansas high school in 1957-58.

The film was directed by Lamont Johnson, a director of some excellent telemovies and cinema features. It stars Joanne Woodward in an Emmy-nominated performance as Elizabeth Huckaby, a teacher on whose memoir the film is based. Charles Durning is the school's principal. The film focuses on the staff, especially Elizabeth Huckaby and the principal. It focuses on the few black children who were to come into the school. It focuses on the reaction of the students and their parents, highlighting the racial prejudice inherent in the southern states.

While the film is particularly American, it has a great deal to offer on race relationships.

1. The impact of the telemovie? Entertainment, interest, message?

2. Arkansas 1957-58, the school, the town, the sense of period, an authentic re-creation of the times?

3. Elizabeth Huckaby and her memoir, her perspective on the events? Joanne Woodward's presence and authority?

4. Race relationships, the southern states, tradition, civil rights, the expectations of the whites in terms of the blacks as slaves, servants? Religious motivations and white superiority? The changes in the '50s?

5. Court decisions about integration, the imposition of the decisions, people's reactions, civil rights, the exercise of rights? The need for courage? The changes for the future?

6. Elizabeth and her voiceover, perspective, her role as a teacher, as a woman, middle-aged? From the south and her not having seen a negro who was not a servant until she went to an education conference Her mothering approach and her final comment about feeling like a mother?

7. The film showing the support from her husband, his love, interest, the several domestic sequences punctuating the school action? The visitors and their prejudice?

8. Elizabeth and the school: her initial arrival, the National Guard, past students, her authority, working relationship and friendship with John Matthews, with other teachers, students, classes, the military situation, her not being a demonstrative type, fears, taking stances? The National Guard, student reaction, bigotry in class, her parents wanting to take their children out of the school, incidents in the grounds, the arrival of the black students and her involvement with them, Ernest and attacks on him, study, Billie Jean and the visit of the N.A.A.C. representative. Donna and her parents, their bigotry, the board meeting, the journalists, television programmes, bomb scares, discipline? Her wanting to resign, the gifts from the staff?

9. Matthews and his authority, his stances, the National Guard, his staff, the students, announcements, his nerves, support from Elizabeth?

10. The sketches of the teachers, pro and con, involvement?

11. The parents and the demonstrations, inspecting the school, board meetings? The vicious placards?

12. White parents and students and their bigotry, demonstrations?

13. The black students, their background, experience, nervousness, fear, coming in back doors, in the classrooms and the students' reactions? The build-up to Ernest's graduation?

14. The achievement of the year, the graduation ceremony and its consequences for the state of Arkansas and other states?

15. Themes of human nature, equality, rights?