THE MARVA COLLINS STORY

US, 1981, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cicely Tyson, Morgan Freeman.
Directed by Peter Levin.

The Marva Collins Story is an inspiring telemovie. Its impact would be greatest in the United States, especially for black audiences. The film stars Cicely Tyson in an attractive, if idealized, role. Miss Tyson has been in such fine films as Sounder and the Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. There is an excellent and persuasive supporting cast.

The film is a true story and highlights the works of Marva Collins in Chicago and her fight against establishment education with its red tape. An idealist, she made a private school work and educated people who were unable to succeed in conventional educational establishments. She had the strong support of her husband. Newspaper articles popularized her work and she was eventually offered a political appointment, an advisorship on education by President Reagan. She preferred to stay working in Chicago.

The film is in the vein of To Sir With Love with some of the realism of Up The Down Staircase. The film has a very American style, especially with sentiment and emotionalism. For Non-American? audiences it may appear to good to be true. However, it is encouraging stories like this which show the possibilities for change.

1. An attractive telemovie? Based on a true story? The final information about Marva Collins and her work? The inspirational and encouraging value of this kind of film? Its impact for American audiences, black audiences? Non- American audiences? Entertainment, moralising purpose?

2. Telemovie techniques? the gearing of the theme for home audiences, emotional response? The colour photography of Chicago and the authenticity of its atmosphere? The Collins' home? Schools? Editing, pace? The gearing of the film towards sentiment and humour? The musical score?

3. Educational changes over the sixties, seventies and eighties? The traditional educational methods and learning by rote? The move towards more imaginative and freer styles? The consequent laxity in educational standards and methods? The need for a blend of tradition and change? The possibility for a teacher of vision? Red tape and bureaucracy stifling educational progress? Teachers opting out of difficulties? Mistakes? The crowded schools, the forms to be filled in etc? The validity of the film's critique about the government schools, the critique of individuals being able to set up schools privately? but the red tape for recognition and supervision?

4. The introductions to Marva Collins - at home, her husband and his support, her children? Marriage of sixteen years? A tense woman, idealistic, argumentative? The meal scenes at home? Her love for her children and her need to give time the attention she gave to her pupils? The fight for the school, the continued support and work of her husband? her inability to remain passive?

5. Her work in the school? The lessons? Shakespeare? The mistaken fire drills? her exasperation at staff meetings? Her decisions to found her own school? A woman of intuition and strong feeling, her hunches and her walking over practical details? The scenes of transforming the home into the school? Her husbands work? The children finding books? The knocking down of the wall etc.?

6. The canvassing of the pupils? Eddie and his mother transferring him, Martin and his wanting to be a pilot and Marva's tricking him into going to school, Tina's mother and her anguish and the payment off two hundred dollars, Clarisa and her unwillingness to go to school because of low I.Q. etc.? Marva's own children in the class?

9. The school and the classes, her ideals and vision, range of general knowledge from Shakespeare to languages to ancient history? The importance of correct speech? The range of culture? Years of stories, personal writing, poetry? The importance of love and affirmation of the students? Her hardness and yet her love? Her capacity for warmth and touch of the students? Their hesitance, their final response?

8. The continued background of hardships, lack of money? Family difficulties?

9. The classroom and her techniques : the applause for good work, encouraging Martin to kick out and react because of his anger, fostering individual interests, the test for the government and their success, the visit to the stock exchange etc?

10. The parents and the hesitation, their joy? Tina's father changing attitudes? The importance of the discussions with Eddie’s mother and her critique of Marva taking Eddie away from her and asking why she taught and possessed her students? The affect on Marva?

11. The fireman and his visits, his being impressed with the students?

12. The reporter and his articles? The party and celebration? and Tina organizing it?

13. Marva Collins achievement locally, in education, as example for America?

14. The film's offering to the home audience questions about the nature of education, children’s needs , possibilities and varieties of response, responsibility, the role and influence of educators?