THREE O'CLOCK HIGH
US, 1987, 97 minutes, Colour.
Casey Siemaszko, Anne Ryan, Richard Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Philip Baker Hall.
Directed by Phil Jouanou.
Three O'Clock High, with its echoes of Twelve O'Clock High and High Noon, is a quite enjoyable small school film. Basically it is one day in the life of the hero, Jerry, played genially by Casey Siemaszko (Young Guns). He has a busy day, full of troubles, and clashes with the new boy, a school bully, Buddy, played by Richard Tyson (Two Moon Junction).
Filmed in Utah, the film shows 'a typical' high school and the life of the students. However, with the focus on Jerry and the passing of the hours before his fight in the parking lot with the school bully, gives a sense of comic tension. Needless to say, the bully is defeated and Jerry becomes a hero. There is a tongue-iin-cheek postscript during the final credits showing exaggerated reports and making Jerry into an impossible hero. This is the tone of the film - serious and comic, ironic. Tt was directed by Phil Jouanou, director of the documentary about U-2, Rattle and Hum.
1. Enjoyable school movie? The focus on the hero and his confrontation with the bully? Serious and comic?
2. The Utah locations, the atmosphere of the town, homes, the detail of life in the school? The stunt work for the final fight? Musical score? Songs?
3. The title and the overtones of old movies, the build-up of tension, the High Noon confrontation?
4. The portrait of Jerry: waking up in the morning, his sister, being late, one of those days? The car, hurrying to school? His job in the store, With the students, money difficulties? The passing of time? His going to the meeting about the paper, his Job to interview Buddy? Seeking out Buddy, frightened, interviewing him, touching him? Buddy's reaction and the challenge to fight? His stature, lack of strength? The difficulties throughout the day, classes, the breaks? Seeinc, Buddy? The cheating in the test, going to the principal, Jerry saying that he cheated, the principal giving Buddy the test and his passing? Jerry offering Buddy the money not to fight and his accepting? His girlfriend and her support, his sister, the attractive girl? HIs friends? The passing of time, his deciding to fight? Three o'clock? The fight in the yard - and the dramatic way in which it was filmed, the use of lenses and focus, making Buddy seem enormous? Jerry's perspective? The fight, the knuckleduster, his sister helping, the boy attacking, the punching of the principal, his getting the knuckleduster and winning? The police and their interrogations, suspicions? The students and their buying sheets of paper and building up the money again? Support? The end of the day? Jerry as hero?
5. Buddy as big, his appearance, dress, lack of speaking? Drugs and his reputation? Money? Not wanting to be touched, the challenge to Jerry? His presence throughout the day, the cheating in the test, the principal's office, his getting the maths correct? Taking Jerry's money? The knuckleduster, his brutality? His hitting the principal? The fight and his defeat? Giving back the money?
6. The range of students, Jerry's sister and her support. especially with the knuckleduster? The journalist student and his attack on Buddy? Tile attractive girl? The class? The whole school waiting till 3 o'clock, rushing out at the bell, all out the w-1ndows, cheering during the fight? Their chatter afterwards? the principal and the various teachers? Their suspicions, the money? his having the two in his room, the maths test? His saving Jerry from the police? At the fight and his being punched? Supporting Jerry?
7. Comic touch, the building up of tension, Jerry's character? Audiences identifying with Jerry in his being bullied and vindicating himself? The macho response, the human response? And the irony of all the rumours afterwards?
