THE CLASS OF MISS McMICHAEL

UK, 1978, 99 Minutes, Colour.
Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed, Michael Murphy, Rosalind Cash.
Directed by Silvio Narizzano.

London remedial schools of the 60s must have benefited only temporarily by Sidney Poitier and To Sir with Love. Here, in the 70s, they look and sound just as bad. While the material seems overstated and Oliver Reed's superciliously incompetent, face-saving headmaster may seem overdone, many connected with schools, their running and their problems, will be nodding their heads. Glenda Jackson gives strength to Miss McMichael?, an average sympathetic teacher, and audiences will probably share her passionate outburst at the end. This film doesn't offer many solutions or much hope except basic human decency, sympathy and respect that could help adolescents to keep going, and maybe, eventually make a breakthrough.

1. Expectations from the title? Themes of schooling, broad education themes? The world of teachers? Serious, light? Drama? Comedy?

2. For what audience was the film made? Its impact on British audiences, international audiences? The presence of Glenda Jackson?

3. The film as a Glenda Jackson vehicle? How does her acting and presence enhance the film? The merits of the plot, treatment without her presence?

4. The personality of Miss McMichael? Glenda Jackson's presence and style? As a woman, teacher? An ordinary teacher? Seeing her on her way to school, ‘one of those days’? Her relationship with the other teachers, her presence in the staff-room, trying to criticise the headmaster and get the other teachers active? The clash with the headmaster? Her presence in the class room, class control? Her relationship with the boys and the girls and their various problems? The contrast of her life at how, her failed marriage, her apprehensions about relationships and marriage, her living with the American businessman? Happiness? His being preoccupied with his world and trying to make decisions for her? The importance of her decisions and making them on her own? A creative teacher, clashes with the Administration? A portrait of an ordinary teacher in such a school?

5. The emotional response to the plot? In itself as treating children and their problems, remedial work? The presentation of youth - language, interaction? The classroom situation, outings? Their behaviour, defiance, home background and expectations of life? The type of remedial work necessary? Manners, morals, sexuality, language, violence, roughness? How real were these children? Their trying to cope with life and not knowing how? The teachers trying to cope with them and bringing an attitude to work or dedication? Miss McMichael? within this context? The importance of the craft-room, the sequence when she was sick and was looked after?

6. The various crises day by day in the school? Their effect on the pupils, on the staff? How was this illustrated by the craft-room? The Headmaster and his initial attitude, his turning against his decision? The growing clash between Miss McMichael? and the headmaster? The violence of the outburst and the truth that she told? Paralleled with the clash with the American businessman? The future?

7. The presentation of the staff; intimidated by the situation and the headmaster, by the pupils? Staff-room, meetings? The headmaster and his treatment of them and treating them equivalently to the pupils? The various personalities of the teachers, the black teacher and her friendship with Miss McMichael?

8. How credible was the portrait of the headmaster? Supercilious, boorish in manner, keeping order, physically banging heads together? Was he credible? His decisions? His attitude towards externals, the cliches that he mouthed? His liaison with his secretary? His taking officials on tour of the school? The craft-room and his stopping it? The irony of the tour when he was out and his being found out? The violence of his outburst? The clash with Miss McMichael? Would he change at all?

9. The businessman and his living with Miss McMichael?, as a type, love, shared experience, his attitude towards the pupils and his reluctance to have them in the house? His work, visits to Paris? His pre-occupation with himself and his future, his wanting her to share it? Her refusal?

10. The Administrators, the visits and the tours of the school? The impression made by the headmaster? The irony of their being taken around by the student and his showing them the bad side of everything?

11. The treatment of schools and this kind of situation by comedy, farce, drama? How does this emphasis, albeit exaggerated, draw the attention of the ordinary audience to such situations? The day by day running of such schools? The credibility of chaos and crises? Human themes, education themes?