The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
A movie which came out 20 years after this one and more or less tells the same story in reverse is Dead Poet's Society. In that film, set in 1950s America, an unorthodox teacher comes to a private boys school and fills their heads with all kinds of romanticism which has tragic consequences for some and life-emboldening properties for others. That film is more about the students, and never are the teacher's motives questioned, other than by the obligatory obtuse headmaster.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, on the other hand, takes place in 1930s Scotland at a private girl's school, and focuses on the titular teacher, who very consciously uses her position to shape the impressionable minds in her history classes, teaching that everyone has within them the potential for greatness or the potential to inspire greatness. A noble sentiment to be sure, but there's something unsettling about the examples Miss Brodie uses to illustrate her points and the infallibility with which she presents her opinions.The irony lies in how well her methods start working to her own detriment.
Anchoring the film is Dame Maggie Smith in an Oscar-winning performance as the spinster teacher of the title, incredulous that anyone could object to her education philosophy while oblivious to the consequences of her authority. Also excellent are her two female foils: Pamela Franklin and Celia Johnson.
- July 8, 2008
DVD Extras
There an audio commentary track of director Ronald Neame and actress Pamela Franklin, which I'm not watching the movie again to listen to. Otherwise, just some trailers for this movie and some promotional junk for other Fox classics.