Teachers

The ditto machine aka what we used before copiers

Year: 1984 (USA)
Genre: Satire/High School Movie
Directed: Arthur Hiller
Stars: Nick Nolte, JoBeth Williams, Judd Hirsch, Ralph Macchio, Allen Garfield, Richard Mulligan, Laura Dern, Crispin Glover, Morgan Freeman
Production: United Artists

I caught Teachers (1984) one night while channel surfing through Showtime. It was already five minutes in but imagine my surprise when I saw the image of a dignified educator lunging at an old man by a ditto machine, blue ink spraying all over both and the astonished crowd. When the woman is finally retrained and thrown out of the office, vice principal Rubell (Judd Hirsch) smarmily remarks “she’s the school psychologist”.

Thus the precipitating events of this corrosively funny satire begin. We’re introduced to Mr. Jurel (Nick Nolte), a cynical yet avuncular history teacher who goes through the motions at work if he manages to show up at all. He has the respect of the kids and the administration (who is under scrutiny for graduating an illiterate student) tolerates him. When asked to fill in for the burnt out psychologist, Jurel slowly starts to reveal his idealism, hidden underneath so much snark and sour. His main sources of inspiration are student and spirited troublemaker Eddie Pilikian (Ralph Macchio) and Lisa Hammond (JoBeth Williams), a lawyer/former student who leads the legal charge against the school district.

Karate Kid cant red good!

Hospitals have improved slightly since 1971

Director Arthur Hiller wanted to repeat the critical and box office success of the Oscar nominated The Hospital (1971) with Teachers. Both movies focus on highly regarded institutions who have been atrophying and deserved a good kick in the pants. Additionally both are incredibly dark and feature some promising drama from their leads. Unfortunately Teachers wasn’t such a hit critically as the sudden shifts in plotting and mood made it too hard to gage. For a drama these issues could be glossed over but in a comedy, specifically a black comedy, such crimes are unforgivable.

I love this movie because it presents some of the most systemic problems that exist in an urban public school, albeit exaggerated and askew. There are dreadful teachers whose crimes in this film range from being unable to control their pupils to instigating sexual relations with them. The principal is an no-nothing nitwit who’s ignorance about the day-to-day operations of the school may be his saving grace and the competent educators are actively trying to obfuscate the truth behind the school’s low performance.

Today Delaware tomorrow the world!

Out of the many loose treads that the story weaves, the story of Herbert (Robert Mulligan) is by far the most entertaining. Jurel provides dimensions, Rubell caters the lunacy, but Herbert provides the pure joy and inspiration of being a teacher. He’s also certifiable; an outpatient from the local mental hospital who likes to play dress-up in his history class. Even so, his classroom becomes one of the few bright spots in the darkened corridors of the school. Educators should be so lucky to have the gravitas and temerity of Herbert aka Mr. Van Ark.

Its the muggles! The fucking MUGGLES!!!

Teachers isn’t the movie that convinced me to become an educator and life long learner. There is no such movie. But Teachers is the movie that convinced me that you have to be a little crazy to be an educationalist. There is a quiet dignity to dedicate your life to children and young adults. Not everyone is cut out to raise and instruct one child let alone a classroom full of pupils. It is for this reason, and the very real issues partially exposed in Teachers that our educators are to be treated with respect. After all, they’re nuts!

Final Grade: A