I am taking this week off work (except for Wednesday evening, when I am interviewing Edwina Currie, but I digress). This afternoon I have been catching up with a few DVDs and have just finished watching the HISTORY BOYS.In some ways there wasn't a lot of history in it, but it reminded me so much of the power of a good teacher. I loved history as an 'A' level student. My two teachers, Nigel Wills and Bob Crossan, are still at the same school (I think!). They made the subject come alive and I am still indebted to them. Unlike in the film I never got a lift on a motorbike from either of them - much to my relief!
Frances de la Tour put in a great performance as did all the other cast members. In fact, it's one of the funniest and at times excruciating films I have seen for a long time. Highly recommended.
7 comments:
"when I am interviewing Edwina Currie"
John Major used to describe that as 'taking some off' as well.
Are you taking the week off from your blog too?
"Frances de la Tour put in a great performance "
Praise for a trot trooper. Iain will never make it to the blue benches in the lords I'm afraid!
How to make oneself unpopular ... well, as if anyone cares what I think ... but I found not much to like about 'History Boys' to be honest. I sat in disbelief as I was expected to celebrate a paedophile teacher - or that it was somehow believable that his predatory nature would be laughed off by the wise-beyond-their-years boys in his charge. Deferred (from his own childhood) wish fulfillment on behalf of the writer is the only reason I can imagine for the bizarre between-student sexual finale. Yes I know it was all fiction, what I struggle with (maybe Scottishly) is what I'm supposed to celebrate about the fiction the film displays.
I had an amazing history teacher for GCSE. I was utterly useless at the subject until I was taught by him but as you say Iain, he brought it alive.
I liked this film, regardless of its obvious faults. I thought it was well cast and acted, and cried all the way home after hearing what happened to one of the students not much later.
Am I the only one who thinks that film was just a homo-erotic fantasy with an Oxford application thrown in? Seemed to me like the writer was something of a pervert and a fantasist.
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