Teachers (1984)

the audience applauded

How sad is this?

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

„Teachers" is a interesting forgotten movie from the 80's . It's a movie that wants to be more than just a comedy set in school , but also doesn't want to become another serious movie about school . It tries to be something in-between . I appreciate the effort , because it makes the movie quite unique. Still , in the end the movie fails . It's too silly for most of the time to be treated seriously and to serious to watch it as a comedy. The movie also suffers from chaotic screenplay which puts too many things in the movie and is not focused on the main subject . For example – the car subplot , the crazy guy subplot , the drugs subplot. All those things are distracting , cheesy and quite unnecessary.The movie isn't afraid to criticize the system and is right with many things it points out . "Teachers" were made in 1984 in USA . When I'm writing this words it's year 2013 and many things hasn't changed at all . Not only in USA , but also in my country. The movie also captures the relationships between students and teachers really well . I also like the message it sends – being a teacher is a big responsibility , because it can change lives of both student and teacher. It's not a work in the fabric , because we're talking about people here , not products. It takes passion and courage to teach despite bad payment.The movie has some big names in it – Nick Nolte as the main hero , Ralph Macchio ("Karate Kid") and Morgan Freeman (with cool hairstyle). There is quite a lot of 80's trademark comedy and some nice pop songs . All those things are good , but can't change the final verdict.With a much better screenplay this could have been a classic. It's still definitively worth watching , but I just can't rate it high. It's one of those wasted opportunities .I give it 4/10.

This off-the-wall film, unrealistic at times, is absolutely terrific. Why? It brings forth the blame of the urban school system on where it belongs- the administration, uncaring parents, and even the teachers to some degree.Judd Hirsch is perfect as the lousy English teacher who got out of the classroom and is now some stinker as an assistant principal.The always terrific Lee Grant shines as the District Superintendent, desperately trying to save her rear end and those of her administrators at the expense of the students who attend this school of utter failure. Of course, we must remember that it is the student population that will make or break a school.Nick Nolte, as the frustrated burned out teacher, is perfect for the part. He reaches the point where he is no longer able to work under a miserable system.While the section dealing with the teacher who died while reading a newspaper may be over the top, the sequence just shows you how bad our schools can be.Jo Beth Williams is stunning as a former graduate, an attorney, who is fighting the school for its inability to educate.James Dean could move over thanks to a towering performance by Ralph Macchio, as a student going nowhere but to disaster. Macchio conveys the frustrated, out of control kid, who is almost doomed by uncaring parents and an administration in school. This film is great on detail. Madeleine Sherwood plays the role of the school secretary just as I've observed many a secretary. School secretaries think that they run the schools and they're not entirely wrong. Principals have given them such authority. William Schallert, who portrays the principal in this film, conveys the idea of the figure head. He is there in name only. Afraid of scandal and to step on toes, he is the typical principal leading an urban school-while counting the days to retirement. This film is definitely thought provoking as it attempts to establish what is going on in our urban school system. It a rousing success.

Just watched this movie again (found the VHS at a Goodwill for 99 cents!). Two performances I noticed that I hadn't recognized from previous viewings: Anthony Heald as the "Narc", who later appeared as "Assistant Principal Scott Goober" in Boston Public, and Steven Hill as the attorney "Sloan", who later appeared as the main attorney "D.A. Adam Schiff" in Law And Order. I thought both of these performances were ironic and somewhat prophetic -- the high school narc turned principal, and Hill as a D.A. in both roles.That's all. Maybe someday this film will be released on DVD, and we won't have to search it out on VHS from thrift stores.

Except for the shock of JoBeth Williams idiot-level strip tease, plus a few other sharp digs about school teachers you and I have hated or loved, I can't think of a single reason to pay any attention to this Arthur Hiller glob of pretentiousness. Whatever Hiller did to elicit what Judith Crist said was "arguably George C. Scott's finest screen performance" in The Hospital, he didn't do it here for Nick Nolte or Williams or anyone else involved. What we're left with is a stale attempt to expose the darker workings of an American high school, but unlike The Hospital and its wonderfully scorched-earth approach to the runnings of a major healing center, Teachers just makes you want to vote for vouchers--and get your money back from the place you rented this dreck.