The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Muriel Spark (adapted from the novel by)
Jay Presson Allen (based on the play by)
(more)

Release Date:

27 June 1969 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

In the surprising world of Jean Brodie, there were two men and four girls.

Plot:

A headstrong young teacher in a private school in 1930s Edinburgh ignores the curriculum and influences her impressionable 12 year old charges with her over-romanticized world view.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | School | Schoolteacher | 1930s | Eccentric

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Maggie Smith	...	Jean Brodie
Robert Stephens	...	Teddy Lloyd
Pamela Franklin	...	Sandy
Gordon Jackson	...	Gordon Lowther
Celia Johnson	...	Miss Mackay
Diane Grayson	...	Jenny
Jane Carr	...	Mary McGregor
Shirley Steedman	...	Monica
Lavinia Lang	...	Emily Carstairs
Antoinette Biggerstaff	...	Helen McPhee
Margo Cunningham	...	Miss Campbell
Isla Cameron	...	Miss McKenzie
Rona Anderson	...	Miss Lockhart
Ann Way	...	Miss Gaunt
Molly Weir	...	Miss Allison Kerr
Helena Gloag	...	Miss Kerr (as Helena Cloag)
John Dunbar	...	Mr Burrage
Heather Seymour	...	Clara
Lesley Paterson	...	Prefect (as Leslie Patterson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Muldenhall	...	Child (uncredited)
Helen Worth	...	Schoolgirl (uncredited)

Directed by
Ronald Neame

Writing credits
Muriel Spark		(adapted from the novel by)
Jay Presson Allen		(based on the play by)
Jay Presson Allen		(screenplay)

Produced by
James Cresson	....	co-producer
Robert Fryer	....	producer

Original Music by
Rod McKuen

Cinematography by
Ted Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Norman Savage

Casting by
Anne Donne		(as Ann Donne)

Production Design by
John Howell

Art Direction by
Brian Herbert

Costume Design by
Joan Bridge		(colour costume design)
Elizabeth Haffenden		(colour costume design)

Makeup Department
Ernest Gasser	....	chief makeup artist (as Ernie Gasser)
Patricia McDermott	....	hairdresser (as Patricia McDermot)

Production Management
David C. Anderson	....	production supervisor (as David Anderson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Sturgis	....	assistant director
Roger Simons	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Pamela Cornell	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Jock May	....	sound mixer
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon McCallum)
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
Charlie McFadden	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Kindred	....	camera operator (as Robert Kindred)
Mike Roberts	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Cummins	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Jackie Cummings)

Editorial Department
Jan Yarbrough	....	digital intermediate colorist (2012 restoration)
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Arthur Greenslade	....	conductor
Arthur Greenslade	....	music arranger
Arthur Greenslade	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
Donald Albery	....	stage producer: Great Britain
Annabel Davis-Goff	....	continuity
Robert W. Dowling	....	produced in association with: on Broadway
Lorna Rhind	....	location adviser
Robert Whitehead	....	stage producer: Broadway
Margaret Gordon	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Productions (made by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Productions Limited)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1969) (UK) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS / Fox Video (1989) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• CBS/Fox Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin | French | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG (certificate #21922) | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2010)

Filming Locations:

Barnbougle Castle, Dalmeny, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Productions

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Celia Johnson.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The very first shot of the film shows the Edinburgh skyline, with a caption stating that it's 1932. But clearly visible in the centre of frame is the white cube of the (now demolished) Goldberg's department store, which was built in the early 1960s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gordon Lowther:Morning girls. Good Morning.
Sandy:There's Miss Brodie!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "RuPaul's Drag Race: The Main Event Clip Show (#2.10)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), Op.314

"If they want to get rid of me...they will have to assassinate me".

This is perhaps one of the greatest films in the English language -- but only because of Maggie Smith's museum-quality portrayal of Miss Jean Brodie. This masterpiece in mannerisms and manners will be looked upon in the future much in the same way we look upon THE MONA LISA today. I know that this sounds like a stretch, but someday someone will know what I mean.

The only downside to this film is the sad realization that if Jean Brodie were to have been played by anyone other than Maggie Smith it would have been a bore -- but oddly enough, this fact alone seems to add to the greatness of the film overall.

While my header might be the best line in the film, my personal favorite was, "Indeed, for those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

Damien