Class (1983)

Jonathan, a naive country boy, gets a scholarship to a classy prep school, where he rooms with suave, rich and handsome Skip. Skip decides it is his duty to see that Jonathan loses his ... See full summary »

Director:

Lewis John Carlino

Writers:

Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt

Stars:

Jacqueline Bisset, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Ellen
Rob Lowe	...	Skip
Andrew McCarthy	...	Jonathan
Cliff Robertson	...	Mr. Burroughs
Stuart Margolin	...	Balaban
John Cusack	...	Roscoe
Alan Ruck	...	Roger
Rodney Pearson	...	Allen
Remak Ramsay	...	Kennedy
Virginia Madsen	...	Lisa
Deborah Thalberg	...	Susan
Fern Persons	...	Headmistress DeBreul
Casey Siemaszko	...	Doug
Aaron Douglas	...	Barry
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Maggie

Storyline

Jonathan, a naive country boy, gets a scholarship to a classy prep school, where he rooms with suave, rich and handsome Skip. Skip decides it is his duty to see that Jonathan loses his virginity, so he sends Jonathan to Chicago, where Jonathan meets Ellen, a beautiful older woman, and they be- gin an affair which ends abruptly when Ellen discovers Jonathan is 17. During Christmas break, Jonathan visits Skip's house and discovers that Ellen is Skip's mother. Ellen tells Jonathan to leave when he rejects her advances, but then begins calling him and begging to see him. Finally, Jonathan agrees to meet her and plans to end the affair, but Ellen seduces him--and that's when Skip, who followed Jonathan, discovers them.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | mother | school | cross dressing | blouse ripping | 

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Taglines:

The good news is, Jonathan's having his first affair. The bad news is, she's his roommate's mother!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 July 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Classe

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Astrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film debuts of Andrew McCarthy (as Johnathan), John Cusack (as Roscoe) and Virginia Madsen (as Lisa).

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Goofs

When Skip is telling Jonathan about the time he shot and killed a guy, he reaches into the fridge and takes out an apple with his left hand and and goes to take a bite, when the camera does a close up the apple has moved to his right hand.

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Quotes

Mr. Bernhardt: Is this meant to amuse me, Mr Burroughs? Why don't you stop by my office about 8 in the morning. To give you time to think about what you've done and to give me time to think about what I'm going to do. Oh, and, um... please invite your "dead" roommate.

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Connections

Featured in The Making of 'Class' (1983)

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Soundtracks

"Little Drummer Boy"
Performed by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (as Joan Jett and The Blackhearts)

User Reviews

A class act

This movie - one of many early 1980's movies used as vehicles for the likes of Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson and Matt Dillon - conveys many distinct qualities, which countless teen films of late seemingly lack.

What is immediately evident, is the way in which the director skillfully juxtapses the moody atmosphere with the hilarious antics of the Ivy League school boys. Regarding this movie from the point of view of intertextuality, a number of other texts immediately spring to mind: 'The Graduate', 'Animal House' and J.D. Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye'. Lowe (The Outsiders, Youngblood, Oxford Blues), and McCarthy (St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin, Catholic Boys) turn out meritable performances: one being the typically egotistical teenager(Lowe), and the other(McCarthy)conveyed as the naive, withdrawn 'new boy'. Jacqueline Bisset is, as always, aptly cast as the sultry seductress who, with an overbearing husband (Cliff Robertson) and a subsequent case of neurosis, seeks contentment in the shape of a teenage boy. Other striking performances come from - at the time, unknown actors - John Cusack and Alan Ruck.

'Class' is dark and moody at times, and the direction and setting conveys this aspect of the film aptly: the fight between Skip(Lowe) and Jonathan(McCarthy) takes place in the woods outside the school on a cold, grey afternoon during the fall. In contrast to this, there is the bright lights and bustle of New York City, where Jonathan embarks on a mission to apparently gain his manhood and 'save face' with the other students(here, there is that connection with the students in 'Catcher in the Rye' taking weekend trips to New York and the character 'Ackley' who is always boastful of his conquests with women). The film further depicts the antics of the school boys; for example, the incident at the neighboring girls' school and Jonathan's initiation on his first day. 'Class', like 'Oxford Blues', 'Youngblood', 'The Breakfast Club', 'Catholic Boys' and 'St. Elmo's Fire', to name but a few, is the quintessential movie for teenagers; it has depth and feeling, as well as displaying good comical dialogue.

This film is simply 'Class'.