Teachers (1984)

A well meaning but burned-out high school teacher tries to maintain order against the backdrop of a pending lawsuit against his school district when it comes to light they gave a diploma to an illiterate student.

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writer:

W.R. McKinney

Stars:

Nick Nolte, JoBeth Williams, Judd Hirsch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Alex Jurel
JoBeth Williams	...	Lisa Hammond
Judd Hirsch	...	Roger Rubell
Ralph Macchio	...	Eddie Pilikian
Allen Garfield	...	Carl Rosenberg
Lee Grant	...	Dr. Donna Burke
Richard Mulligan	...	Herbert Gower
Royal Dano	...	Ditto Stiles
William Schallert	...	Horn
Art Metrano	...	Troy
Laura Dern	...	Diane
Crispin Glover	...	Danny
Morgan Freeman	...	Lewis
Madeleine Sherwood	...	Grace
Steven Hill	...	Sloan

Storyline

A teacher overcomes his frustration in a high-school full of flunkies. As he attempts to educate his students, his attempts to help them gets him into trouble with the school board, which only adds to his problems. With the support of his students he beats the school board and his frustration.

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Plot Keywords:

student | high school | teacher | high school teacher | bra less | 

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Taglines:

They fall asleep in class. Throw ink on each other. Never come in Mondays. And they're just the teachers.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Aufsässigen

Filming Locations:

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Aaron Russo Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First released in theaters in 1984, the movie's radical black comic story elements made the students in the film another Class of 1984. Teachers has also being considered as being a modern 1980s version of The Blackboard Jungle.

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Goofs

It is highly unlikely that a college educated teacher wouldn't know how to spell a five letter industry standard word like "tardy".

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Quotes

Roger Rubell: [to Troy] How can you be so stupid, huh? Would you tell me how you can be so damn stupid? As if we don't have enough problems. We're in the middle of a lawsuit, buddy. Three girls - three of our own students. Why don't you go to some other school and get their girls pregnant? You know what this is gonna do to the school? You know how it's gonna look? Teamwork, Troy, does not mean going out and starting your own team.

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Soundtracks

"Foolin' Around"
Performed by Freddie Mercury

User Reviews

Good film, flawed, but good.

I saw this movie again recently and even though it was exaggerated a little, I thought it was pretty good. I went to both public and private schools in the 70s-80s and saw many of the same sort of teachers and administration in both types of school. I had teachers who didn't care, who just couldn't teach, and those who actually did try to engage the students and do a good job, and all of those types, although exaggerated a little, are portrayed here. I've also seen clueless principals who just hid out in their offices all day and were in their car driving away 5 minutes before the final bell rang.

Around the time the movie was released, I read a news story about a girl who was valedictorian of her school, in the National Honors Society, but flunked out of college due to being unable to read because of dyslexia and she ended up suing her school.

This wasn't clearly the case in the film, but should a student who can't perform to a minimum academic standard or doesn't even show up for class and turn in work still pass and get a diploma?

The fact the school was more concerned with with its image than with addressing the issue is something I also saw in school growing up and even now. In my area recently, a local doctor sued his son's former school over unrefunded tuition money. He claimed his son was bullied there for a couple of years and complaints and meetings with school officials didn't help, so he enrolled his son elsewhere. When he unenrolled his son, the school would only refund the unused portion of tuition if the father signed a confidentiality agreement stating he wouldn't discuss what went on there. Sound familiar?

Although a bit over the top, Teachers is an example of what went on, and probably still goes on, in schools and is worth seeing.