The History Boys (2006)

An unruly class of gifted and charming teenage boys are taught by two eccentric and innovative teachers, as their headmaster pushes for them all to get accepted into Oxford or Cambridge.

Director:

Nicholas Hytner

Writers:

Alan Bennett (screenplay), Alan Bennett (play)

Stars:

Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Clive Merrison

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Samuel Anderson	...	Crowther
James Corden	...	Timms
Stephen Campbell Moore	...	Irwin
Richard Griffiths	...	Hector
Frances de la Tour	...	Mrs. Lintott
Andrew Knott	...	Lockwood
Russell Tovey	...	Rudge
Jamie Parker	...	Scripps
Dominic Cooper	...	Dakin
Samuel Barnett	...	Posner
Sacha Dhawan	...	Akhtar
Clive Merrison	...	The Headmaster
Penelope Wilton	...	Mrs. Bibby
Adrian Scarborough	...	Wilkes
Georgia Taylor	...	Fiona

Storyline

In 1980s Britain, a group of young men at Cutlers' Grammar School all have the brains, and the will to earn the chance of getting accepted in the finest universities in the nation, Oxford and Cambridge. Despite the fine teaching by excellent professionals like Mrs Lintott in history and the intellectually enthusiastic Hector in General Studies, the Headmaster is not satisfied. He signs on the young Irwin to polish the students' style to give them the best chance. In this mix of intellectualism and creative spirit that guides a rigorous preparation regime for that ultimate educational brass ring, the lives of the randy students and the ostensibly restrained faculty intertwine that would change their lives forever.

---

Plot Keywords:

gay | school | oxford | headmaster | teacher | 

---

Taglines:

Meet The Boys Who Are Making History!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

History Boys

Filming Locations:

Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$100,803 (USA) (22 November 2006)

Gross:

$2,706,659 (USA) (23 February 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, DNA Films, BBC Two Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cast for this are the same cast who appeared in the original play at the National Theatre in London, UK.

---

Goofs

The locker room at the school has a passive Infra red detector clearly visible over one of the doors more recently used for intruder alarm systems. This type of device would not have been available until the early 1990s.

---

Quotes

[Mrs. Lintott smokes in the Teacher's Lounge]
Wilkes: Dorothy...
[points to the No Smoking sign]
Mrs. Lintott: Oh, fuck.

---

Crazy Credits

At the beginning of the film, the title - "The History Boys" - is taken letter by letter from random parts of an essay on the dissolution of the monasteries, a common history topic, Which the History Boys themselves write later on in the film.

---

Connections

Featured in Alan Bennett at 80: Bennett Meets Hytner (2014)

---

Soundtracks

Now Voyager
Written by Max Steiner
(c) M. Witmark & Sons / Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
Performed by Jamie Parker

User Reviews

Wonderful film

I had the good fortune to see a preview of this film at Picturehouse Greenwich - the best cinema in London. I had seen the play in London so was expecting to be disappointed at seeing the film of the History Boys on the screen. However,I am pleased to report it is a fantastic film. Great characters, far too many good performances to pick any one person as best actor. The boys and staff of the school were fantastic and totally believable. Not quite how life was when I was at school, but I imagine many grammar schools in the 1980's were the same.

I laughed out loud and cried and left the cinema with a smile on my face.

A must see