Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
James Mason | ... | Jerome Malley | |
Robert Preston | ... | Joseph Dobbs | |
Beau Bridges | ... | Paul Reis | |
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Ron Weyand | ... | Father Mozian (as Ronald Weyand) |
Charles White | ... | Father Griffin | |
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David Rounds | ... | Father Penny |
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Kate Harrington | ... | Mrs. Carter |
Paul Alessi | ... | Student | |
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Jamie Alexander | ... | Sheppard |
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Anthony Barletta | ... | Student |
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Brian Chapin | ... | O'Donnell |
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Kevin Coupe | ... | Student |
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Bryant Fraser | ... | Jennings |
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Mark Hall Haefeli | ... | Wilson |
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Christopher Hoag | ... | Student |
Paul Reis returns to the exclusive Catholic prep school he graduated from nine years earlier as a gym teacher. He is reunited with his former mentor and English teacher, the affable and gregarious Joseph Dobbs, the most popular member of the faculty and advisor to the junior class, and Jerome Malley, a strict disciplinarian and teacher of classical languages, whose old-fashioned methods make him heartily disliked by his pupils. Reis finds himself caught in between the two men in a struggle for the hearts, minds, and souls of the boys. Malley, nicknamed "Lash" by his students has ruled out retirement, and Dobbs, who feels that Malley has lost touch with the students, hopes to inherit the senior class. Even though Malley's mother is dying an agonizing death from cancer, the Latin and Greek teacher refuses to surrender his position as head of the senior class to a man whose motives he questions. The tensions on the faculty are mirrored in the student body, which has endured a rash of ... Written by duke1029@aol.com
A new games master (Beau Bridges) goes back to his old boarding catholic school where he finds that bullying is rife while one of the head's (James Mason) does not have his priorities in order. Another master, (Robert Preston) has an unhealthy relationship with the boys.
Based off the play by Robert Marasco, Sidney Lumet's film is an at times over the top and expressive melodrama with some dangerous overtones. A little claustrophobic in places and overly talky, it is however well acted.