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Educating Rita

  • 19831983
  • PGPG
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.
Play trailer2:18
1 Video
36 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Lewis Gilbert
  • Writer
    • Willy Russell(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michael Caine
    • Julie Walters
    • Michael Williams
Top credits
  • Director
    • Lewis Gilbert
  • Writer
    • Willy Russell(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michael Caine
    • Julie Walters
    • Michael Williams
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 97User reviews
    • 28Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 6 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Official Trailer

    Photos36

    1 sheet movie poster
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine in The Ipcress File (1965)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)
    Educating Rita (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Caine
    Michael Caine
    • Dr. Frank Bryantas Dr. Frank Bryant
    Julie Walters
    Julie Walters
    • Ritaas Rita…
    Michael Williams
    Michael Williams
    • Brianas Brian
    Maureen Lipman
    Maureen Lipman
    • Trishas Trish
    Jeananne Crowley
    • Juliaas Julia
    Malcolm Douglas
    Malcolm Douglas
    • Dennyas Denny
    Godfrey Quigley
    Godfrey Quigley
    • Rita's Fatheras Rita's Father
    Dearbhla Molloy
    Dearbhla Molloy
    • Elaineas Elaine
    Patrick Daly
    • Bursaras Bursar
    • (as Pat Daly)
    Kim Fortune
    • Collinsas Collins
    Philip Hurd-Wood
    Philip Hurd-Wood
    • Tigeras Tiger
    • (as Philip Hurdwood)
    Hilary Reynolds
    • Lesleyas Lesley
    Jack Walsh
    Jack Walsh
    • Priceas Price
    Christopher Casson
    • Professoras Professor
    Rosamund Burton
    • Deniseas Denise
    Marcus O'Higgins
    • Marcusas Marcus
    Mark Drew
    • Disco Manageras Disco Manager
    Gabrielle Reidy
    • Barbaraas Barbara
    • Director
      • Lewis Gilbert
    • Writer
      • Willy Russell(screenplay) (play) (stage play)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In Liverpool, 27-year-old hairdresser Rita (Dame Julie Walters) decides to complete her basic education before having children, as desired by her husband Denny (Malcolm Douglas). She joins a literature course in an open university and is tutored by middle-aged Dr. Frank Bryant (Sir Michael Caine), an alcoholic, debauched upper-class professor whose life has left him emotionally drained and without self-esteem. Frank lives in a loveless marriage with Julia (Jeananne Crowley), who's also a professor. Julia has a love affair with Dean Brian (Michael Williams). Rita's humor and determination to improve herself is contagious. She gives motivation to Frank, who helps prepare her for the exams to join the university, and be able to leave Denny. Will she succeed in the exams? —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • essay writing
    • university lecturer
    • alcoholism
    • troubled marriage
    • teacher student relationship
    • 88 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A comedy about a teacher and a very memorable student [Video Australia]
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Michael Caine's favorite movie of his own, and the performance of which he's the most proud.
    • Goofs
      O.U. students do not enjoy one to one tutorials with a professor.
    • Quotes

      [Rita is being nosy about Frank's marriage]

      Dr. Frank Bryant: We split up, Rita, because of poetry.

      Rita: You what?

      Dr. Frank Bryant: One day, my wife explained to me that, for the past fifteen years, my output as a poet had dealt entirely with the part of our lives in which we discovered each other.

      Rita: Are you a poet?

      Dr. Frank Bryant: Was. And so, to give me something new to write about, she left me. A very noble woman, my wife - she left me for the good of literature. And remarkably it worked.

      Rita: What, you wrote a lot of good stuff, did ya?

      Dr. Frank Bryant: No. I stopped writing altogether.

    • Alternate versions
      In a version screened on British TV in the '80s and '90s, Frank tells the imaginary Morgan to 'p*** off', not 'f*** off'; Michael Caine's voice is quite badly dubbed.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Never Cry Wolf/Rumble Fish/Heat and Dust/Educating Rita (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, 2nd movement Andante
      Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (uncredited)

      [Record played in Julia's flat]

    User reviews97

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    singing a better song
    What a novel concept - a college movie that isn't about frat parties! Since "Educating Rita" is one of the only movies which explores the true value of schooling, it remains close to this nerd's heart. In fact, in a rather weird conjunction with "Rocky," it inspired me to leave my lousy office job and get a graduate degree - to better meself, as Rita might say.

    What are the criticisms here - too long, too stagey, silly synth music? This is not my idea of a slow movie. I like the characters enough to stick with them, even if they aren't...well...moving around much! Surely their personal conflicts are interesting enough to keep me watching, even in the absence of car chases and explosions.

    Walters and Caine are likable, the message is empowering (but realistic - Rita really suffers when she tries to change her life), and, just for a change, alcoholism is treated as a serious problem. Is it too sentimental? Well, I always cry. Or at least sniffle. I think that means the movie is moving, rather than sentimental.

    Enough defensiveness - this movie is lovely! Where's the American DVD release, then?
    helpful•64
    7
    • dr_foreman
    • Feb 2, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 28, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rita will es endlich wissen
    • Filming locations
      • University Philosophical Society, Graduates' Memorial Building, Trinity College, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
    • Production company
      • Acorn Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,648,076
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $73,518
      • Sep 25, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,648,076
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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