Educating Rita

19831983
PGPG
1h 50min

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

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.

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 6 wins & 8 nominations total

Videos1

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

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)

Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)

In Liverpool, twenty-seven-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 the middle-aged Dr. Frank Bryant (Sir Michael Caine), an alcoholic and debauched professor from the upper-class, whose life has left him emotionally drained, without self-esteem. Frank lives with Julia (Jeananne Crowley), who's also a professor, and has a loveless marriage. 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 42 more

Taglines
- A comedy about a teacher and a very memorable student [Video Australia]
Genres
- Comedy
- Drama
Certificate
- PG
Parents guide

Trivia
This movie inspired many marriage break-ups according to Dame Julie Walters (Rita). While receiving the Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film at the Moet British Independent Film Awards in 2013, Walters said: "I get people who come up to me and say 'I left my husband because of you, because of that film', or 'I got an education'. So many."

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]

Top review

8/10

Heart-warming and funny drama

Michael Caine and TV favourite Julie Walters shine wonderfully in this film, which tells the story of 26-year-old Rita (Walters) wanting to discover herself by attending the Open University, where alcohol dependant Dr. Frank Bryant (Caine) is a teacher.

The movie follows these two main characters change and reevaluate their lives for the better through each other. Caine and Walters' chemistry is simply divine, and Maureen Lipman also makes an appearance as over the top and eccentric Trish, who on the outside, is this confident, bubbly woman, but on the inside is hurting badly because of her fears of being alone.

Both Caine and Walters won Best Actor and Best Actress awards for their performances (at the BAFTAs), and the movie itself won Best Film in 1984, and one look at Educating Rita tells you why. It's a film that's simply full of warmth and charm.

A strong British film and the perfect debut for the now legendary Julie Walters.

helpful•15

3

jamiecostelo58
Nov 30, 2006

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

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

Runtime
- 1h 50min
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Mono
Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1

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