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:
Writer:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Nick Nolte | ... |
Alex Jurel
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| JoBeth Williams | ... |
Lisa Hammond
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| Judd Hirsch | ... |
Vice Principal Roger Rubell
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| Ralph Macchio | ... |
Eddie Pilikian
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| Allen Garfield | ... |
Carl Rosenberg
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| Lee Grant | ... |
Dr. Donna Burke
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| Richard Mulligan | ... |
Herbert Gower
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| Royal Dano | ... |
Kenneth 'Ditto' Stiles
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| William Schallert | ... |
Principal Eugene Horn
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| Art Metrano | ... |
Troy
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| Laura Dern | ... |
Diane Warren
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| Crispin Glover | ... |
Danny
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| Morgan Freeman | ... |
Alan Lewis
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| Madeleine Sherwood | ... |
Grace Wensel
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| Steven Hill | ... |
Sloan
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| Zohra Lampert | ... |
Mrs. Pilikian
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| Mary Alice | ... |
Linda Ganz
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Katharine Balfour | ... |
Theresa Bloom
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| Vivian Bonnell | ... |
Nurse
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| Virginia Capers | ... |
Landlady
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| Ellen Crawford | ... |
Social Worker
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| Terrance Ellis | ... |
Tim Hahn
(as Terry Ellis)
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Aaron Freeman | ... |
Brinkman
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| Patricia Gaul | ... |
Lowe
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| Anthony Heald | ... |
Narc
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| Ronald Hunter | ... |
Mr. Pilikian
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Julia Jennings | ... |
The Blonde
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| Stephen Mendillo | ... |
Lecture Cop
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Jeffrey Ware | ... |
Malloy
(as Jeff Ware)
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Richard Zobel | ... |
Propes
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Da Nang McKay | ... |
Wounded Kid
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Virginia Smith | ... |
Lee
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Ray Noch | ... |
Dan Hall
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Maria D. Magisano | ... |
Alvado
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Bill Marinella | ... |
Paller
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Noerena Abookire | ... |
Terry Davis
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Andrew Ream | ... |
Henson
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Jennifer Quilty | ... |
Sarah
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Kimberly Pullins | ... |
Student
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David Caltrider | ... |
Student
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Marvin Morgan | ... |
Student
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Shantel R. Chappell | ... |
Student
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Dan Levinson | ... |
Student
(as Danny Levinson)
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Donte St. John | ... |
Student
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Ken Feil | ... |
Student
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Vicki Lynn Puzinas | ... |
Student
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Tony Lincoln | ... |
Guard
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Wilbert Bradley | ... |
Guard
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| Ron Dean | ... |
Guard
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Jamie Newell | ... |
Guard
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Ronald Merians | ... |
Guard
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Zaid Farid | ... |
Cop
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Bernard Canepari | ... |
Cop
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| Will Zahrn | ... |
Cop
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Simon Williams | ... |
Attendant
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Paul Zegler | ... |
Attendant
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Dick Sollenberger | ... |
Attendant
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Phillip S. Wilson | ... |
Teacher
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Allan Byrne | ... |
Teacher
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| Mary Louise Wilson | ... |
Teacher
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Nick Baldasare | ... |
Ping Pong Playing Teacher (uncredited)
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John Branch | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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Deborah Brommer | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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| Laura Coker | ... |
Secretary (uncredited)
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| Todd Covert | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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Rob Finney | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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Timothy Holmes | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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| Rob Liotti | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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Kevin Stotts | ... |
Attendant (uncredited)
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Brian Walker | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Arthur Hiller | ||
Written by
| W.R. McKinney | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Art Levinson | ... | associate producer |
| Aaron Russo | ... | producer |
| Irwin Russo | ... | executive producer |
Cinematography by
| David M. Walsh | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Don Zimmerman | ||
Editorial Department
| William Essary | ... | assistant editor |
| William Pine | ... | color timer (as Bill Pine) |
Casting By
| Dianne Crittenden | ||
Production Design by
| Richard Macdonald | ||
Set Decoration by
| John M. Dwyer | ... | (as John Dywer) |
Costume Design by
| Ruth Myers | ||
Makeup Department
| Del Armstrong | ... | makeup artist |
| Lynn Del Kail | ... | hair stylist |
| Edouard F. Henriques | ... | makeup artist (as Edouard F. Henriques III) |
Production Management
| Art Levinson | ... | unit production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Charlotte Dreiman | ... | additional second assistant director |
| Robert Engelman | ... | second assistant director (as Bob Engelman) |
| L. Andrew Stone | ... | first assistant director |
Art Department
| Sidney H. Greenwood | ... | property master (as Syd Greenwood) |
Sound Department
| Virginia Cook-McGowan | ... | sound editor (as Virginia A. Cook) |
| Carlos Delarios | ... | re-recording mixer (as Carlos De Larios) |
| Don Hall | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Frank Howard | ... | sound editor |
| Joseph A. Ippolito | ... | sound editor (as Joey Ippolito) |
| Jerry Jost | ... | production sound mixer |
| Michael J. Kohut | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Aaron Rochin | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Marty Church | ... | adr mixer (uncredited) / foley mixer (uncredited) |
| Robin Haskins | ... | re-recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Charles Schulthies | ... | special effects (as Chuck Schulthies Jr.) |
Stunts
| David LeBell | ... | stunts |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Robert Edesa | ... | camera operator (as Bob Edesa) |
| Norman Harris | ... | chief lighting technician |
| Richard Moran | ... | key grip |
| Michael Nash | ... | first assistant camera |
| James Zenk | ... | still photographer (as Jim Zenk) |
| Ron Kenyon | ... | assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Ilene Starger | ... | casting assistant |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Norman A. Burza | ... | costumer: men (as Norman Burza) |
| Dallas D. Dornan | ... | costumer (as Dallas Dornan) |
| Michele Neely | ... | costumer: women |
Music Department
| Sandy Gibson | ... | music supervisor |
| William Saracino | ... | music editor (as William J. Saracino) |
| Tom Brown | ... | music preparation (uncredited) |
| Aaron Russo | ... | soundtrack album producer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Jan Kemper | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Chester Haffey | ... | transportation |
Additional Crew
| Bruce Bahrenburg | ... | publicist |
| Marc Lynn | ... | assistant to producer |
| Ronald Merians | ... | assistant to producer |
| Guy Riedel | ... | assistant to producer |
| Jeffrey Rosenbaum | ... | assistant to producer |
| Constance G. Rowbotham | ... | production secretary (as Connie Rowbotham) |
| Marge Rowland | ... | production accountant |
| Brenda White | ... | assistant: Mr. Hiller |
| Dorothy Wilde | ... | executive assistant: Mr. Hiller |
| Burke Mattsson | ... | title designer (uncredited) |
| Roberta Morris Purdee | ... | assistant: Lee Grant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- United Artists (presents)
- Aaron Russo Productions
Distributors
- MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1984) (United States) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- CBS/Fox (1985) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1985) (United States) (video) (CED VideoDisc)
- Warner Home Video (1985) (Germany) (VHS)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Italy) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1985) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2015) (United States) (video)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Australia) (theatrical)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Descriptive Video Works (descriptive video)
- Dolby Stereo (in selected theatres)
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of)
- Mayor's Office of Columbus, Ohio (thanks)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (titles and opticals)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (rerecorded at)
- Metrocolor (filmed in)
- Ohio Film Commission (thanks)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
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.
Written by K. Rose |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | They fall asleep in class. Throw ink on each other. Never come in Mondays. And they're just the teachers. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $9,000,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $7,013,366, 08 Oct 1984 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | According to "Variety", the story was conceived by brothers Producer Aaron Russo and Executive Producer Irwin Russo, the latter of whom was able to draw on ten years real-life experience as a teacher in New York City. See more » |
| Goofs | In the hallway scene following the locker search, Alex Jurel's hair mysterious transforms from neat to extremely messed up, in what is obviously an additional shot added later. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Teachers/Country/The Brother from Another Planet/Old Enough (1984). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Teacher Teacher See more » |
| Quotes |
[Paramedic checks for Ditto's pulse]
Paramedic: This guy's dead. School Nurse: [holding a lit cigarette] Really? How can you tell? See more » |