This "little," "sleeper" film from Britain is quite possibly the most intellectual, literate, warm and fuzzy picture ever made. The entire focus of the film comes from the juxtaposition of the staid Michael Caine playing a faltering, alcoholic, cynical college professor against the overwhelming charm, youth and optimism of Julie Walters as Rita. The fact that Caine is a rather well-known actor and Walters, still years after the film was released, basks in relative obscurity.

Walters is unstoppable here. As a middle-to-lower-class hairdresser who wants to go to "Open University" (apparently the British equivalent of Night School), she adopts the personality of a non-stop talker. It's no mistake that when the film starts she is a hairdresser, a vocation that requires an active mouth, and as the film progresses, and she grows as a person, she becomes a waitress, a less vocal occupation. Walters simply bubbles in every frame of the film. As she and Caine share 90% of the film's screen time, that's a lot of bubbling. Witness the scene where she runs to Caine to tell him about seeing Shakespeare's "MacBeth" mid- film. It's a classic screen moment and typifies what Walters does throughout the film. Her enthusiasm magically latches onto us. We begin to see the world through her eyes again. Through her we are allowed to experience a second childhood. Walters' Rita constantly exudes charm, warmth and personality. We are more than happy to spend 2 hours with her.

Watching Walters put Caine's emotionally crippled professor consistently on the spot is wonderful and insightful fun. This is probably because most of us, as adults, can whole-heartedly relate to him. He is lost, adrift in his own inadequacies and bathing in the boiling funk of his own cynicism. He is old, tired and defeated. Life has almost crushed him. Watching Walters' Rita resurrect him becomes the most wondrous and life-affirming story the screen may have ever given us.

The story, scripted by Willy Russell, is a sort of cock- eyed "Pygmalion" although Caine's Frank Bryant wrongly likens it more to Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." This is a prime example of his bitterness and rage. Russell crafts a classical piece here about transformation, personal growth, intellect and relationships. Multi-layered and multi- textural, this film about sophistication, education and class seems almost tactile. Maybe it's because it is so easy to relate to both of the main characters. We know that, as it is with ourselves, deep inside the crusty Bryant there is a blossoming Rita dying to get out.

Lewis Gilbert's direction helps mold the film wonderfully. Expressing a multitude of thoughts and ideas about literature and art, Gilbert's film never seems stuffy, claustrophobic or pedantic. He allows us into his character's homes and into the diverse worlds they inhabit. Somehow, thankful mostly to the source material, the film moves elegantly between these settings. Although there certainly isn't anything stunning about the sets or the camera work, we are never bored watching the film. Bryant wisely allows the character's all the necessary room to explore themselves and their story and adds no cinematic tricks to overpower these notions. When he does show us a visual metaphor, it seems like simply a part of the story. For example, when Rita comes home after her first day of school to her working-class husband, Denny (Malcolm Douglas), who isn't thrilled with his wife's new horizons, she finds him breaking down a wall in their home to make two living areas into one large room. Well, this speaks volumes about Rita's need for broader horizons and Denny's misunderstanding of her needs. But, in the film, it is a solid, tactile moment that seemingly hides under the action. It's easy to miss the implications and yet, one does not suffer if they miss these little treats. The film is still quite enjoyable.

If there is any problem with the film, it's the odd music by David Hentschel. Although the theme's motif is quite beautiful, the whole soundtrack sounds like some sort of low- budget Wendy Carlos or Tomita album. It's schlock, cheap, 80's new wave/classical knock-off music. The melancholy theme only works at the films end. A big part of the problem also lies with Gilbert's wont of cranking up the music as loud as possible throughout the film, especially when it seems the most unnecessary. This nuisance breaks the lovely tone and spirit of the film and almost causes us to have a brain hemorrhage. Whoever is responsible for this, and Lewis surely is, should be never allowed near a post-production facility again!

Despite this one flaw, "Educating Rita" is a remarkable film that everyone should watch. It's themes of class struggle, age difference, intellectual longing, and the gentrification of the lower classes as well as it's presentation of a relationship between a man and a woman (his seeming inferior) are woven together with the skill of seamstress. Those of us who are older, who have become a little bit crusty and cynical, need a shot in the arm like this every once in a while to remind us of the overwhelming beauty of life. It also lovingly reminds us of the things that we take for granted, like education. This is a marvelous film for youth as well. It's love of knowledge and intellect will surely not be wasted on them.

Note: This was a play before a movie with Walters reprising her role here. Lewis directed the stage version. Russell adapted his own source script.

Filmed entirely in Ireland, mainly in Dublin. The University sequences were filmed at Trinity College in Dublin. Post production was done in England and this is considered a British film. Although the setting is not mentioned, one assumes it is London.

Gilbert acts as Producer and Director. Director of Photography is Frank Watts.

The pub song is written and performed by Stephen Gilbert. (The nepotism factor?)

Notice the wedding photograph scene. Is it me or is this an homage to the opening sequence in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show?" Is it the same actor as photographer?

A list of the authors in the order they are mentioned in the film: Oscar Wilde (book in bookcase) Chaucer (book) Wilde (book again) Shakespeare (book) John Milton Charles Jackson (A joke. Frank hides his bottle of booze behind "The Lost Weekend") Blake (discussed) Rita Mae Brown (mentioned) E. M. Forester ("Howard's End" is discussed) Yates (quoted) Harold Robbins (mentioned) Ibsen ("Peer Gynt" is used) Chekov (books are shown, he's discussed) Shakespeare (the "MacBeth" scene) Wilde (quoted) Farengheti (mentioned) Chekov (discusses) Blake (discussed) Percy Shelley (mentioned) Byron (mentioned) Cooleridge (mentioned) Shaw (discussed) Lawrence (mentioned) Wordsworth (mentioned) Blake (again) Chekov (again) Mary Shelley (mentioned) Emily (Bronte presumably - mentioned) Charlotte (Bronte presumably - mentioned) Jane (Austin presumably - mentioned) Virginia (Woolf surely - mentioned) Ibsen ("Peer Gynt" is discussed a couple more times)

Review written in 1995

Report Card Script: A+ Acting: A+ Cinematography\Lighting: C Special Effects\Make Up: A Music: D Final Grade: A+

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