Inspired by the novel by Muriel Spark, “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” which is set in the 1930s, stars Maggie Smith in the title role as a charismatically totalitarian teacher at a girls school in Edinburgh.
Grade: B+ (*** 1/2* out of *****)
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Theatrical release poster, artwork by Ted Conis
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Ronald Neame directed a narrative penned by Jay Presson Allen, based more on her stage play than on Spark’s novel. The scripter has taken several liberties from the rather short novel, which was more introspective and focused more on a student of Miss Brodie than om the teacher.
Vanessa Redgrave had played the role on stage in London.
Smith had deservedly won the 1969 Best Actress Oscar Award for her deliciously eccentric portrayal of a freethinking, unrestrained teacher at an exclusive Scottish all-girls school.
She is unapologetic in her favoritism of students that she considers special enough to benefit from her cultural and political knowledge.
When one pupil relates her achievements as a Girl Guide, Miss Brodie cuts her off: “For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like.”
Looking at another student, whose sleeves are rolled-up, seem to distract the teacher from delivering a monologue about love and war, prompting her to say, “Are you thinking of doing a day’s washing?”
Miss Jean encourages her students to follow their hearts and under no circumstances to lose their youthful idealism. In her lectures, Miss Jean gets particularly excited when she talks about her favorite political figures, who happen to be the great dictators Mussolini and Franco.
Unable to keep the innermost details of her private life a secret, she boasts about her sex life to her students, specifically her relationship with her artist lover, Teddy Lloyd (played by Robert Stephens, who was Smith’s husband at the time), a married Catholic man with children, who’s unwilling to break his bond for Miss Jean.
Her best and favorite student, Sandy (Pamela Franklin) becomes so much imitative of Miss Jean herself that she soon turns into a threat to the teacher. Sandy ends up playing a Judas role by betraying her teacher and bringing her down; it doesn’t help that Sandy is also determined to seduce Teddy away from Miss Jean.
The most sober character in the film is Miss MacKay (the great Celia Johnson), the dour headmistress who’s critical of Miss jean, realizing the potentially harmful influence she might have on the students, and vocalizing her strong disagreement over her improper instruction methods.
In a key scene, Miss Jean takes her students on a visit to the home of fellow teacher Gordon (Gordon Lowther), who is more interested in her than she is in him.
In the end, Miss Jean loses her position, but not the hearts and minds of her most devoted students.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which played at the Cannes Film Fest, was not very popular at the box-office, though both Smith and Celia Johnson received positive reviews, with critics lamenting the fact that Johnson was snubbed by the Oscar voters for a slot in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Oscar Nominations: 2
Actress: Maggie Smith
Song: Jean, music and lyrics by Rod McKuen
Oscar Awards: 1
Actress
Oscar Context
The winner of Best Song was “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” by Burt Bachrach and Hal David from the popular Western, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
In 1969, Smith competed for the best Actress Oscar with Genevieve Bujold in “Anne of the Thousand Days,” Jane Fonda in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” Liza Minnelli in “The Sterile Cuckoo,” and Jean Simmons in “The Happy Ending.”
Cast
Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith)
Teddy Lloyd (Robert Stephens)
Sandy (Pamela Franklin)
Gordon Lowther (Gordon Jackson)
Miss MacKay (Celia Johnson)
Jenny (Diane Grayson)
Mary McGregor (Jane Carr)
Monica (Shirley Steedman)
Emily Carstairs (Lavinia Lang)
Helen McPhee (Antoinette Biggerstaff)
Credits:
Produced by Robert Fryer, James Cresson
Directed by Ronald Neame
Camera: Ted Moore
Production design: John Howell
Art Direction: Brian Herbert
Edited by Norman Savage
Release date: February 24, 1969 (Fox)
Running time: 116 minutes
Budget $2.76 million
Box office $3 million (rentals)
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