Educating Rita(film)

Educating Rita
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lewis Gilbert
Screenplay by	Willy Russell
Based on	Educating Rita by Willy Russell
Produced by	Lewis Gilbert
Starring	Michael Caine Julie Walters
Cinematography	Frank Watts
Edited by	Garth Craven
Music by	David Hentschel
Production company	Acorn Pictures
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors
Release dates	3 May 1983(1983-05-03)(London) 28 October 1983(1983-10-28)(United States)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£4 million
Box office	$14.6 million (US)

Educating Ritais a 1983 Britishcomedy-dramafilm directed byLewis Gilbertwith a screenplay byWilly Russellbased onhis 1980 stage play.The film starsMichael Caine,Julie Walters,Michael WilliamsandMaureen Lipman.It won multiple major awards for best actor and best actress and was nominated for threeAcademy Awards.Caine and Walters both wonBAFTAandGolden Globeawards for best actor and actress. TheBritish Film InstituterankedEducating Ritathe84th greatest British film of the 20th century.

Plot

Susan (who initially calls herself Rita), a 26-year-oldworking-classhairdresser, is dissatisfied with the routine of her work and social life; she is reluctant to have a child, fearing it will tie her to the same monotonous routine for life, and she yearns to escape to something more profound, without exactly knowing what that is. She seeks to better herself by signing up for and attending anOpen Universitycourse inLiterature.

Susan's assigned Open University tutor, Frank Bryant, is jaded and has long ago openly taken to the bottle, describing himself as "an appalling teacher". Bryant's passion for literature is rekindled by Rita, whose technical ability for the subject is limited by her lack of education but whose enthusiasm Frank finds refreshing. Frank initially has misgivings about Rita's ability to adapt to student culture, but is impressed by her verve and earnestness and is forced to re-examine his attitudes and position in life; Susan finds Frank's tutelage opens doors to a bohemian lifestyle and a new self-confidence.

Frank's bitterness and cynicism return as he notices Susan beginning to adopt the pretensions of the university culture he despises. Susan becomes disillusioned by a friend's attempted suicide and realises that her new social niche is rife with the same dishonesty and superficiality she had previously sought to escape. The film ends as Frank, sent to Australia on a sabbatical, welcomes the possibilities of the change.

Cast

• Michael Caineas Dr. Frank Bryant
• Julie Waltersas Susan "Rita" White
• Michael Williamsas Brian
• Dearbhla Molloyas Elaine
• Jeananne Crowleyas Julia, Frank's girlfriend
• Malcolm Douglas as Denny White, Rita's husband
• Godfrey Quigleyas Rita's father
• Patricia Jeffares as Rita's mother
• Maeve Germaine as Sandra, Rita's sister
• Maureen Lipmanas Trish, Rita's roommate
• Gerry Sullivan as Security Officer
• Pat Daly as Bursar
• Kim Fortune as Collins
• Philip Hurdwood as Tiger
• Hilary Reynolds as Lesley
• Jack Walsh as Price
• Christopher Cassonas Professor
• Gabrielle Reidyas Barbara
• Des Nealon as Invigilator
• Marie Conmeeas Customer in Hairdressers
• Oliver Maguire as Tutor
• Derry Poweras Photographer
• Alan Stanfordas Bistro Manager

Production

Lewis Gilbert says it was difficult to raise finance for the film. "Columbia wanted me to castDolly Partonas Rita ".Julie Walters, in her feature film debut, reprised her role from the stage production.

The film is set in an unnamed English university and port city: most of the working-class characters haveScouseaccents. However, it was shot entirely in and aroundDublin,where minor adjustments were made to suggest the city is in the UK: in several street scenes, for example, Britishred telephone boxesappear.Trinity College Dublin,is used as the setting for the university, andUniversity College Dublin,inBelfield,is used for Rita's summer school. The rooms used by Bryant as his office and tutorial room were those of theCollege Historical Societyand theUniversity Philosophical Society,respectively; and while the building was considerably refurnished, the production chose to leave portraits ofDouglas HydeandIsaac Buttand committee photographs in the former, and a bust ofJohn Pentland Mahaffyin the latter. No. 8 Hogan Avenue inDublin 2,nearGrand Canal Dock,was used for Rita's house in the film, and one in Burlington Road,Ballsbridge,for Bryant's. The scene where Rita runs into her ex Denny and his new wife was filmed in theSouth Lottsarea ofRingsend.The scene in France was filmed inMaynooth,County Kildare,andPearse StationandDublin Airportwere used. The pub scene was shot inThe Stag's Headon Dame Court in Dublin. However, the pub which Rita enters is the Dame Tavern which is opposite The Stag's Head. Filming also took place inStoneybatter,with Aughrim Street Church being used for the wedding scene. Stanhope Street School was used as a production base.

Release

The film had its premiere at theLeicester Square Theatrein London on 3 May 1983, attended by thePrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,who attended as president of theNational Playing Fields Association.The film opened to the public the following day atWarner West Endand at the Classic cinema onHaymarket, London.It opened in third place at the London box office behindTootsieandSophie's Choice.

Reception

Critical response

Varietymagazine in December 1982 lauded Walters' interpretation of Rita as "[w]itty, down-to-earth, kind and loaded with common sense". "Rita," the review continues, "is the antithesis of the humorless, stuffy and stagnated academic world she so longs to infiltrate. Julie Walters injects her with just the right mix of comedy and pathos."

Ian Nathan reviewing the film for Britain'sEmpiremagazine calls the film a "gem," and gives it four out of five stars. He describes Walters's "splendidly rich interpretation" of Rita and characterises her "reactions to the traditions of English lit[erature] [as] carry[ing] the caustic brilliance of true intelligence, a shattering of blithe pretension". Of Walters and Caine, Nathan opines, "they make a beautifully odd couple, in a love story at one remove". This reviewer depicts the director's effort as "effective, and finally optimistic," and observes about the film that the playwright's "angry message that people are trapped by their environment not their abilities, is salved by the sweetness of [Frank's and Rita's] final parting." Nathan's "verdict" of the film is one of "[c]harming, glittering characterisations that, though they don't run deep, nevertheless refresh."

Janet MaslinofThe New York Timescalled the film "an awkward blend of intellectual pretension and cute obvious humour" and "the perfect play about literature for anyone who wouldn't dream of actually reading books"; she wrote that "the essentially two-character play has been opened up to the point that it includes a variety of settings and subordinate figures, but it never approaches anything lifelike".

Film criticRoger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timesgave the film two stars out of four, calling the film a "forced march through a formula relationship"; he said Russell's screen adaptation "added mistresses, colleagues, husbands, in-laws, students and a faculty committee, [that were] all unnecessary" and said the playwright/screenwriter "start[ed] with an idealistic, challenging idea, and then cynically tr[ied] to broaden its appeal".

Educating Ritaholds an 82% rating onRotten Tomatoesbased on seventeen reviews.

Accolades

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Academy Awards	Best Actor	Michael Caine	Nominated
	Best Actress	Julie Walters	Nominated
	Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium	Willy Russell	Nominated
British Academy Film Awards	Best Film	Lewis Gilbert	Won
	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Michael Caine	Won
	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Julie Walters	Won
	Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Maureen Lipman	Nominated
	Best Screenplay – Adapted	Willy Russell	Nominated
	Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles	Julie Walters	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best Foreign Film		Nominated
	Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy	Michael Caine	Won
	Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy	Julie Walters	Won
	Best Screenplay – Motion Picture	Willy Russell	Nominated
National Board of Review Awards	Top Ten Films		2nd Place

Retrospective assessments

In 1999, the film was among theBFI Top 100 British films.

In 2007, while promoting the remake ofSleuth,Caine calledEducating Rita"the last good picture [he] made before [he] mentally retired."

Home media

The film was released on DVD in the UK and the US. ITV Studios released the film onto Blu-Ray in the UK (Region B) in 2008 as a 25th Anniversary edition, to mark twenty-five years since the film's release. This edition was discontinued, but in May 2018, ITV Studios released the film onto Blu-ray again.

Proposed remake

In November 2002, the then-82-year-old directorLewis Gilbertwent public with plans to remake his film "with a black cast that could includeHalle BerryandDenzel Washington",with principal photography to commence in 2003.The project did not come to pass, and Gilbert's final film wasBefore You Go(2003).

See also

• Rubyfruit Jungle,a novel byRita Mae Brown,studied with great enthusiasm by Rita
• BFI Top 100 British films

External links

• Educating RitaatBFI Screenonline
• Educating RitaatIMDb
• Educating RitaatAllMovie
• Educating RitaatRotten Tomatoes
• Educating RitaatMetacritic
• Educating RitaatShot at Trinity(database of films shot at Trinity College Dublin)