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 | |
Cinematography | Frank Watts |
Edited by | Garth Craven |
Music by | David Hentschel |
Production company | Acorn Pictures |
Distributed by | Rank Film Distributors |
Release dates |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £4 million[1] |
Box office | $14.6 million (US)[2][3] |
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.[4]
Plot
[edit]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
[edit]- 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
[edit]Lewis Gilbert says it was difficult to raise finance for the film. "Columbia wanted me to castDolly Partonas Rita ".[5]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.[6]
Release
[edit]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.[7]The film opened to the public the following day atWarner West Endand at the Classic cinema onHaymarket, London.[8]It opened in third place at the London box office behindTootsieandSophie's Choice.[9]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]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."[10]
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."[11]
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".[12]
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".[13]
Educating Ritaholds an 82% rating onRotten Tomatoesbased on seventeen reviews.[14]
Accolades
[edit]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
[edit]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."[15]
Home media
[edit]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
[edit]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.[16]The project did not come to pass, and Gilbert's final film wasBefore You Go(2003).
See also
[edit]- Rubyfruit Jungle,a novel byRita Mae Brown,studied with great enthusiasm by Rita
- BFI Top 100 British films
References
[edit]- ^"The Chancellor Strikes Back." Sunday Times [London, England] 8 April 1984: 33+. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
- ^"Educating Rita".The Numbers.Retrieved24 April2014.
- ^"Educating Rita".Box Office Mojo.Retrieved7 August2010.
- ^British Film Institute – Top 100 British Films(1999). Retrieved 27 October 2017
- ^"Of human Bondage".The Guardian.9 March 2000.
- ^"Educating Rita film locations".Reelstreets.com.Retrieved10 September2014.
- ^"Court circular".The Times.4 May 1983. p. 16.
- ^"Educating Rita (advertisement)".The Times.4 May 1983. p. 3.
- ^"Top films".The Times.13 May 1983. p. 28.
- ^"Educating Rita (UK)".Variety.31 December 1982.Retrieved19 June2017.
- ^Nathan, Ian (1 January 2000)."Educating Rita".Empire.Retrieved2 February2020.
- ^Maslin, Janet(21 September 1983)."Educating Rita (1983)".The New York Times.Retrieved7 August2010.
- ^Ebert, Roger(28 October 1983)."Educating Rita".Chicago Sun-Times.Retrieved21 May2011.
- ^"Educating Rita".Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^"Sleuth – Sir Michael Caine interview".IndieLondon.co.uk.Retrieved7 August2010.
- ^"In brief: Black cast forEducating Ritaremake ".The Guardian.15 November 2002.Retrieved7 August2010.
External links
[edit]- Educating RitaatBFI Screenonline
- Educating RitaatIMDb
- Educating RitaatAllMovie
- Educating RitaatRotten Tomatoes
- Educating RitaatMetacritic
- Educating RitaatShot at Trinity(database of films shot at Trinity College Dublin)
- 1983 films
- 1983 comedy-drama films
- British comedy-drama films
- British films based on plays
- Women's rights
- Films directed by Lewis Gilbert
- Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance
- Films about educators
- Films shot in the Republic of Ireland
- Films set in Liverpool
- Films set in universities and colleges
- Open University
- Best Film BAFTA Award winners
- Films about the education system in the United Kingdom
- 1980s English-language films
- 1980s British films