Review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) by Stuart K — 28 Apr 2014

Directed by Ronald Neame (Tunes of Glory (1960), Gambit (1966) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972)) and adapted from Muriel Spark's 1961 novel, which was adapted into a play by Jay Presson Allen in 1966.

It wasn't long before Hollywood came calling. It manages to be a powerful film, and it was quite daring for it's day, and it did cause trouble with our censors, but it has some brilliant performances.

In Edinburgh in the 1930's at Marcia Blaine School for Girls, Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith) is an idealistic teacher who tends to stray away from the school's curriculum, much to the ire of headmistress Miss Mackay (Celia Johnson).

Jean romanticises political dictators like Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco as heroes. 4 of her students are heavily influenced by her teaching, including Sandy (Pamela Franklin), Monica (Shirley Steedman), Jenny (Diane Grayson) and Mary (Jane Carr).

However, Jean still has feelings for her ex-lover, Teddy Lloyd (Robert Stephens), who is art teacher at the school. Then her teachings begin to have a negative effect. It's a powerful and moving film showing that teachers can be the most important people in our early lives, and in some instances, the most dangerous.

Smith is brilliant and rightfully won an Oscar for her turn, she's not a bad person, but just ill-informed. Neame gets the best from the cast, and it's got brilliant cinemtography by Ted Moore.