Chosen by Bruce
The Film
Made in 1994 by David Mamet, and based on his stage play, with two characters and three acts. Carol is failing her college course and confronts her teacher John - during a difficult discussion he repeatedly takes phone calls from his wife, but tells Carol he understands her and, if she comes to him for tuition, will help her learn. Carol accuses John of sexual harassment and his career falls apart. Eventually, a broken man, he actually assaults her.
The response
With some notable exceptions, most of us disliked this film. We wanted a more narrative exploration of the issues, rather than a claustrophobic play translated to the screen. Long philosophical monologues weren't always easy to follow. The film seemed dated, and more than 20 years old. We didn't like either of the characters. But it was powerful - and Jocelyn (who thought it was great), Bruce and Sue had watched it 3 times.
The plot itself provoked fierce arguments. Was Carol really not very bright (or even autistic)? Some of us saw John as a victim; others thought he was an insensitive boor who thought he had a right to a comfortable life. Were we wrong to talk of his actions as 'rape' - is it OK to use the term as a metaphor? Did the film touch on current changes in British Universities - with students, paying increasingly high fees, expecting academics to provide a decent education? And where might John and Carol both be now, eighteen years on - is she a lost soul or a professor?
