Bennett’s book Keeping On Keeping On, which consists of his diaries from 2005 to 2015 with a few other essays, contains a chapter, “The History Boys, Film Diary”, in which Bennett records his experiences and reflections during, and shortly after, the making of the film. This diary starts on 14 July 2005 and continues with entries every few days up to 24 August, followed by the final entry on 1 November 2005.[1]
In a boys' grammar school in Sheffield in 1983, students Crowther, Posner, Dakin, Timms, Akthar, Lockwood, Scripps, and Rudge have recently obtained the school's highest-ever A-Level scores and are hoping to enter Oxford or Cambridge, by taking a seventh-term entrance exam in History. The General Studies teacher, known to staff and boys alike by his nickname "Hector", is much beloved, and works alongside their deputy head and regular History teacher, Mrs Lintott. The Headmaster, known by all as "Felix", appoints a temporary teacher, Tom Irwin, to help the boys. Irwin states that he was at Jesus College, Oxford, when interviewed by the Headmaster. Prior to the entrance examinations, he says to Dakin that he was at Corpus (Corpus Christi College). Dakin discovers on his interview day at Oxford that Irwin did not attend. Irwin is only a little older than his students but proves to be a bold and demanding teacher, and particularly difficult to impress.
As part of their General Studies, the class acts out scenes from romantic films and literature. At the conclusion of each class, Hector offers a lift to one of the students on his motorbike and it is generally known (and initially dismissed as a joke) that he touches them inappropriately on the ride. The only one he never takes along is Posner, a slight Jewish boy, who doesn't hide his infatuation with Dakin. Dakin, who characterises himself as an aspiring lecher, is currently pursuing an affair with the headmaster's secretary, Fiona. He is not displeased by Posner's attention, but finds himself increasingly interested in Irwin. Gradually, Dakin's quest to impress Irwin on an intellectual level evolves into a flirtatious, potentially sexual pursuit of his young teacher, who is visibly attracted to Dakin. Meanwhile, Hector's indiscretions are shockingly revealed and Felix instructs him to "retire early".
The boys continue their studies and all gain places at Oxford and Cambridge, including the dimwitted Rudge, with Posner winning a scholarship and Dakin an exhibition (although both Felix and Scripps later refer to it as a scholarship). On the day they gathered at school on receiving their results, Dakin calls out Irwin on his lie of attending Oxford, Irwin admits that he studied at Bristol and attended Oxford only for a teaching diploma, then Dakin asks him out for a drink, overtly revealing his sexual interest in him, much to Irwin's confusion and repressed enthusiasm. They agree to get together that very Sunday. Dakin then proceeds to the Headmaster's office and, by threatening to reveal Felix's own sexual harassment of Fiona, forces him to reinstate Hector.
As the boys prepare to leave the grammar school, Hector, revealing that he is staying at the school, agrees to give Dakin a ride home on the motorbike "for old times' sake". However, before they leave, the headmaster runs out and stops them, saying that Hector should not take one of the boys. He suggests that Hector take Irwin instead. Dakin gladly hands the helmet to him, and the screen fades to white as they drive off, the boys waving happily and laughing.
A motorcycle accident occurs off-screen, and Hector is killed, although Irwin survives with a broken leg. Dakin (in voiceover) says that Irwin had never been on the back of a bike and so may have unbalanced Hector, causing the accident, and that he and Irwin never got a chance to meet that Sunday. The boys sing "Bye Bye Blackbird" at Hector's memorial service and the Headmaster gives a general speech. Mrs Lintott then turns and asks: "Will they come to my funeral, I wonder?" The school hall is shown with only the boys sitting and each recounts his life. Akthar is a headmaster, Crowther a magistrate, Timms a drug-taking dry-cleaning manager, and Dakin a tax lawyer. Lockwood, a junior army officer, was killed by friendly fire at the age of 28. Rudge is a builder, Scripps a journalist, and Irwin makes history TV programmes, though Mrs Lintott says they are more journalism. Posner is a teacher and takes the same approach that Hector did, save for the touching. The final shot shows the boys and teachers standing at the field trip lawn, with Hector's voice encouraging them to "pass it on".
Cast
Staff
Richard Griffiths as Douglas "Hector", English & General Studies teacher
Clive Merrison as Felix, the Headmaster and Geography teacher
Frances de la Tour as Mrs Dorothy Lintott, History teacher & Deputy Headteacher
Stephen Campbell Moore as Irwin, a temporary History teacher who encourages pupils to dissent from generally accepted viewpoints.
Penelope Wilton as Mrs Hazel Bibby, Art and Art History teacher
The majority of the main cast later appeared in Bennett's 2015 film The Lady in the Van, with de la Tour in a prominent role and cameo roles for Moore, Anderson, Barnett, Cooper, Corden, Dhawan, Knott, Tovey and Parker. Griffiths died in 2013, before The Lady in the Van was shot.
Reception
Critical reviews
Richard Schickel of Time opined that the film is better than the original play. He explained that the transformation to film improved the "flow and intimacy" of the production, while preserving the messages it seeks to convey.[2]Rolling Stone notes that some sense of familiarity with the subject of the film is lost in the cutting of nearly an hour from the original play, but the dialogue remains witty and pointed as is the customary style of the author.[3]New York describes the film as "brilliant and infectious", and filled with Alan Bennett's customary deadpan humour.[4]
Controversy
The play did receive some criticism and controversy revolving around the character of Hector, a teacher who molests the students. Nick Clark of The Independent wrote, "Bennett raised eyebrows with his sympathetic portrayal of Hector, the teacher forced to step down for fondling his teenage pupils".[5] In a 2006 interview with David Batty of The Guardian, he described Bennett as "laugh[ing] off any suggestion he is condoning paedophilia." Bennet stated, "The boys are all consenting adults, and Hector's behaviour is very unthreatening. The boys all consider him to be a bit of a joke and just tolerate it as part of the price of his eccentric teaching style. I didn't write in his death to redeem his transgression, I did it to make the drama work."[6] In 2013 Bennett revealed he was "interfered with as a child but was not greatly affected by the experience".[7]
David Batty of The Guardian strongly criticised the film stating he "came away bristling with annoyance at its romanticised portrayal of Hector, a teacher who serially gropes the teenage boys in his study group." He found the situation "bizarre and unsatisfactory" adding, "What's the message Bennett's trying to convey here? That it's OK for teachers to molest their pupils as long as they help them get into Oxford or Cambridge? Or is the audience meant to excuse Hector's behaviour on the grounds that he grew up in an age when homosexuality was repressed...Whatever the intention, the misty-eyed, nostalgic tone seems totally unsuited to addressing such a thorny topic."[8]
Alan Bennett is an English playwright, author, actor and screenwriter. Over his entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Tony Awards. He also earned an Academy Award nomination for his film The Madness of King George (1994). In 2005 he received the Society of London Theatre Special Award.
To Sir, with Love is a 1967 British drama film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner city school. It stars Sidney Poitier and features Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall, Patricia Routledge and singer Lulu making her film debut. James Clavell directed from his own screenplay, which was based on E. R. Braithwaite's 1959 autobiographical novel of the same name.
Unman, Wittering and Zigo is a 1958 radio play by the Anglo-Irish playwright Giles Cooper.
Ilford County High School is a selective secondary grammar school for boys located in the town of Barkingside of the London Borough of Redbridge. The school was formerly called Park High Grade School and as a result old boys are referred to as Old Parkonians.
Abingdon School is an independent day and boarding school for boys in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. It is the twentieth oldest independent British school.
The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where 185 performances were staged before it closed on 1 October 2006.
Edge Grove School, simply Edge Grove, is a 3–13 mixed, private, day preparatory school in Aldenham, Watford, Hertfordshire, England. It was established in 1935 and set on 48 acres.
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Watford Grammar School for Boys is an 11–18 boys partially selective academy in Watford in Hertfordshire, England. The school and its sister school, Watford Grammar School for Girls, descend from a Free School founded as a charity school for boys and girls by Elizabeth Fuller in 1704.
Stephen Campbell Moore is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys and the film based on it. He has starred in the sci-fi television series War of the Worlds (2019–2021).
Jamie Parker is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Harry Potter in the original cast for the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play and a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play. He also received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play as a member of the original Broadway version.
Sacha Dhawan is a British actor. He began his career in the ITV series Out of Sight (1997–98), The Last Train (1999), and Weirdsister College (2001–02). He originated the role of Akthar in the play The History Boys (2004–06) and reprised his role in its film adaptation (2006).
Julia St John is an English actress. Her television credits include A Touch of Frost, The Brittas Empire, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Lovejoy, Minder, Harry Enfield and Chums, Lewis, and Victoria Wood, appearing in the episode Over To Pam.
Ifield Community College (ICC) is a maintained comprehensive secondary school in Crawley, England, for pupils aged 11 to 18.
Samuel Anderson is an English actor. He played Crowther in The History Boys, Danny Pink in the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who and Daniel in the Sky1 sitcom Trollied.
Walhampton School is a coeducational private preparatory school situated in the hamlet of Walhampton, near Lymington, England. It is the result of the 1997 merger between Hordle House School, situated in Milford on Sea, and Walhampton School, which was based at the current site. The merged school was known as ’Hordle Walhampton’ until 2013, when it reverted to its previous name of 'Walhampton School'.
Stephen Uppal is an English actor of Indian descent from Ormesby in Middlesbrough. He is known for playing Ravi Roy in the long-running British soap Hollyoaks, Zaf in the 2009 film Freight, and also for playing characters in The History Boys at Wyndham's Theatre.
Personal Affair is a 1953 British drama film directed by Anthony Pelissier and starring Gene Tierney, Leo Genn and Glynis Johns. It was made at Pinewood Studios by Two Cities Films. The screenplay by Lesley Storm was based on her play "A Day's Mischief."
Lessons of a Dream is a German drama film directed by Sebastian Grobler, loosely based on the life of late-19th-century football pioneer Konrad Koch. In the film, Koch is one of the first English teachers in the German Empire, in Braunschweig. He introduces his students to the new sport of football, completely unknown outside of England at the time, to get them interested in English culture and language. In the film, Koch's liberal teaching methods upset his conservative colleagues, the students' parents, and local dignitaries.
Simon Henderson is a British teacher. He has been Head Master of Eton College since 2015, having previously served as headmaster of Bradfield College.
References
↑ Bennett, Alan (2017). Keeping On Keeping On. Faber & Faber. pp.405–421. ISBN9781781256503.
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