The Emperor's Club
Even though I don't see many movies, I love good film. Last week Rebecca picked The Emperor's Club off the shelf of our local public library. I hadn't heard of it previously, but loved the film. The protagonist is a classically trained history teacher at an elite boys school who sparks the love of learning and understanding in his students.
The reason that I recommend this film here is for the way that it demonstrates the importance of integrity in parenting. I thought that the film did a brilliant, and surprising, job of impressing the necessity of integrity in a way that I needed to see.
[The film has one inappropriate scene, that they would have done very well to leave out - where some of the students are looking at pornography. I think the point was to show the bad influence of one student upon others, but could easily have been done without the scene - and you'll be better off if you fast forward through it too.]
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7 comments:
Hi, Graham, Mom and I saw Freedom Writers at the local cinema last night. My grad assistant was one of the students in the rough class portrayed there. It was inspiring.
Dad
Thanks! That's another one we'll have to check out when it comes out on DVD.
I remember seeing that a few years back and really enjoying it. I don't remember many of the details but I recall vividly how they connected integrity with not only fatherhood but with who you will be in the future.
I really liked how they "bust" him too!
Graham,
I am one of your dad's former students. I found your blog after your dad sent out the families annual Christmas letter. I have since linked your site with mine. Funny you mention this movie, since I own it and just commented on it in a resent blog as well "I'm an Idealist." Thanks for continuing to spur me on with your quotes. Blessings
Thanks, John. I'm glad that you enjoyed both the movie and the post. You're welcome anytime!
I've never actually seen the film, but it's based on a short story of the same title by Ethan Canin; I taught it in my 12th grade humanities class. The story is a marvelous meditation on intellectual and personal integrity; I don't know about the movie, but the shape of the narrative (told in Mr Hundert's voice) makes us mourn for his own failings, and his blindness to them, as much as for those of the Senator and his son. It's a great read - and I'd be more than happy to send you my copy, since I won't be teaching it this spring!
Thanks, Sarah. I'd love to read it. I wish I had read stuff like that in high school!
I think that the movie had sufficient repentance and resolution that one doesn't really pity Mr. Hundert so much as Sedgwick.
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