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DramaComedy

Educating Rita

- Sometimes students end up being the best teachers.

Rita, a witty 26-year-old hairdresser, wants to 'discover' herself, so she joins the Open University where she meets the disillusioned professor of literature, Dr. Frank Bryant. His marriage has failed, his new girlfriend is having an affair with his best friend and he can't get through the day without downing a bottle or two of whisky. What Frank needs is a challenge... and along comes Rita.

Release Date : 1983-06-16

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Acorn PicturesColumbia Pictures

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Michael Caine

Character Name : Dr. Frank Bryant

Original Name : Michael Caine

Gender : Male

Julie Walters

Character Name : Rita Susan White

Original Name : Julie Walters

Gender : Female

Michael Williams

Character Name : Brian

Original Name : Michael Williams

Gender : Male

Maureen Lipman

Character Name : Trish

Original Name : Maureen Lipman

Gender : Female

Jeananne Crowley

Character Name : Julia

Original Name : Jeananne Crowley

Gender : Female

Malcolm Douglas

Character Name : Denny

Original Name : Malcolm Douglas

Gender : Male

Godfrey Quigley

Character Name : Rita's Father

Original Name : Godfrey Quigley

Gender : Male

Dearbhla Molloy

Character Name : Elaine

Original Name : Dearbhla Molloy

Gender : Female

Kim Fortune

Character Name : Collins

Original Name : Kim Fortune

Gender : Male

Pat Daly

Character Name : Bursar

Original Name : Pat Daly

Gender : Male

Philip Hurd-Wood

Character Name : Tiger

Original Name : Philip Hurd-Wood

Gender : Male

Christopher Casson

Character Name : Professor

Original Name : Christopher Casson

Gender : Male

Hilary Reynolds

Character Name : Lesley

Original Name : Hilary Reynolds

Gender : Female

Jack Walsh

Character Name : Price

Original Name : Jack Walsh

Gender : Male

Rosamund Burton

Character Name : Denise

Original Name : Rosamund Burton

Gender : Male

Marcus O'Higgins

Character Name : Marcus

Original Name : Marcus O'Higgins

Gender : Male

Mark Drew

Character Name : Disco Manager

Original Name : Mark Drew

Gender : Male

Gabrielle Reidy

Character Name : Barbara

Original Name : Gabrielle Reidy

Gender : Female

Des Nealon

Character Name : Invigilator

Original Name : Des Nealon

Gender : Male

Marie Conmee

Character Name : Customer in Hairdressers

Original Name : Marie Conmee

Gender : Male

Oliver Maguire

Character Name : Tutor

Original Name : Oliver Maguire

Gender : Male

Derry Power

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Derry Power

Gender : Male

Alan Stanford

Character Name : Bistro Manager

Original Name : Alan Stanford

Gender : Male

Gerry Sullivan

Character Name : Security Officer

Original Name : Gerry Sullivan

Gender : Male

Patricia Jeffares

Character Name : Rita's Mother

Original Name : Patricia Jeffares

Gender : Male

Maeve Germaine

Character Name : Sandra

Original Name : Maeve Germaine

Gender : Female

Liam Stack

Character Name : Sandra's Fiance

Original Name : Liam Stack

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-08

As with "Blood Brothers", Willy Russell has created another wonderfully evocative scenario for a bored, alcoholic "Professor Bryant" (Michael Caine) who finds himself tutoring aspiring working-class "Rita" (Julie Walters). She is the product of a state education system that has given her the rudiments but she needs more; she wants to be able to make her own choices - and they don't necessarily include settling down with her husband and having babies. Initially she is as daunted as she is inspired by the more intellectual environment he, and his students, inhabit but gradually their personalities entwine as it becomes clear that "Bryant" has plenty of demons in his own life - exemplified well by girlfriend "Julia" and her clumsily disguised affair with fellow lecturer Michael Williams' "Brian", as well as by his dependency on Scotch! On the face of it, the plot is really quite predictable, but that simplicity belies the real issues that many women faced when attempting to break free from their class-bound cycle of responsibilities of home and hearth, even in as late as the 1980s. The humour is frequent, dry and pithy with a fun, and quite telling contribution from Maureen Lipman as "Trish", the new flatmate who simply adores Mahler. The score could have been orchestrated a bit better - the synthesised sound is a bit amateur; and at times - like the original play - it drags a little, but that all serves to give us a little more of idea as to what makes both of them really tick - she is prepared to sacrifice much for her opportunity. Caine & Walters are superb, plausible and likeable in equal measure delivering a poignant story of salvation for both of them. It lost out to "Terms of Endearment" & "Tender Mercies" at the Oscars - which is a shame; it is much more memorable than either of those...