5 Greatest Movie Teachers (In Appreciation of Teacher Appreciation Week)
As my son's daycare reminded me, we're in the middle of Teacher Appreciation Week! So I thought I'd give my educational props to the bestest teachers of all time. After all, these instructors inspired and cared--really cared. So if you're in the mood for a little teacher-appreciation marathon, may we suggest:
Sidney Poitier, To Sir With Love: The best movies in this genre are the ones where the teacher brings gravitas and elegance, even if they're the ones breaking all the rules. Since this is Sidney Poitier in a nutshell, there's no one else we'd rather learn life's lessons from.
Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society: There are some, I am told, who found this movie uninspiring. They didn't wish for a teacher like Williams' John Keating, who asks his students to carpe diem, stand on their desks and "suck the marrow out of life." They weren't moved when he got Ethan Hawke to recite poetry in class and Robert Sean Leonard to follow his dream of acting. They didn't weep when the class saluted his farewell with "O Captain, My Captain." To these some, I say, you must have hearts of stone!
Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver: Now you know Edward James Olmos from Battlestar Galactica, but back in 1988 he turned in his career-defining (and Oscar-nominated) performance as Jaime Escalante, a teacher in East L.A. who made math fun. 'K, maybe not fun, but got his students to excel in it. "Math is the great equalizer," he says. Wise words indeed.
Robert Donat, Goodbye, Mr. Chips: Coming out of the golden year of cinema (1939), Robert Donat beat Clark Gable for Best Actor at the Oscars with his performance in this film, about a teacher who reflects on nearly five decades of students. That he's disliked and unpopular after he arrives only makes the poignancy that much deeper when he reflects in his old age on whether he ever made a difference.
Morgan Freeman, Lean on Me: How does a principal bring calm to a school overrun by violence and drugs? With a baseball bat of course! He's not technically a classroom teacher, but if you're looking for a more upbeat teacher movie after weeping through the last four, watch one of the most beloved actors of all time carry the whole movie on his broad, proud shoulders.
Honorable mention
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kindergarten Cop: Who else spends the entire class making his kids practice the fire drill, play "police school," and interrogate them about their fathers in case one is the drug-dealing convict he's been chasing across the country, and still gets them prepared to recite the Gettysburg Address? Only Ahnuld.
Who are your favorite movie teachers?
--Ellen
Independent George on May 08, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Ok, I didn't realize hyperlinks were disabled. Full story here:
http://www.reason.com/news/show/28479.html
Scott on May 08, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Stand and Deliver. I'm a university professor today, partially, because of that movie.
I hope someday I can thank Olmos in person.
Tom on May 08, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Eric on May 08, 2008 at 01:03 PM
Indiana Jones. Smart and a registered Bad A--
Rex Luscat on May 08, 2008 at 01:06 PM
Bette Davis in "The Corn is Green."
ShoreMark on May 08, 2008 at 01:06 PM
I like the list and especially Stand and Deliver. But I also enjoyed Dangerous Minds with Michele Pfieffer.
Ardsgaine on May 08, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Don't forget Mr. Kerber from Better Off Dead. Now there's a guy who could motivate a class.
jblog on May 08, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Isn't anyone gonna nominate Eve Arden, who played Principal McGee in "Grease"?
Anyone?
Yeah, uh, me neither. Just thought I would ask.
jblog on May 08, 2008 at 01:18 PM
Isn't anyone gonna nominate Eve Arden, who played Principal McGee in "Grease"?
Anyone?
Yeah, uh, me neither. Just thought I would ask.
Synyxguy on May 08, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Sean Connery in Finding Forrester.
stan on May 08, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Kingsfield, contracts professor in the Paper Chase.
daddy on May 08, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Ned Schneeeeb...Just call me Mister S.
RealTeacherToday on May 08, 2008 at 01:23 PM
Why in the world do so many like Mr. Holland? The letch was all over the teen aged girl...what was her name? Preying on teenagers is not an admirable quality
Mark Poling on May 08, 2008 at 01:27 PM
"So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?"
What, no props for Yoda?
Robbie on May 08, 2008 at 01:30 PM
Mr. Holland also gets my top vote. But right after him is Ben Kingsley as chess coach Bruce Pandolfini in Searching for Bobby Fisher.
Mike R on May 08, 2008 at 01:36 PM
How about Mel Gibson as Justin McLeod in The Man Without a Face?
Pat Berry on May 08, 2008 at 01:42 PM
Yoda. And Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-wan Kenobi.
Morpheus.
Chiun, last master of Sinanju.
wcgreen on May 08, 2008 at 01:44 PM
If not Ben Stein, how about Danny Devito in Renaissance Man?
Fred the Fourth on May 08, 2008 at 01:45 PM
Clint Eastwood.
What, you don't remember? He was Dr. Hemlock, art-collecting prof in "The Eiger Sanction". Contract assassination and mountain-climbing were just sidelines :-) Pre-dates Indy Jones by a few years, too.
iowaboy on May 08, 2008 at 01:46 PM
NIck Nolte in "Teachers." Top of the list: Saves Ralph Macchio and Laura Dern, gets drunk with Judd Hirsch, nabs JoBeth Williams, stands up the school board, the principal and the lawyers and is the only one cool enough to recognize the genius in mental patient turned substitute teacher Richard Mulligan.
You skipped Nolte? This goes on your permanent record.
Starling on May 08, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Sandy Dennis in Up The Down Staircase. She played a teacher with a fragile, tentative manner, who faced-down and gained the respect of a classroom full of thuggish cynical slum kids. Incidentally, the film was based on the book by the same name. It was a memoir by Bel Kaufman about her years teaching in the NYC school system. An additional biographical note: Kaufman's grandfather was the yiddish author Sholem Alechim (sp?) who wrote the book Tevye's Daughters on which the musical Fiddler On The Roof was based.
Dan on May 08, 2008 at 02:00 PM
It was a little formulaic, but I liked Jim Belushi in "The Principal". The only time I ever saw someone mix chocolate mix with beer.
Multiuseless on May 08, 2008 at 02:44 PM
When it comes to teachers on film. I always think of J. Voight in Conrack. and my second would be Mr. Hand of Fast Times
Jonathan on May 08, 2008 at 02:58 PM
DPS would have been survivable if they hadn't featured the least impressive poems in the history of Western Literature. Any five items from the Perrine AP English book would have been a better basis for a movie.
Also, I totally agree with Red's decision not to underwrite his son's liberal arts degree. If the kid is drawn towards a field of study for which no market demand exists, he should be allowed, but also get to pay for it himself.
Bodhi on May 08, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Kevin Kline in "The Emperor's Club"