| CLASS ACTS : Nicholas Hytner's 'The History Boys' [8/10] |
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| Tuesday, 03 October 2006 | |
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Outstanding British films are - as the saying used to go, pre-deregulation - much like London buses. You wait ages, and then two show up at the same time. With The Queen justifiably reigning at multiplexes and arthouses alike, here comes The History Boys to lay down the BAFTA challenge - and if there's any justice in the world of film (which of course there isn't) then both will be very well represented in the Academy Awards nominations next January. For History Boys, the obvious candidates are Alan Bennett (Best Adapted Screenplay) for managing to improve on his own very entertaining stage play - set in 1983, it chronicles the efforts of Sheffield grammar-school lads to get into Oxbridge - and Richard Griffiths (Best Supporting Actor), the latter simply superb as their sixtysomething, spherically rotund, eccentrically inspirational General Studies teacher Mr Hector. Griffiths and the lads, all of whom originated the roles on stage back in 2004 (the play mopped up at the Tonys after transferring to Broadway last year), deliver Bennett's dialogue to a T, mining the material for its considerable reserves of erudition, wit and emotion. The poster announces that this is "A COMEDY BY ALAN BENNETT," and it is one of the funniest pictures of the year. But the label is somewhat misleading - Bennett's intent is fundamentally serious. There's real substance here: especially in comparison with the normal run of British fare (such as the upcoming Starter for Ten) or the nearest American equivalents (Dead Poets' Society and its lachrymose ilk). This is that rare picture that appeals to the heart as well as the brain - an accessibly intelligent film that isn't afraid to tackle big ideas and make political points that remain piercingly topical 20-odd years on, although the setting of 1983 is clearly far from accidental (aftermath of the Falklands War, Thatcher's second election victory, the miners' strike just around the geographical corner.) Hytner's direction (he also brought Bennett's Madness of George III to the screen) is fluid and no-nonsense, though he does go a bit overboard with the score at certain crucial points and displays very little of Mr Hector's much-prized 'flair.' This isn't a major problem, however: as with Stephen Frears' work on The Queen, what matters is the performances, the dialogue, the themes and the characters - and on each front The History Boys scores high marks indeed. Neil Young 3rd October, 2006 THE HISTORY BOYS : [8/10] : UK 2006 : Nicholas HYTNER : 109 mins (BBFC timing) seen at Odeon cinema, MetroCentre, Gateshead (UK), 3rd October 2006 - press show with thanks to Will Robertson |
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