The Emporer's Club
I'm a sucker for a good inspirational-educator film. In a society where teachers are too scared to be able to do their jobs, it's great to see educators making a positive impact on their students, even if it's fictional. Some of the best examples in the past 15 years include Dead Poets Society, Lean on Me and Dangerous Minds. In the latter two, a tough teacher is brought in to turn around a group of problem students. In DPS, Robin Williams teaches English and the art of making life extraordinary to prep-school boys. That setting is similar to the newest film in this sub-genre, The Emperor's Club.
Legendary thespian Kevin Kline stars as William Hundert, a teacher of Greek and Roman history at a 1970's boy's preparatory school. Mr. Hundert blends ethics lectures into his lessons, hoping to teach his students to succeed in a morally correct manner. He asks his students, "How will history remember you?" at the beginning of each school year to get the lads to carefully consider the kind of contribution they will make to the world.
Things are peaceful in Mr. Hundert's classroom until Sedgewick Bell arrives. Bell seems to be a stereotypical senator's son -- spoiled rotten and convinced that rules don't apply to him. He tries to undermine Mr. Hundert's authority in front of the other students as much as possible. However, Mr. Hundert sees a spark in this rebel and seeks to keep it burning. However, Sedgewick, in a serious breach of school ethics during an academic competition, lets his history teacher down, who then doubts his worth as an educator.
As usual, Kevin Kline gives a performance that makes his movies worth watching. If you could describe 90 percent of Kline's characters in a single word, it would be "dignified." Mr. Hundert is no exception; Kline portrays him as a kind, respectable and talented teacher who loves his job.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hundert sometimes goes back on his code of ethics with varying impacts on the plot. During a baseball game with his students, he hits the headmaster's car with the ball. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, as he would expect a student to do in the same situation, Mr. Hundert hightails it. Now c'mon, what kind of example is that? This scene should have been cut during post-production. Another example of Mr. Hundert's hypocrisy involves the annual Mr. Julius Caesar contest, in which all of the students take a series of quizzes that demonstrate their knowledge of Greek and Roman history. The three students with the highest overall scores go on to the final round, where they take turns answering questions until one student is left standing. Mr. Hundert gives Sedgewick Bell's last quiz an unjustified grade boost to put him in the final round. This is an important part of the story, because it explains why Mr. Hundert is disappointed when he realizes that Bell is cheating during the final round.
The Emperor's Club is recommended to fans of Kevin Kline or of the aforementioned teacher films. After watching it, you may change your major to Education, but I'm not betting on it.
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The alcohol consumed during this film is fine wine. If you feel the need to broaden your horizons with cheap beer, go for it!
The closest thing to romance in this movie is a nudie magazine and an interrupted skinny-dipping experience.
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