The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Muriel Spark (novel)
Jay Presson Allen (play)

Release Date:

January 1969 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

In the surprising world of Jean Brodie, there were two men and four girls.

Plot:

A headstrong young teacher in a private school in 1930s Edinburgh ignores the curriculum and influences her impressionable 12 year old charges with her over-romanticized world view.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | School | 1930s | Schoolteacher | Influence

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Maggie Smith	...	Jean Brodie
Robert Stephens	...	Teddy Lloyd
Pamela Franklin	...	Sandy
Gordon Jackson	...	Gordon Lowther
Celia Johnson	...	Miss Mackay
Diane Grayson	...	Jenny
Jane Carr	...	Mary McGregor
Shirley Steedman	...	Monica
Lavinia Lang	...	Emily Carstairs
Antoinette Biggerstaff	...	Helen McPhee
Margo Cunningham	...	Miss Campbell
Isla Cameron	...	Miss McKenzie
Rona Anderson	...	Miss Lockhart
Ann Way	...	Miss Gaunt
Molly Weir	...	Miss Allison Kerr

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Barnbougle Castle, Dalmeny, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Productions

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Celia Johnson.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Miss Brody presents a slide show to the class. She tells a tale of how Dante Alighieri fell in love with Beatrice Portinari when they met at the old bridge (Ponte Veccio) in Florence. Miss Brody changes some of the facts of the Dante and Beatrice story, but in doing so she is relating the story (consciously or unconsciously) of her own failed romance with an older man.

Quotes:

Teddy Lloyd: A man with a wife and six children plus a schoolgirl for a mistress can be called any number of rude names, but "coward" is not one of them.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Scotland on Screen (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Jean

Dreams Of "Il Duce"

Maggie Smith is mesmerizing. She paints the blind monstrosity of Miss Jean Brodie in the most recognizable human tones. Robin William's character in "Dead Poet Society" is as irresponsible but doesn't go near as far as this repressed masterpiece of a creature. Her romantic slant towards "Il Duce" and what he represents is at the core of the simple complexity of the character. Maggie's mannerism, now a precious trade mark, belong to Miss Brodie, totally. Her arms, her chin, the turning of her face. Pamela Franlklin is also superb. What a powerful young actress -- Where is she now? -- and Celia Johnson's performance is the icing on the cake of this feast of a movie.