The Principal (1987)

Director:

Christopher Cain

Writer:

Frank Deese (written by)

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Rick Latimer had nothing to lose...until he was given the one job nobody else dared take.

Plot:

A teacher is assigned to be the principal of a violence and crime ridden high school.

Plot Keywords:

School | Teacher | Drugs | Violence | High School

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Belushi	...	Rick Latimer
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Jake Phillips
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Hilary Orozco
Michael Wright	...	Victor Duncan
J.J. Cohen	...	White Zac
Esai Morales	...	Raymi Rojas
Troy Winbush	...	'Baby' Emile
Jacob Vargas	...	Arturo Diego
Thomas Ryan	...	Robert Darcy
Reggie Johnson	...	Jojo
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Treena Lester (as Kelly Minter)
Ruth Beckford	...	Mrs. Jenkins
Julian Brooks	...	Kevin
Joan Valderrama	...	Secretary
Rick Hamilton	...	Mr. Harkley

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:R | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Dorica Film

Trivia:

In the movie James Belushi (Ricky Latimer) is supposed to be much older than Michael Wright (Victor Duncan). In actuality they are less than 2 years apart in age. Belushi was born in June of 1954 and Wright was born in April of 1956.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene when Rick Latimer and Jake Phillips first meet, Jake takes his hat off, then in the next shot his hat is on, and finally in a third shot his hat is off again and we see him put it back on.

Quotes:

Victor Duncan: This school here is MY school. And I make the rules.
Rick Latimer: Not anymore.

Movie Connections:

References Dirty Harry (1971)

Soundtrack:

Set It Off

James Belushi is The Principal

Let me just start by saying James Belushi totally kicks a$$ as Rick Latimer, a city school teacher, who one night, after drinking a few shots of alcohol, gets a bat and smashes up the car of the lawyer who is dating his wife, who represented her at their divorce trial. For his violent actions the night before, the school board offers him to be principal at Brandel High School. The other board members just cringe at the name. Rick doesn't take the offer lightly, but he has no choice. Once he gets to the school, he discovers that the school seems more like a prison than a school. He quickly learns that Brandel is actually the end of the line for kids who have been kicked out of all the other good schools in the district. Rick is p***** at the condition of the school and calls an assembly. At the assembly, Rick announces that he will enforce a new and painfully simple rule of, "No More." Rick says,"This means no more skipping class, dealing drugs, or whatever the hell it is you've been majoring in here, No More!" He is able to enforce this rule by forming a mediocre security team with the help of a janitor (Louis Gossett, Jr.) to help bring back order to the school. However, this does not look good in the eyes of Victor, a drug dealer who has set up in the school. He begins making threats to Rick, telling to get out of the school while he still has a chance.

James Belushi is what makes this movie worth watching. He's made this movie what it is. He cracks a few occasional jokes and does this well. I think The Principal started the whole teacher vs. inner city school generation of films. Similar films like Dangerous Minds (1995), The Substitute (1996), 187 (1997), and High School High (1996), but The Principal, I think is the one that started it all. I give The Principal a 10/10 for being original and James Belushi.