The History Boys (film)
Encyclopedia
The History Boys is a 2006 British comedy-drama film adapted by
Alan Bennett
from his play of the same name
, which won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner
, who directed the original production at the Royal National Theatre
in London, and features the original cast of the play.
The school scenes were filmed in Watford
in the two grammar schools, Watford Grammar School for Boys and Watford Grammar School for Girls
. The film uses the uniform of Watford Boys. Locations in Elland
and Halifax
, West Yorkshire
are used to create the broader landscape of Sheffield
in which the story is set.
in Sheffield
in 1983. Crowther, Posner, Dakin, Timms, Akthar, Lockwood, Scripps, and Rudge have recently obtained the school's highest ever A-level scores and are hoping to enter Oxford
or Cambridge
, taking a seventh-term entrance exam in History. The General Studies teacher, known by staff and boys alike by his nickname "Hector" (Richard Griffiths
), is their favourite, and works alongside their deputy head and regular History teacher, Mrs. Lintott (Frances de la Tour
).
The headmaster, Felix (Clive Merrison
), hires an energetic young contract teacher named Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore
) to assist Hector and Mrs Lintott in preparing the boys for the Oxbridge
entrance exams. Irwin's style is utterly different from Hector's and Mrs. Lintott's; while the older teachers emphasise cultural and factual knowledges and the quest for truth, Irwin urges the boys to put a spin on their historical analysis, to value originality above objective truth.
As the plot progresses we learn that Hector habitually offers some of his students rides home on his motorcycle and surreptitiously fondles his passengers. The boys have all come to a mutual understanding on the subject and, while mildly annoyed, laugh off their teacher's advances and more or less willingly continue to take turns riding home on the back of his bike. This practice eventually lands Hector in trouble as he is reported to the headmaster by a lollipop lady who witnesses his action. The headmaster insists that Hector retire early, and also that Hector and Irwin share a class; when they do, the group engages in a tense discussions such as about how best to analyse the Holocaust.
As part of their General Studies the class acts out scenes from romantic films and literature, and Posner (Samuel Barnett
) sings a love song – Rodgers and Hart
's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
" – which he pointedly directs towards Dakin (Dominic Cooper
). Later he seeks out Irwin to discuss his attraction to Dakin. Dakin, who characterises himself as an aspiring lecher, is currently pursuing an affair with the headmaster's secretary, Fiona (Georgia Taylor
). He is not displeased by Posner's attention, but finds himself interested by Irwin. Gradually, Dakin's quest to impress Irwin on an intellectual level evolves into a flirtatious, potentially sexual pursuit of his young teacher – who, as Posner, his friend Scripps (Jamie Parker
) and even Hector note, is visibly attracted to Dakin.
After interviews, when the boys receive their replies through the post, it seems that they have all gained Oxbridge places, except for the group's gauche sportsman, Rudge (Russell Tovey
). When Mrs Lintott questions him, it turns out that Rudge had already been told at interview that he has a place, due to a family connection with the college (his father was a scout, or college servant, in the 1950s).
Dakin approaches Irwin in his classroom after the celebrations and reveals that he found no record of Irwin's attendance at Corpus
, the Oxford college he claimed as his alma mater, and Irwin confesses that he lied about his past. Dakin then, "as a thank you", invites Irwin to give him a blowjob. They make an appointment to "have a drink" on Sunday. Dakin tells Irwin that he has seen two sides to Irwin—a reckless, challenging intellectual whilst teaching but an uptight, cautious personality in real life—and he cannot reconcile them.
Dakin then proceeds to the Headmaster's office and, by threatening to reveal Felix's own sexual harassment of Fiona, forces him to reinstate Hector.
The boys prepare to leave the grammar school at the end of that term, and Hector agrees to give Dakin a ride home on the motorbike "for old times' sake". However, before they leave, the headmaster runs out and stops them, saying that Hector should not take one of the boys. He suggests that Hector take Irwin instead. Dakin gladly hands the helmet to him, and the screen fades to white as they drive off, the boys waving happily and laughing.
Fast forward to a few days later, as it is revealed that the bike was in an accident on the way home, possibly caused by Irwin, never before having ridden on the back of a motorbike, leaning the wrong way on a corner. Irwin was badly injured and suffered total memory loss of his conversation with Dakin; Hector did not survive. At the memorial service, the boys sing "Bye Bye Blackbird
" and the headmaster gives a trite eulogy. The scene then changes abruptly to an almost empty hall with only the eight boys and Mrs. Lintott present. "Will they come to my funeral, I wonder," Mrs Lintott remarks, before recounting the futures of the eight boys. They have entered a variety of careers: Akthar a headmaster, Crowther a magistrate, Timms the owner of a dry cleaning chain who takes drugs at weekends, Dakin a tax lawyer. Lockwood (Andrew Knott
), who entered the army, died as a result of friendly fire
at the age of 28 while serving in the York and Lancaster Regiment
(an infantry
regiment that was actually disbanded in 1968). Rudge has become a builder, Scripps a journalist, and Irwin stops teaching and becomes a maker of TV history documentaries. Finally, Posner reveals he has become a teacher who followed in Hector's footsteps, with similar ambivalence and angst, though without "touching the boys", which is "always a struggle. But maybe that's why I'm a good teacher".
The film ends with a collection of moments involving Hector, leading up to the moment that a photograph of the entire class was taken at Fountains Abbey
, a scene from earlier in the film. The photo spans the entire screen, and the closing credits are played over the photo.
James Corden
, Russell Tovey
, Andrew Knott
, Samuel Anderson
and Adrian Scarborough
would work together again in Gavin & Stacey
. Cooper and Corden formerly shared a flat in London.
humour. The author writes as though he simultaneously envies the extrovert characters he has created, yet is happy to stand apart from them. Hector's classes ramble, but manage to inspire the boys to the extent that they are pleased to adopt his approach to learning, and contentedly go along with his eccentric behaviour. The film is peppered with literary references and carries an encouragement to engage with life.
named The History Boys one of the Top Ten Films in its 2006 awards.
The film was nominated for the 2007 GLAAD Media Award
for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.
Griffiths and de la Tour received BAFTA nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
from his play of the same name
The History Boys
The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Lyttelton Theatre in London on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where there were 185 performances staged before it closed on 1 October 2006.The play won multiple...
, which won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner
Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director. He has been the artistic director of London's National Theatre since 2003.-Biography:...
, who directed the original production at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London, and features the original cast of the play.
The school scenes were filmed in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
in the two grammar schools, Watford Grammar School for Boys and Watford Grammar School for Girls
Watford Grammar School for Girls
Watford Grammar School for Girls is an academy for girls in Watford in Hertfordshire, UK.Despite its name, the school accepts girls of all abilities, although a proportion are selected for academic or musical aptitude....
. The film uses the uniform of Watford Boys. Locations in Elland
Elland
Elland is a market town in Calderdale, in the county of West Yorkshire, England, south of Halifax, by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation. The area of Elland was called Elant in the Domesday Book...
and Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
are used to create the broader landscape of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in which the story is set.
Plot
The story is set in a boys' grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in 1983. Crowther, Posner, Dakin, Timms, Akthar, Lockwood, Scripps, and Rudge have recently obtained the school's highest ever A-level scores and are hoping to enter Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
or Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, taking a seventh-term entrance exam in History. The General Studies teacher, known by staff and boys alike by his nickname "Hector" (Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths, OBE is an English actor of stage, film and television. He has received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actor and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor...
), is their favourite, and works alongside their deputy head and regular History teacher, Mrs. Lintott (Frances de la Tour
Frances de la Tour
Frances de la Tour is an English actress perhaps best known for her role as Miss Ruth Jones in the British sitcom Rising Damp, and as Madame Olympe Maxime in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.-Early life and family:De la...
).
The headmaster, Felix (Clive Merrison
Clive Merrison
Clive Merrison is a Welsh actor of film, television, stage and radio. He trained at Rose Bruford College.- Television :...
), hires an energetic young contract teacher named Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore
Stephen Campbell Moore
Stephen Campbell Moore is an English actor, best known for his roles in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys and its subsequent film.-Career:...
) to assist Hector and Mrs Lintott in preparing the boys for the Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
entrance exams. Irwin's style is utterly different from Hector's and Mrs. Lintott's; while the older teachers emphasise cultural and factual knowledges and the quest for truth, Irwin urges the boys to put a spin on their historical analysis, to value originality above objective truth.
As the plot progresses we learn that Hector habitually offers some of his students rides home on his motorcycle and surreptitiously fondles his passengers. The boys have all come to a mutual understanding on the subject and, while mildly annoyed, laugh off their teacher's advances and more or less willingly continue to take turns riding home on the back of his bike. This practice eventually lands Hector in trouble as he is reported to the headmaster by a lollipop lady who witnesses his action. The headmaster insists that Hector retire early, and also that Hector and Irwin share a class; when they do, the group engages in a tense discussions such as about how best to analyse the Holocaust.
As part of their General Studies the class acts out scenes from romantic films and literature, and Posner (Samuel Barnett
Samuel Barnett (actor)
Samuel Barnett is an English actor. He has performed on stage, film, television and radio, and achieved recognition for his work on the stage and film versions of The History Boys by Alan Bennett...
) sings a love song – Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist Lorenz Hart...
's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is a show tune and popular song from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Pal Joey. The song was introduced by Vivienne Segal in the 1940 Broadway production, and also sung by Miss Segal both on the 1950 hit record and in the 1952 Broadway revival...
" – which he pointedly directs towards Dakin (Dominic Cooper
Dominic Cooper
Dominic Edward Cooper is an English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Mamma Mia!, The Duchess, The History Boys, and The Devil's Double.- Early life :...
). Later he seeks out Irwin to discuss his attraction to Dakin. Dakin, who characterises himself as an aspiring lecher, is currently pursuing an affair with the headmaster's secretary, Fiona (Georgia Taylor
Georgia Taylor
Georgia Taylor is an English actress, known for her role as Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street and currently for playing Ruth Winters on Casualty. She was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester....
). He is not displeased by Posner's attention, but finds himself interested by Irwin. Gradually, Dakin's quest to impress Irwin on an intellectual level evolves into a flirtatious, potentially sexual pursuit of his young teacher – who, as Posner, his friend Scripps (Jamie Parker
Jamie Parker
Jamie Parker is an English actor and singer.-Biography:He trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , from which he graduated in 2002.Parker originated the role of Scripps in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys...
) and even Hector note, is visibly attracted to Dakin.
After interviews, when the boys receive their replies through the post, it seems that they have all gained Oxbridge places, except for the group's gauche sportsman, Rudge (Russell Tovey
Russell Tovey
Russell George Tovey is an English actor with numerous television, film and stage credits. Tovey is best known for playing the role of werewolf George Sands in the BBC's supernatural drama Being Human which started in 2008...
). When Mrs Lintott questions him, it turns out that Rudge had already been told at interview that he has a place, due to a family connection with the college (his father was a scout, or college servant, in the 1950s).
Dakin approaches Irwin in his classroom after the celebrations and reveals that he found no record of Irwin's attendance at Corpus
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, the Oxford college he claimed as his alma mater, and Irwin confesses that he lied about his past. Dakin then, "as a thank you", invites Irwin to give him a blowjob. They make an appointment to "have a drink" on Sunday. Dakin tells Irwin that he has seen two sides to Irwin—a reckless, challenging intellectual whilst teaching but an uptight, cautious personality in real life—and he cannot reconcile them.
Dakin then proceeds to the Headmaster's office and, by threatening to reveal Felix's own sexual harassment of Fiona, forces him to reinstate Hector.
The boys prepare to leave the grammar school at the end of that term, and Hector agrees to give Dakin a ride home on the motorbike "for old times' sake". However, before they leave, the headmaster runs out and stops them, saying that Hector should not take one of the boys. He suggests that Hector take Irwin instead. Dakin gladly hands the helmet to him, and the screen fades to white as they drive off, the boys waving happily and laughing.
Fast forward to a few days later, as it is revealed that the bike was in an accident on the way home, possibly caused by Irwin, never before having ridden on the back of a motorbike, leaning the wrong way on a corner. Irwin was badly injured and suffered total memory loss of his conversation with Dakin; Hector did not survive. At the memorial service, the boys sing "Bye Bye Blackbird
Bye Bye Blackbird
"Bye, Bye, Blackbird" is a song published in 1926 by the American composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is considered a popular standard and was first recorded by Gene Austin in 1926.- Song information :...
" and the headmaster gives a trite eulogy. The scene then changes abruptly to an almost empty hall with only the eight boys and Mrs. Lintott present. "Will they come to my funeral, I wonder," Mrs Lintott remarks, before recounting the futures of the eight boys. They have entered a variety of careers: Akthar a headmaster, Crowther a magistrate, Timms the owner of a dry cleaning chain who takes drugs at weekends, Dakin a tax lawyer. Lockwood (Andrew Knott
Andrew Knott
Andrew Knott is an English actor.- Biography :Knott was born in Salford and now lives in Yorkshire. His first acting was done in British television and radio programmes. He was trained in the Oldham Theatre Workshop...
), who entered the army, died as a result of friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
at the age of 28 while serving in the York and Lancaster Regiment
York and Lancaster Regiment
-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
(an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment that was actually disbanded in 1968). Rudge has become a builder, Scripps a journalist, and Irwin stops teaching and becomes a maker of TV history documentaries. Finally, Posner reveals he has become a teacher who followed in Hector's footsteps, with similar ambivalence and angst, though without "touching the boys", which is "always a struggle. But maybe that's why I'm a good teacher".
The film ends with a collection of moments involving Hector, leading up to the moment that a photograph of the entire class was taken at Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey is near to Aldfield, approximately two miles southwest of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. It is a ruined Cistercian monastery, founded in 1132. Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian houses in England. It is a Grade I listed building and owned by the...
, a scene from earlier in the film. The photo spans the entire screen, and the closing credits are played over the photo.
Cast
- Richard GriffithsRichard GriffithsRichard Griffiths, OBE is an English actor of stage, film and television. He has received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actor and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor...
– Hector - Clive MerrisonClive MerrisonClive Merrison is a Welsh actor of film, television, stage and radio. He trained at Rose Bruford College.- Television :...
– Felix, the Headmaster - Frances de la TourFrances de la TourFrances de la Tour is an English actress perhaps best known for her role as Miss Ruth Jones in the British sitcom Rising Damp, and as Madame Olympe Maxime in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.-Early life and family:De la...
– Mrs. Lintott - Stephen Campbell MooreStephen Campbell MooreStephen Campbell Moore is an English actor, best known for his roles in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys and its subsequent film.-Career:...
– Irwin - Samuel AndersonSamuel Anderson (actor)Samuel Anderson is an English actor. He played the role of police officer Ross Kirk in Emmerdale up until early 2009.He originated the role of Crowther in the 2004 National Theatre production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys and subsequently performed the same role in the Broadway, Sydney,...
– Chris Crowther - Samuel BarnettSamuel Barnett (actor)Samuel Barnett is an English actor. He has performed on stage, film, television and radio, and achieved recognition for his work on the stage and film versions of The History Boys by Alan Bennett...
– David Posner - Dominic CooperDominic CooperDominic Edward Cooper is an English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Mamma Mia!, The Duchess, The History Boys, and The Devil's Double.- Early life :...
– Stuart Dakin - James CordenJames CordenJames Kimberley Corden is an English actor, television writer, producer and presenter. He is co-creator and star of BBC comedy shows Gavin & Stacey and Horne & Corden, and acted in the 2009 film Lesbian Vampire Killers....
– Richard Timms - Sacha DhawanSacha DhawanSacha Dhawan is an English actor. He has performed on stage, film, television and radio. Dhawan was born in Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester.-Career:...
– Adi Akthar - Andrew KnottAndrew KnottAndrew Knott is an English actor.- Biography :Knott was born in Salford and now lives in Yorkshire. His first acting was done in British television and radio programmes. He was trained in the Oldham Theatre Workshop...
– James Lockwood - Russell ToveyRussell ToveyRussell George Tovey is an English actor with numerous television, film and stage credits. Tovey is best known for playing the role of werewolf George Sands in the BBC's supernatural drama Being Human which started in 2008...
– Peter Rudge - Jamie ParkerJamie ParkerJamie Parker is an English actor and singer.-Biography:He trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , from which he graduated in 2002.Parker originated the role of Scripps in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys...
– Donald Scripps - Georgia TaylorGeorgia TaylorGeorgia Taylor is an English actress, known for her role as Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street and currently for playing Ruth Winters on Casualty. She was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester....
– Fiona - Penelope WiltonPenelope WiltonPenelope Alice Wilton, OBE is an English actress.-Life and career:Penelope Alice Wilton was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, to a former actress mother and a businessman father. She is a niece of actors Bill Travers and Linden Travers and a cousin of the actor Richard Morant...
– Mrs. Bibby - James LombardFuzz (musician)James Robert Lombard, OBE , professionally known by his stage name Fuzz, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, actor, record producer and composer noted for being the frontman of the band Inferno....
- Mr. Wilkins - Adrian ScarboroughAdrian ScarboroughAdrian Philip Scarborough is an English character actor and won an Olivier award for best actor in a supporting role in 2011.Scarborough was born in Melton Mowbray, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor.In 1993, he was nominated for the Ian...
– Wilkes
James Corden
James Corden
James Kimberley Corden is an English actor, television writer, producer and presenter. He is co-creator and star of BBC comedy shows Gavin & Stacey and Horne & Corden, and acted in the 2009 film Lesbian Vampire Killers....
, Russell Tovey
Russell Tovey
Russell George Tovey is an English actor with numerous television, film and stage credits. Tovey is best known for playing the role of werewolf George Sands in the BBC's supernatural drama Being Human which started in 2008...
, Andrew Knott
Andrew Knott
Andrew Knott is an English actor.- Biography :Knott was born in Salford and now lives in Yorkshire. His first acting was done in British television and radio programmes. He was trained in the Oldham Theatre Workshop...
, Samuel Anderson
Samuel Anderson (actor)
Samuel Anderson is an English actor. He played the role of police officer Ross Kirk in Emmerdale up until early 2009.He originated the role of Crowther in the 2004 National Theatre production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys and subsequently performed the same role in the Broadway, Sydney,...
and Adrian Scarborough
Adrian Scarborough
Adrian Philip Scarborough is an English character actor and won an Olivier award for best actor in a supporting role in 2011.Scarborough was born in Melton Mowbray, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor.In 1993, he was nominated for the Ian...
would work together again in Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey is a British comedy television series. A romantic comedy-drama, the show follows the long-distance relationship of Gavin from Billericay in Essex, England, and Stacey from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The writers of the show, actors James Corden and Ruth Jones, also...
. Cooper and Corden formerly shared a flat in London.
Reception
According to Time, the film is better than the original play, as the transformation to film improved the 'flow and intimacy' of the production, while preserving the messages it seeks to convey. Rolling Stone notes that some sense of familiarity with the subject of the film is lost in the cutting of nearly an hour from the original play, but the dialogue remains witty and pointed as is the customary style of the author. New York describes the film as 'brilliant and infectious', and filled with Alan Bennett's customary deadpanDeadpan
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
humour. The author writes as though he simultaneously envies the extrovert characters he has created, yet is happy to stand apart from them. Hector's classes ramble, but manage to inspire the boys to the extent that they are pleased to adopt his approach to learning, and contentedly go along with his eccentric behaviour. The film is peppered with literary references and carries an encouragement to engage with life.
Awards
The National Board of Review of Motion PicturesNational Board of Review of Motion Pictures
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr.'s revocation of moving-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908. The mayor believed that the new medium...
named The History Boys one of the Top Ten Films in its 2006 awards.
The film was nominated for the 2007 GLAAD Media Award
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives...
for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.
Griffiths and de la Tour received BAFTA nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Differences from play
Whilst there are several differences between the film and the play due to the contracted running time of the film, among the more obvious ones are:- The only on stage characters are: the boys, the Headmaster, Hector, Irwin, Mrs. Lintott, a few government ministers (unspeaking), two members of the production team on Irwin's television show (one speaking) and sometimes other boys who are unspeaking but help with scene changes, one of whom plays the piano if the actor playing Scripps cannot.
- Neither the characters of P.E. teacher Wilkes nor Art teacher Mrs.Bibby feature or are mentioned.
- The character of Fiona is undepicted on stage and is only mentioned by other characters, that said (in the National Theatre productions at least) she does feature in the scene-change films but does not speak.
- All the action – save brief scenes at the start of each act and another which depicts the boys' Oxbridge interviews – takes place indoors, in the school. The exterior of the school, the surrounding town and the boys' home lives do not feature.
- In a flash forward five years, Posner asks Irwin for his side of his relationship with Dakin. At first Irwin does not realise who Posner is and refuses to answer, only realising who the "man" is when Posner asks him to autograph a book Irwin has written by addressing it to 'David', Posner's first name. He instead signs it 'To Posner' as that is the name Irwin knew him by (The History Boys, pp. 58–62).
- Irwin is permanently incapacitated by the motorcycle crash, and does not end up on crutches but is explicitly depicted as being in a wheelchair from the moment of the crash and throughout the rest of his life. At the start of the play, he is shown to have become a Government spin-doctor in later life (The History Boys, p. 3).
- Lockwood does not die as a soldier but becomes a magistrate.
- Posner does not (explicitly at least) become a teacher: Mrs Lintott describes Posner as living a lonely life with several breakdowns, living off an allotmentAllotment (gardening)An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
, keeping "a scrapbook of the achievements of his one-time classmates" and having "a host of friends... though only on the internet, and none in his right name or even gender". She concludes by saying "He has long since stopped asking himself where it went wrong". The Author's and Director's commentary accompanying the DVD version of the film explains that Posner's improved future was decided on, as after the deaths of Hector and Lockwood, a third 'death' was felt to be too much. However, the film does not totally turn this into a happy endHappy endingA happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the protagonists, their sidekicks, and almost everyone except the villains....
, with Posner noting "I am not happy, but I am not unhappy about it." about his life.
Soundtrack
| Title | Performed by |
|---|---|
| "L'Accordéoniste" | Samuel Barnett Samuel Barnett (actor) Samuel Barnett is an English actor. He has performed on stage, film, television and radio, and achieved recognition for his work on the stage and film versions of The History Boys by Alan Bennett... , Jamie Parker Jamie Parker Jamie Parker is an English actor and singer.-Biography:He trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , from which he graduated in 2002.Parker originated the role of Scripps in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys... |
| "Bewitched Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is a show tune and popular song from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Pal Joey. The song was introduced by Vivienne Segal in the 1940 Broadway production, and also sung by Miss Segal both on the 1950 hit record and in the 1952 Broadway revival... " |
Samuel Barnett, Jamie Parker |
| "Now Voyager" | Jamie Parker |
| Piano Concerto No. 2 Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff) The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900... in C Minor – Adagio Sostenuto |
Jamie Parker |
| "Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye)" | Cast |
| "Bye Bye Blackbird Bye Bye Blackbird "Bye, Bye, Blackbird" is a song published in 1926 by the American composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is considered a popular standard and was first recorded by Gene Austin in 1926.- Song information :... " |
Samuel Barnett, Jamie Parker, cast |
| "Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye)" | Gracie Fields Gracie Fields Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:... |
| "Blue Monday Blue Monday (New Order song) "Blue Monday" is a single released in 1983 by British band New Order, and later remixed in 1988 and 1995. The song has been widely remixed and covered since its original release, and became a popular anthem in the dance club scene.-Background:... " |
New Order New Order New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris... |
| "This Charming Man This Charming Man "This Charming Man" is a song by the English band The Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer/lyricist Morrissey. It was released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade... " |
The Smiths The Smiths The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce... |
| "Mustapha Dance" | The Clash The Clash The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly... |
| "Never Stop (Discothèque)" | Echo & the Bunnymen Echo & the Bunnymen Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut... |
| "A Forest A Forest "A Forest" is a single by the English rock band The Cure, released on March 28, 1980 as the only single from their second album Seventeen Seconds. It was their first chart single in the UK, reaching #31; the song was also a hit in the Netherlands, reaching #26. It was also their first single to be... " |
The Cure The Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member... |
| "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag Papa's Got a Brand New Bag "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded by James Brown. It was released as a two-part single in 1965, and is considered seminal in the musical genre of funk.-The hit single:... " |
Pigbag Pigbag -Origin and formation:Pigbag were formed in Cheltenham in late 1980 by Chris Hamlin, a fashion student at Cheltenham Art College. Hamlin recruited multi-instrumentalist Roger Freeman, an old friend from his hometown of Birmingham, along with Chris Lee on trumpet and James Johnstone, a guitarist,... |
| "Bewitched" | Rufus Wainwright Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:... |
External links
- The History Boys review at Recenzenci.pl (Polish)