Drama
American
1989 · Directed by Peter Weir · 129 min
In 1959, a new English teacher arrives at Welton Academy, a strict New England boarding school built on tradition and discipline. His unorthodox lessons in poetry and independent thought change how a group of teenage boys see their futures, and the school's leaders watch him with suspicion.
Why it matters in cinema history
A defining late-1980s American school drama, it fixed the template of the unconventional teacher and became a cultural shorthand for the argument between conformity and self-expression.
Watch with intention
Watch how the film sets the school's rules and rituals against the freedom the teacher offers, and how each shapes the boys' faces and bodies.
Save this film, rate it and keep your notes.
Free, no ads. Your journal, your lists, a Cine Guide that remembers you.
Create your free space
