Films with teachers as central characters. Below are some films where teachers have a central role. As one might expect, in many cases the film is about the educational process, although this is not always the case. Many of the links are to the IMDb (Internet Movie Database) page on the film.

Akeelah and the Bee. Laurence Fishburne is in the role of the teacher, although he also becomes a learner in the process. (Not to be missed – the scene where 12-year-old Akeelah tells Fishburne, her assigned mentor and a part-time gardener, that she doesn’t need the help of a "dictatorial, truculent, supercilious gardener."). By the way, in my view this is a great family film, although I did have to suspend my inner film critic at times.

Dead Poets Society. A classic, starring Robin Williams.. To some, this film has become kind of a cliche, but I really believe that one often has to suspend one's "inner film critic" and focus on the positive elements of a film. (I've attempted to get my students to call me "Oh captain, my captain," but so far without success.) Here is a YouTube clip of the famous "Carpe Diem" scene from the film.

Mr. Holland’s Opus. Definitely worth seeing. Richard Dreyfus stars as Mr. Holland, who starts out teaching to pay the bills, and evolves into a true teacher. The film portrays his entire teaching career. If you see the film for the first time, take note of the struggling, red-haired clarinet player, as this character's fate takes an interesting, and positive, twist at the end.

Freedom Writers. This film is based on a true story. (Of course, "based on" a true story often means the film has taken a great deal of creative license. Hillary Swank portrays Erin Gruwell, a new teacher who finds herself facing a tough teaching assignment.

The Emperor’s Club. This film stars Kevin Kline as a Classics instructor in an exclusive prep school, and Emile Hirsch as a student Kline tries to reach. It reminds one a bit of Dead Poets Society.

The Great Debaters. This film is also based on a true story, the story of Melvin B. Tolson, who is played by Denzel Washington. In the film, Tolson is the demanding debate coach at historically black Wiley College in Texas. The debate team breaks the color barrier, eventually challenging Harvard to a debate. Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on the film, which provides more background.

The Guardian. Kevin Costner is a Coast Guard instructor and Ashton Kutcher is featured as his student. This is another one where you have to sometimes suspend your "inner film critic," but it is worth watching.

The Hobart Shakespeareans. This is a great documentary about Rafe Esquith and his middle-school class in the Los Angeles area. The Hobart Shakespeareans have their own website, and also here's a link to a cool YouTube video where Ian McKellen, aka "Gandalf" in Lord of the Rings, visits the class.

The Man Without a Face. Mel Gibson tutors a young fatherless boy.

The Matrix. What is Laurence Fishburne if not a teacher, at least at the beginning of the story? Isn't it all really a matter of whether we choose the red pill or the blue pill? This link is to the first film in the trilogy.

The Mask of Zorro. Hey, everything can't be Shakespeare! This is a bit of a lowbrow, but still fun, film. The teaching element involves Anthony Hopkins looking for a successor as Zorro. He finds a "diamond in the rough" (very rough) in Antonio Banderas, and whips him into shape.