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Tuesday, 20 February 2007 16:36 |
By KRISTIN ERHARD
Americans are all too familiar with schoolteacher sex scandals, the fodder for the plot of British filmmaker Richard Eyreís latest thriller ìNotes on a Scandalî (adapted from the novel ìWhat Was She Thinking?: Notes on a Scandalî by Zoe Heller).
Cate Blancheet plays Sheba Hart, a novice art teacher at a high school in London. Barbara Covett (played by Judi Dench) is an old, stern history teacher ready to prey upon any vulnerable creature to come her way.
 ìNotes
on a Scandalî delves into the depths of melodrama while keeping close
focus on the secrets and scandals that ensue between the two
characters. Barbaraís journaling provides the comic and chilling
voice-over narration throughout the film.
On the first day
of school, Sheba Hart the new, beautiful art teacher, glides into the
school looking fashionably disheveled. Veteran history teacher Barbara
scrutinizes her sweet voice and appearance and almost writes her off as
another naÔve schoolteacher until Shebaís overtures of friendship seize
her lonely heart. Barbara quickly drops her guard as she accepts every
small gesture of friendship and an invitation to Shebaís house for
dinner.
Barbara arrives,
expecting a handsome young husband and well-behaved children, but finds
a family full of realistic character flaws. Sheba exposes her marital
history and insecurities and Barbara develops a new opinion of her ó
and a crush.
Searching the
school for her new crush, Barbara stumbles upon unhappily married Sheba
in the midst of a sexual act with a 15-year-old student.
A cat-and-mouse
game begins between Barbara and Sheba. Barbara bitterly negotiates the
terms of the scandal ó she will keep it a secret if Sheba breaks it off
with her freckle-faced student, Stephen Connelly (played by Andrew
Simpson).
Barbara narrates
the film with hilarous and morose diagnoses of every situation, always
putting her best interest first as she holds a secret that, if
revealed, would change Shebaís superficially perfect life forever.
The once clearly
defined and static roles of each character become blurred and messy
when Shebaís student becomes her lover and her close colleague becomes
a lesbian pursuant.
The perversity
that results from the desperation and depression of the characters
makes for an engaging plot. With top-notch performances by Blanchet and
Dench, this film is skillfully executed and truly captivating. Phillip
Glassís score is a resounding accompaniment to the dark tones of the
film.
ìNotes on a
Scandalî transforms a tabloid tale into a feature-length film that
reveals much more than just scandal. As a commentary on everything
forbidden, this film leaves the viewer wondering why humans can become
possessed by the things they should not have.
ï
Kristin Erhard, who works for the Daily Planet, is a senior at UNC Asheville.
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