Another Max Bygraves social conscience piece, as he takes on the job of teacher at a tough inner city school. Written by John Cresswell from Michael Croft novel, based upon his own experience of being a supply teacher. The scene with the Julius Caesar reading actually in life turned into a school play where Croft managed to get half the school involved in an outside production, which led to the (eventual) formation of the National Youth Theatre, which occupied him for the rest of his life.
TPTV had somehow picked up a print where the little bits of bad language had been excised! Gritty episodes include near seduction by 15 year old (Claire Marshall, I think) in overcrowded room full of younger siblings.
German poster gets down to hard tacks:
Donald Pleasance is the uninterested head but Geoffrey Keen is vile as the brutish woodwork teacher. With Betty McDowall, Jean Anderson (Morse, GBH, Lucky Jim, Lease of Life) and Richard O'Sullivan as a delinquent.
The ending - if not exactly downbeat - is sober. Also refreshing that he doesn't end up dating the fellow teacher.
A Bryanstone production. DP Paul Beeson. Music Laurie Johnson.
By this time Bygraves was already a writer and singer of hits, an impressionist and a radio and TV actor. Ended up much on TV, in his own show, and as a singer / entertainer. Film appearances were rare. And O'Sullivan did have a career after Man About the House, with its sequel Robin's Nest, and then multi-series Dick Turpin and Me and My Girl (1984-88). At 80, he's still with us.
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