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Pitié pour le prof

Original title: Why Shoot the Teacher?
  • 1977
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
499
YOUR RATING
Pitié pour le prof (1977)
ComedyDrama

In the 1930's, Max Brown is an urban young man from an Eastern province, fresh from college, whose only job offer is in a one-room school house in the Canadian prairie. At first he's distant... Read allIn the 1930's, Max Brown is an urban young man from an Eastern province, fresh from college, whose only job offer is in a one-room school house in the Canadian prairie. At first he's distant, superior, lonely, and bewildered; his students are rebellious. Over the course of the ye... Read allIn the 1930's, Max Brown is an urban young man from an Eastern province, fresh from college, whose only job offer is in a one-room school house in the Canadian prairie. At first he's distant, superior, lonely, and bewildered; his students are rebellious. Over the course of the year, he is drawn to Alice Field, the wife of a farmer, in a love that can lead nowhere. But... Read all

  • Director
    • Silvio Narizzano
  • Writers
    • James Defelice
    • Max Braithwaite
  • Stars
    • Bud Cort
    • Samantha Eggar
    • Chris Wiggins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    499
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Silvio Narizzano
    • Writers
      • James Defelice
      • Max Braithwaite
    • Stars
      • Bud Cort
      • Samantha Eggar
      • Chris Wiggins
    • 23User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast40

    Edit
    Bud Cort
    Bud Cort
    • Max Brown
    Samantha Eggar
    Samantha Eggar
    • Alice Field
    Chris Wiggins
    • Lyle Bishop
    Gary Reineke
    Gary Reineke
    • Harris Montgomery
    John Friesen
    • Dave McDougall
    Michael J. Reynolds
    Michael J. Reynolds
    • Bert Field
    Kenneth Griffith
    Kenneth Griffith
    • Inspector Woods
    Scott Swan
    • Dan Trowbridge
    Merrilyn Gann
    Merrilyn Gann
    • Sheila Barnes
    Norma West
    Norma West
    • Mrs. Bishop
    Margery Hill
    • Mrs. Montgomery
    Joanne McNeal
    • Mrs. McDougall
    George Gwin
    • Orville Jackson - Dance Caller
    Doug Blake
    • Percy Garfield
    Alan Stebbings
    • Lester Sinclair
    Joe Yasinsky
    • Max's Father
    Vernis McCuaig
    • Max's Mother
    Richard Davison
    • Max's Brother
    • Director
      • Silvio Narizzano
    • Writers
      • James Defelice
      • Max Braithwaite
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews23

    6.9499
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    Featured reviews

    7anafw

    A young teacher who takes up a job in the Prairies is unpleasantly surprised by the conditions of the school, ill-behaved students, and of course, the harsh storms...

    I think that overall, this movie was good. It seemed a bit short, and it lacked a few details linking parts of the story, which made it a bit difficult to follow. The graphics were slightly poor, but due to the technology of the time, I had to take into account the fact that it was made nearly three decades ago. I also think that it was a fairly accurate depiction of life in the Prairies during the 1930s, based on what we've learned in class about the era. I could easily link the time period to the movie through the actions, speech, and style of the actors and actresses in the story, as well as the cars featured and the houses' decor.

    In terms of style, I noticed that the people living in U.S. and the Praires during the 30s differed quite a bit. Some of the clothes and hairstyles that the women wore were similar, but the people of the Prairies were "country folk," and dressed more appropriately for their lifestyles. Alice, for example,(played by Samantha Eggar), wore the sleek, wavy, side-parted bob that many women of the era chose to sport. However, the difference in economic status was apparent in her attire. The aprons and plain skirts she wore had less appeal than the more elegant blouses and dresses that other women preferred.

    In conclusion, the movie was pretty effective in getting its message out to the audience. Bud Cort proved his acting skills alongside his pupils, and many important issues were discussed with respect to the conditions of the schools at the time, and Mr. Brown's personal experiences with Prairie weather. The movie was humorous, with a bit of drama, and still maintained a fair amount of accuracy in portraying life in the 1930s.

    -A. W.
    jana_sr

    About Max Brown who tries to survive as a school teacher in the prairies facing mean students and bad living conditions

    this movie is about a young man, Max Brown who goes to a farming town to teach. I believe this movie does portray the prairies and the people in the 1920s and 1930s because it shows the life of a person (Max Brown) and others who try to make a living during the Great Depression. It shows the climate and weather conditions of the prairies, and how farmers struggled to harvest corp during those climates, and survive on scarce amount of food, water, etc. Max Brown lives through poor living conditions and a poor salary, just like most other Canadians would have done to support themselves or their family. he works like this so he can pay back the money his brother had given him. He talks about his friend who tried to go to Vancouver to find a job but he didn't make it, and also other people who ride the rails. this movie shows that many people did not except charity in anyway because it was shameful to receive any type of relief. the movie also shows how socialism was confronted by Canadians back then. Therefore from all the points above and many others you can conclude that the movie portrays Canada during the Great Depression.
    dbdumonteil

    A teacher's work is never done.

    The subject of "why shoot the teacher?" is a burning one,as much today as it was yesterday:the teacher,fresh from his training college ,who takes his first class ,in a dead-and-alive hole (or ,worse,in the wrong side of the town).The young man (or woman)understands that all that he learned in college ,all the highest theories can't help him with his thankless job.His pupils are not the ones he was expecting.Any teacher,when he began,has been through all this. Bud Cort ,famous for his part of Harold in "Harold and Maude " is ideally cast as the young schoolteacher:his youthful looks ,his naive face and his resilience work wonders.For, in this part of Canada,mother nature is not really on his side.
    that_guylyfe

    Personal Opinion of Why Shoot The Teacher

    I think that the movie, "Why Shoot the Teacher," was pretty accurate in displaying what really went on during the 1930s. It showed many difficulties people had during the Great Depression, such as unemployment. The movie focuses on one man, Max Brown who decides to go to the Prairies to work as a teacher. We watched with anticipation and curiosity to see how he would do with the new children. I believe the movie was effective because they displayed Mr. Brown as a very innocent man. During hard times, we feel sorry for him, because he is such a nice man and is struggling to stay on his own feet with people trying to walk all over him. In the end, I think the movie wasn't bad. I think it was very helpful in giving us some insight to what really happened during such harsh times.
    ClassicFilmEra

    One of my favorite performances by Bud Cort!

    Such a sweet, sweet movie...and so, so underrated... I'll never understand why some of the worst movies make it to DVD, but the gems sit around and wait for their turn.

    I adored the story line! Bud Cort plays an innocent, scattered, simple/warm-hearted man who tries to teach students in a small town in Canada. At first the students are disrespectful loud-mouths, but grow to become compassionate individuals when Cort's character (Max Brown) inspires them.

    I cannot get over how endearing Bud Cort is in this film. All he wants is to be loved, and to love someone else, but he has a failed romance with an already-married woman, who is also lost in her own troubles. All you want to do is sympathize with his character, especially in the beginning, when he was trying to become adjusted to this unfamiliar town with people who couldn't understand him.

    I would say that this is one of Bud Cort's top 5 best film roles. (Along with Harold and Maude, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Brave New World, and Ted and Venus).

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The film takes place in 1935.
    • Quotes

      Inspector Wood: This should be an easy one. What is the capital of Canada?

      Inspector Wood: [pointing to a student in the classroom] Yes, boy.

      Charlie Mc Dougall: [standing to attention] The capital of Canada is C.

    • Connections
      Featured in Cruel, Usual, Necessary: The Passion of Silvio Narizzano (2024)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 7, 1978 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zašto da ubijemo učitelja
    • Filming locations
      • Hanna, Alberta, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Fraser Films
      • Lancer Productions Limited
      • Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • CA$810,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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