Educating Rita

1983
PG
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

15K

YOUR RATING

Michael Caine and Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983)

An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.

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Comedy Drama

An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

15K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 6 wins & 8 nominations total

Trivia
This movie inspired many marriage break-ups according to Dame Julie Walters (Rita). While receiving the Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film at the Moet British Independent Film Awards in 2013, Walters said: "I get people who come up to me and say 'I left my husband because of you, because of that film', or 'I got an education'. So many."

Goofs
O.U. students do not enjoy one to one tutorials with a professor.

Quotes
[Rita is being nosy about Frank's marriage]
Dr. Frank Bryant: We split up, Rita, because of poetry.
Rita: You what?
Dr. Frank Bryant: One day, my wife explained to me that, for the past fifteen years, my output as a poet had dealt entirely with the part of our lives in which we discovered each other.
Rita: Are you a poet?
Dr. Frank Bryant: Was. And so, to give me something new to write about, she left me. A very noble woman, my wife - she left me for the good of literature. And remarkably it worked.
Rita: What, you wrote a lot of good stuff, did ya?
Dr. Frank Bryant: No. I stopped writing altogether.

Alternate versions
In a version screened on British TV in the '80s and '90s, Frank tells the imaginary Morgan to 'p*** off', not 'f*** off'; Michael Caine's voice is quite badly dubbed.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Never Cry Wolf/Rumble Fish/Heat and Dust/Educating Rita (1983)

Soundtracks
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, 2nd movement Andante
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (uncredited)
[Record played in Julia's flat]

User reviews103

Review

Featured review

10/10

singing a better song

What a novel concept - a college movie that isn't about frat parties! Since "Educating Rita" is one of the only movies which explores the true value of schooling, it remains close to this nerd's heart. In fact, in a rather weird conjunction with "Rocky," it inspired me to leave my lousy office job and get a graduate degree - to better meself, as Rita might say.

What are the criticisms here - too long, too stagey, silly synth music? This is not my idea of a slow movie. I like the characters enough to stick with them, even if they aren't...well...moving around much! Surely their personal conflicts are interesting enough to keep me watching, even in the absence of car chases and explosions.

Walters and Caine are likable, the message is empowering (but realistic - Rita really suffers when she tries to change her life), and, just for a change, alcoholism is treated as a serious problem. Is it too sentimental? Well, I always cry. Or at least sniffle. I think that means the movie is moving, rather than sentimental.

Enough defensiveness - this movie is lovely! Where's the American DVD release, then?