Taglines: The greatest lessons in life are the ones learned by the heart.
The Browning Version movie storyline. Andrew Crocker-Harris (Albert Finney) is a veteran teacher of Greek and Latin at a British Public school. After nearly 20 years of service, he is being forced to retire on the pretext of his health, and perhaps may not even be given a pension. He is disliked or ignored by the other teachers and while his pupils fear his relentlessly strict discipline, they are bored by his dictatorial but dreary and un-inspiring teaching methods.
His younger wife Laura (Greta Scacchi), whom he has sexually and emotionally neglected, is unfaithful, and now lives to wound him any way she can. She is having an affair with Frank (Matthew Modine), an eager, young American science teacher who is highly popular with his pupils, much more lenient with class-room rules yet is able connect with the students.
In his final class, Andrew, while reading from a Greek play, finally shows some genuine passion about the subject, giving a glimpse at the teacher he could have been. Andrew’s nervous new replacement Tom (Julian Sands) expresses his awe at the ironclad control that the former exerts over his classes, but Andrew advises his young colleague not to follow his example.
As his retirement at the end of the school term draws near, Andrew is approached by a quiet and sensitive pupil named Taplow who has detected the unhappiness and loneliness of his teacher and makes an attempt to reach out to him, saying that Andrew’s Latin teachings have inspired him. Taplow gives Andrew a gift- a rare copy of an early edition of the ‘Browning Version’- the 1877 translation by Robert Browning of Aeschylus’ ancient play Agamemnon.
Touched by this gesture, Andrew’s emotional guard begins to be let down for the first time. Increasingly aware of Andrew’s isolation, Frank feels guilty about the affair with Laura and ends the relationship. Shortly before the end-of-term school assembly in which Andrew will make his farewell speech, Laura tells her husband that she wants their marriage to end and that she intends to leave him.
The Browning Version is a 1994 film directed by Mike Figgis and starring Albert Finney, Greta Scacchi and Matthew Modine. The film is based on the 1948 play by Terence Rattigan, which was previously adapted for film under the same name in 1951.
The Browning Version (1994)
Directed by: Mike Figgis
Starring: Albert Finney, Greta Scacchi, Matthew Modine, Julian Sands, Michael Gambon, Ben Silverstone, Jim Sturgess, Joseph Beattie, Tom Havelock, Maryam d’Abo
Screenplay by: Ronald Harwood
Production Design by: John Beard
Cinematography by: Jean-François Robin
Film Editing by: Hervé Schneid
Costume Design by: Fotini Dimou
Set Decoration by: Crispian Sallis
Art Direction by: Lucy Richardson
Music by: Mark Isham
MPAA Rating: R for some language.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: June 8, 1994
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