Teachers (film)

Teachers is a 1984 comedy/drama film starrring Nick Nolte, JoBeth Williams, Ralph Macchio, and Judd Hirsch,written by W.R. McKinney and directed by Arthur Hiller.

The film opens with a typical Monday morning at JFK High School. Lots of things have happened including a student being stabbed. The school psychologist becomes annoyed at a teacher called Ditto. He earns his name, and her annoyance, by constantly using the Spirit duplicator or "Ditto machine". When she wants to use it, she squirts him with ink. The school Vice Principal Roger Rubell (played by Judd Hirsch) is served a subpoena by a lawyer named Lisa Hammond (played by JoBeth Williams), who was a student at JFK High School.The school is being sued by a former student John Calvin because, despite graduating from the school he still could not read and write.

Alex Jurel (played by Nick Nolte) is a Social Studies teacher. One Monday he is called in to act as a substitute. Jurell never comes in on Mondays. Alex has been a teacher for a long time, is burnt out after years of fighting the system, and has given up. Roger Rubell has Alex Jurell help out with the counselling since the psychologist is on leave, and he is assigned to counsel a troubled kid named Eddie Pilikian (played by Ralph Macchio), who has trouble reading, and who has parent troubles too.

Teacher Carl Rosenburg (played by Allen Garfield) is bitten on the hand by another troubled kid named Danny (played by Crispin Glover), who is a friend of Eddie Pilikian.

Superintendent Dr. Donna Burke (played by Lee Grant) is having a talk with Mr. Rubell, Principal Horn (played by William Schallert), and the school board attorney Al Lewis (played by Morgan Freeman) to see who will rock the boat. Superintendent Burke is worried about the publicity the John Calvin case is causing.

Herbert Gower (played by Richard Mulligan) is an out-patient from a mental hospital. At an apartment building with his social worker he hears a phone ring in another apartment and answers it. Grace, who thinks that Herbert is Stuart Van Ark since he answered the phone, the secretary at JFK is needing a substitute to teach History, and Herbert says he will.

Alex and Roger arrive at Alex's apartment, they have both been drinking. Alex tells Roger he feels like quitting, but tells Alex not to quit.

Eddie and Danny decide to have some fun,Eddie activates the fire alarm and they steal a Driver's ED car.

The next morning,Alex runs into Lisa Hammond, who was a student of his. She serves him with a subpoena. Lisa talks to Alex about the case. Lisa invites him to dinner to her place. Later that night, she and Alex have dinner, she talks about her time at school and the Calvin case. Alex tells her that things have changed since she has been gone, she can tell that Alex is burned out, he doesn't believe he can make a difference, but Lisa says he will.

Diane Warren (played by Laura Dern), a student at JFK, is invited to the Physical ED teacher, Mr. Troy's office where he has sex with her.

Ditto is sleeping while in class, his students do not learn much from him, but Stuart Van Ark a.k.a. Herbert Gower is really teaching the kids at JFK, he even dresses up as the famous people in history, and the kids like him.

Later that day, Alex asks the kids about what the school does for them. Some give him answers they believe. Eddie Pilikian asks about what Mr. Jurel is going to say at his deposition, he gives the kids an assignment, the kids can tell him what they believe is wrong with the school. Eddie steals a camera and takes pictures around the school.

The pictures are shown in class, the other kids and Alex Jurel liked them. Alex gets called to Mr. Rubell's office about the camera and the pictures in a local small paper, Alex believes he is getting through to Eddie.

Alex and Lisa are having dinner at his apartment, she talks more about the case. He is not happy that she is trying to shake up the school system.Lisa really wants to make a difference, but Alex thinks she is not doing it for the right reasons, she realizes that he might not tell the truth at his depostion. She is saddend that he lost his ideals and leaves.

Danny drives into a garage with a car. Eddie is there and Danny reveals that he took Mr. Rosenberg's car. Eddie tells him to take it back cause the cops will be all over the place.

Ditto is in class the next day, he is asleep and chokes and he dies.

In the teacher's lounge, Alex is having a discussion with Burke, Horn, Rubell, Al Lewis and Rosenberg. Rosenberg is unhappy that his car was stolen and that the JFK staff is willing to cover up. Alex thinks they should look into the matter of John Calvin graduating though he should have failed.

At Rosenberg's deposition, he tells Lisa Hammond everything about what is going on and Al Lewis is not pleased.

Diane Warren learns she is pregnant, she goes to Mr. Jurel to take her to the abortion clinic, reluctantly, he does. Diane finds this experience difficult.

Eddie has Mr. Jurel come to the garage and reveals that he stole the car. Alex wants to help him to improve his reading.

In the office later,Eddie's mother is wondering why he needs to take the reading class again. His father shows up asking that too. His parents argue and Eddie tells them to "shut up". His dad slaps him and Eddie walks out. Alex tells Roger he needs the class, but Roger does not want to waste money on one kid.

Later, Al tells Mr. Rubell that Rosenberg revealed everything, they realize that they need to dump Alex Jurel.

The next day, Mr. Rubell is talking to Mr. Troy, Roger is not too happy that Troy got 3 of their students pregnant. A cop knocks on the door with a warrant to search the lockers. Danny goes to his locker and gets the gun he stole so he can protect himself with it. The cop sees him by the locker and sees the gun. Danny doesn't put the gun down and is shot dead.

Later at JFK, some orderlies from the mental hospital go to get Herbert Gower, Mr. Rubell has him taken away, Gower says goodbye to Alex.

Lisa Hammond's boss at the law firm, Sloan (played by Steven Hill) tells her the case has been settled, she is not pleased because they are setlling the case for profit.

The next day, Alex is in the lounge, Grace tells him he needs to go to the gymnasium, he goes, he sees the board there. Burke tells him they want his resignation due to his taking Diane Warren to the abortion clinic. Alex realizes that they are worried about what he is going to say at his depostion. Roger tells him that the case is settled. Alex pleads for Roger and the others to help him, but won't move, angry, he walks out and goes to class room and starts packing his stuff. Lisa comes and tells him about the case, he tells her that he is leaving because the board will fire him. Alex tells her that he can't make a difference, she says that he can, the students heard about Mr. Jurel being fired. They are there to support him. He tries to leave but Lisa stops him from leaving, telling him not to let them destroy his dignity and career.Lisa also takes off her clothes to run naked down the school hallway to prove a point to him(Earlier in the movie,Lisa and Alex had an argument in his apartment over trying to change the system with Alex mentioning using memories as shields and Alex yelling "When You're Ready To Drop Those Shields And Walk Naked Down Those Halls And See What's Really Going On Is The Day You Can Tell Me That And I'll Believe You").

Eddie actives the fire alarm, outside Jurel tells Burke he is not resigning, that he will sue the school if they fire him. Alex tells them that the school is for the kids and that the teachers are there for the kids, not the other way around. Alex is there to stay at JFK, the kids cheer him on.