After a play by Alan Bennett, The History Boys, is an excellent movie that I really enjoyed. All the more so as it’s been shot in areas which I visited last summer, Yorkshire, and more particularly Fountains Abbey.
It’s the story of Yorkshire boys attending a not so good grammar school, who get their A-levels and all hope to read history at Oxford. The school headmaster and their teachers also put all their hopes in the boys and a new teacher is hired especially to train them for the big exam. His methods are quite different from those of the boys’ literature teacher, outstanding Richard Griffiths.
Don’t believe the imdb‘s summary though, it might sell the movie, but is far from describing it:
An unruly class of gifted and charming teenage boys pursue of sex, sport, and higher education
The History Boys is a movie that can be viewed at different levels and that I recommend. It’s lots of fun, quite moving, and touches topics like homosexuality, ambition, teenagers’ behaviour, teaching and a lot more, with humour and sensitivity.
The best moments in reading are when you come across something—a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things—which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.
Thank you, Olivier, for leaving Alan Bennett’s words in the comments.
French people will have to wait for the DVD to see this very good movie that didn’t remain more than a couple of weeks in Paris cinemas 
Thanks for the recommendation, Claude, I will be on the lookout for it. The area I live in is so provincial that it will probably only show up in the “art movie theater” that shows off-beat films for a day or two. I’ve never gotten into the DVD habit…but need to.
“The best moments in reading are when you come across something—a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things—which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”
[ Alan Bennett ] The History Boys
I have by-passed this movie – will have to re-think my choice.
I have this on my list of “movies I want to see”. It looks good.
I will get this on netflix as netflix is good at collecting the international stuff! (international for me that is.)
I saw The History Boys when it came out. It was playing in the double screen theatre where I had taken George to see that Borat movie that I didn’t want to see. So, it was History Boys or sit in the car. I’m glad I saw it.
Christopher and I were lucky enough to drive down to New York a year or two back and see “The History Boys” on the Broadway stage.
We look forward to the seeing the movie and relive some of the great performances.