Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Blu-ray Movie Review

A prime mover.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 17, 2014

Fans of Downton Abbey: Seasons 1, 2, 3 & 4 who can only picture Dame Maggie Smith as the imperious elderly Dowager Countess of Grantham may be at least temporarily thrown for a loop by Smith as an equally imperious but much younger “commoner” teaching at an all girls’ school in the Edinburgh of the 1930s. Smith’s inherent elegance and glamor might seem to be an odd match for the character of Jean Brodie, a flighty eccentric whose sway over “her” girls is like an ineluctable force of nature—at least most of the time. But Smith’s flintier qualities are also on display, for there’s one trait that both of these inimitable characters she has helped bring to such memorable life share—they are both prone to think they are always right, cottoning little dissent in their relationships. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie famously handed Smith an Academy Award for Best Actress and probably served as one of the first introductions of the actress to American audiences, despite notable previous turns in The VIPs, The Honey Pot and her previous Oscar nominated performance (for Best Supporting Actress) in the Laurence Olivier version of Othello. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie had originally been a novel by Muriel Spark which in turn was adapted into a long running play by Jay Presson Allen, who then adapted her own play for the screen. The tale of a forceful teacher indelibly shaping impressionable minds might seem to be the stuff of iconography (or even hagiography), but this is no elegiac Goodbye, Mr. Chips or (to get the other side of a traditional greeting in) Good Morning, Miss Dove. Jean, for all her dazzling charisma, is a deeply flawed character and her decisions end up spilling out into both her students’ lives and others' in her wake in unexpected and perhaps even tragic ways.

Director Ronald Neame discloses it was his idea to start the film with on screen credits appearing over images of the main performers in the film, which may give the fleeting impression the film is actually an episodic television series. One thing the opening sequence at least accomplishes is to give a quick contextual view of Edinburgh, as Maggie Smith as Jean and various other characters congregate toward the first day of classes at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls. Among the incoming youngsters are a gaggle of girls who will fall under Brodie’s influence, including Sandy (Pamela Franklin, The Innocents). Though it isn’t initially obvious, the interplay between Jean and Sandy will have serious repercussions for the both of them as the story moves forward through the next several years.

Jean is an iconoclast in a very regimented academic society, and it’s obvious from early on that she has rubbed the school’s stern headmistress, Miss Mackay (Celia Johnson), the wrong way, though it’s not completely clear why, other than a general sense that the two differ completely in how to approach education. Jean’s thesis is that book learning is a pale imitation of what should be learned out in the real world, though that perhaps commendable technique is colored by the fact that Jean’s own decisions in her life out in the real world are at times problematic.

Chief among these are her romantic entanglements, which she not only doesn’t hide from her girls, but actually goes to some lengths to share with them. Jean, a handsome if not beautiful woman, is obviously lusted after by art teacher for the upper classes, Teddy Lloyd (Robert Stephens, Smith’s real life husband at the time), though Lloyd is perhaps inconveniently married. But Jean is also carrying on a not very secret affair with music teacher Gordon Lowther (Gordon Jackson), something that shocks the sensibilities of some of Brodie’s peers but which titillates some of the girls under her charge.

While Jean’s romantic proclivities continue to fuel much of the film’s drama, especially when years later she attempts to get one of her students involved with Lloyd for obviously questionable reasons, it’s actually her political tendencies that ultimately wreak havoc with Brodie’s personal and professional life. Here Allen’s screenplay is a bit discursive, for while Brodie gives lip service to various fascistic ideals, it’s never really properly explained how someone of this ilk managed to survive in what has always been an ultra liberal Scotland.

Ronald Neame, one of the most curiously unsung names in 20th century British cinema, directs The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie with simple, understated acumen. On his commentary Neame laments the development of the “star director” always calling attention to him or herself with florid camera moves, mentioning that he grew up in an era where the camera was meant to be more or less “invisible.” That at least allows a clear portal into this fascinating world of different kinds of education rippling through young lives in unexpected ways. Neame’s laconic camera style may not offer anything showy, but it also doesn’t mask the pure brilliance of a top flight cast doing unforgettable work in what is ultimately both a touching and viscerally forceful drama.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1, culled from the 20th Century Fox catalog. While some may lament the overall drab appearance of this presentation, it's important to note director Ronald Neame's own discussion about the palette in the excellent commentary included on this Blu-ray release, where he specifically mentions trying to tone everything down. While there are subtle bursts of color here and there, including some wonderful costumes for Jean, there's a kind of hushed, burnished look to much of the film that doesn't provide much in the way of traditional "pop", other than a couple of outdoor scenes where hues are somewhat more vivid than in the bulk of the film. While elements are in great shape from a damage standpoint, there does appear to be very minimal fade, with flesh tones edging slightly toward brown. The film has never looked sharp in a contemporary sense, and that continues to be the case in this iteration. Image stability is fine, as is the very natural and organic looking grain structure. There are also no signs of artificial sharpening on display.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie features a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track that capably supports the film's "wall to wall dialogue" (in the words of Neame), as well as Rod McKuen's wistful score. The song "Jean" was one of a banner year of Academy Award nominees for Best Song (bested by "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," but sharing company with such modern standards as "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and "Come Saturday Morning.") Fidelity is fine and there are no problems of any kind to report.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Director Ronald Neame and Actress Pamela Franklin. This is an absolutely first rate commentary all the way, evidently recorded separately but edited together quite smartly, with the two "participants" often giving completely contrasting viewpoints to the same scene (listen to Franklin talking about how the supposed "lesbian" dance scene where two adolescents discuss sex was cut for a screening for the Queen Mother, while Neame goes on to say it could hardly be considered "racy" in any way, shape or form.) Neame shares some wonderful anecdotes about Smith, who sounds like she was an absolute handful on the set.


• Isolated Score and Effects Track is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0.


• Theatrical Trailer (480p; 3:48)


• Teaser Trailer (480p; 00:55)

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Teachers are so regularly lionized in modern media that it may come as a bit of a shock for some when The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie offers a more "warts and all" sensibility that may pretend there's a glorious satisfaction to edifying young minds, but which ends up showing the dark side of mentorship. Smith is a commanding presence every step of the way here, but she's equalled by a really fierce supporting turn by Pamela Franklin, as well as an incredibly colorful supporting cast. Technical merits are generally very strong, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie comes Highly recommended.