Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 128

FDLR3 BSEVBEW Colorful, Powerful 'Teachers' Makes the Grade By MALCOLM L. JOHNSON Courant Film Critic Arthur Hiller, a journeyman director with hits and misses in varying genres, now turns the hand that guided "Love Story" and "The Lonely Guy" to serious social comedy. In his newest film, he leaps to the defense of the embattled permanent underclass that mans the barricades in today's "Blackboard Jungle." And if "Teachers" has its failures, it ranks high in overall achievement. Blessed with a first-class cast headed by Nick Nolte, and a strongly felt, convincingly written first screenplay by W.R. McKinney, "Teachers" ultimately triumphs over Hiller's uncertainty of tone and a few bad miscalculations.

So, though this picture will win no nomination for best director, it does deliver its hard lessons with power. The site selected for this teach-in is an urban institution, rather predictably named John F. Kennedy High School. The place is a mess, full of out-of-control kids and teachers who have given up trying to reach them. Nolte's Alex Jurel is a once-inspiring social studies teacher with a bad case of burnout.

On the cold winter Monday that begins the film, told the woman he wakes up with that he an airline pilot. By the time "Teachers" ends, Alex has been rejuvenated and can shout out his profession with pride. But not before he has been through some hard times at JFK High. The film pivots on a suit filed on behalf of a student who has been graduated without learning to read or write, a not-uncommon problem these days. Representing the plaintiff, and therefore traipsing about JFK taking depositions to the paranoid terror of all, is a young attorney named Lis Hammond, who was an adoring student of Alex when he was an idealistic teacher.

"Teachers" is a complexly written piece, cutting back and forth among several different story lines, with Alex as the central figure. There are both serious, even tragic, vignettes and more comic episodes, and there are heroes, villains and fools (in the Shakespearean sense). The heavies, not surprisingly, are the representatives of the school board and the administration, who want to muzzle the teachers. Their motive is a bit flimsy, for the script sketchily suggests that if an impending bond issue isn't passed, everyone will be out of a job. But even without this puzzling plot element, the cover-up is believable enough.

Alex finds himself caught between (he woman lawyer and his old pal Roger, who is now a very compromising vice principal. Also working to rekindle Alex's devotion to his calling is a turned-off student, who is being pushed through even though his reading too is far below grade level. If all this suggests that "Teachers" sometimes threatens to derail because of its multiple story lines, there arc more to come. There's the certified lunatic accidentally drafted as a substitute, and the martinet who 1 adores dittos and who slumbers through his classes. There's the teacher who is cracking from the pressure.

There's a crazy kid who i contributes to the breakdown by stealing things. There's an undercover narc. There's a student who needs an abortion because she is pregnant by a gym teacher. Above, Richard Mulligan is an escaped mental patient who is hired as a substitute in "Teachers." Below, Nick Nolte, left, is a teacher; Judd Hirsch, the vice principal; and JoBetli Williams, an attorney far a former student who is suing ihe school. TEACHERS, Directed by Arthur Hiller; written by W.R, McKinney; production designed try Richard MacOonald; director of photography, David M.

Walsh; edited by Don Zimmerman; produced by Aaron Rutto. A United Artltti presentation, distributed by MGMUA Entertainment and opening Friday at Showcase Cinemas. Eetl Hart, ford. Running time: ICwmlnutes. Ale Jurel NIC Nolte Lisa Hammond JoBelh Williams Roper Rcubel.

Judd Hirsch Eddie Plllalon Ralph MaccMo Rosenberg Allen Garfield Dr. Burke Lea Grant Herbert Richard Mulligan Onto Royal Dane Horn William schallert Troy Art Metrano Diane Laura Darn Danny Crispin Glover Lewis Morgan Freemen Grace Madeleine Sherwood Hiller does pretty well knitting all this together, but there are times when "Teachers" comes off looking like a crazy quilt. A few of the pieces are jarring; it would take a Fellini to create a coherent vision for such disparate pieces. But thanks to several very good performances, and photography by Michael Butler that creates an overall feeling of place, "Teachers" works most of the time except when jarred by a particularly gratuitous song on the rock score. Nolte is also all-important here as he makes his transitions from a gravel-throated husk back to his old clear-voiced fighting spirit.

But Nolte's characterization is matched by a finely balanced performance by Judd Hirsch as the vice principal who betrays his old friend. Allen Garfield is also fine as the disintegrating teacher Rosenberg. And Mulligan has some surprisingly effective scenes as the madman who teaches history Hiller's climax also seems much too contrived and sloppy. But for all of its faults, this film teaches an important lesson about the betrayal of the promise of American public education, and makes you feel both pity and admiration for its subjects, "Teachers." Rated this film contains flashes of nudity, mocb raw talk, and some shocking If orographic violence. costumed as Lincoln or Franklin, and who succeeds in reaching the kids.

Ralph Macchio does well, too, in the role of the underachieving student who challenges Alex's conscience. But JoBeth Williams comes across as a little too innocent and confused as the lawyer with a crush on Alex. And although it is hardly her fault, Lee Grant makes the interfering school board member too much of a Dragon Lady. 28.