The director of this film was John G. Avildsen, a great director who gave us such classics like the first and fifth “Rocky” and “The Karate Kid” trilogy. Let me tell you, he does a great job here. He really brings the direction of a high school that turns completely into a zoo really well, and how a principal, who was previously a teacher from the 60s, comes back and cleans it up.
Now this film is based off a true story of how the principal of Eastside High School, Joe Louis Clark saves a school by improving the test scores of the students’ minimum basic skills test. This school, located in Paterson, New Jersey, is at risk of being taken over by the state government, and they have given Clark one year to turn the school around. To prepare for this role, Freeman did his homework. He spent a lot of his time with the real Joe Clark by studying his mannerisms and how he talked to the students. Let me tell you, he really did embody the role. However, in actuality, Joe Clark had more time than a year. Still, he really brings out a role in this film that he will always be remembered for.
In a meeting, Mayor Bottman, played by Alan North, is speaking with the school’s superintendent, Dr. Frank Napier, played by another great actor, Robert Guillaume. When Dr. Napier suggests that Clark become the new principal, but Mayor Bottman is hesitant because of the trouble he knew Clark caused in the past. However, after Dr. Napier speaks with Clark, he comes in and dismisses so many students how caused nothing but trouble. They did drugs, alcohol, did not pass their classes, were a part of gangs, and so forth. Realistically speaking, wouldn’t you do the same thing? If you became a principal of a school, wouldn’t the first thing you’d do is ask for a list of all the students who did nothing but cause trouble? However, later on in a board meeting, the parents are against what Clark did and say that they deserve to be in the school, only to have Clark fan the flames. One of the parents is played by the late Lynne Thigpen, who you might remember as the Chief from the Carmen Sandiego game shows from the early 90s.
The next day, Clark has a powerful scene with one of the boys that he expelled, Thomas Sams, played by Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins. Clark gives Sams a lecture about crack before telling him to get lost, and then tells him to jump off the roof, and finally, in tears, Sams tells Clark that he doesn’t want to go home and tell his mom that he got expelled. Clark then goes back on his word and lets him back in the school, and throughout the film, he is watching Sams like a hawk. By the end, you can see that they finally bond.
Another powerful moment is when after Clark fires the coach and one of the teachers, he has a very heated argument with Dr. Napier. After the argument, Dr. Napier says to Clark, “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” Clark responds to him when the walk out the door with, “You think you’re so bad, don’t you?” After a very heated argument, you would laugh at that line. Other heated confrontation that Clark has is his numerous encounters with the vice principal of the school, Mrs. Levias, played by Beverly Todd.
One of the students that Clark has known since she was in Elementary School is Kaneesha, played by Karen Malina White. He helps her out with her relationship with her mother, played by Regina Taylor, and even tells him that she’s pregnant.
On the side, the parents, especially Thigpen’s character, is trying to get Clark arrested since he breaks the fire code by chaining the doors so that people don’t come into the school. However, the students start to bond with Mr. Clark has a father figure, since there are students that possibly don’t have a father, or don’t have a strong relationship with their father. Especially since the passing of the practice test was only 33%, and Clark tells the teachers to help prepare the students for the real test.
Basically, this is one of the most powerful, influential films that you will ever see. It doesn’t have that sudden charm like the 1988 film, “Stand and Deliver,” had, but its own charm is different, which take a while to sink in. Chris Hicks had said in his review, “And there is really no comparison with the similarly structured "Stand and Deliver" from last year, which had depth and compassion and a sense of reality that seems to be missing in ‘Lean on Me’” (Hicks). However, if you watch this role, I promise you, you’ll be watching Morgan Freeman’s best role, and quite possibly where he’s at the top of his game. So definitely check this one out because you will love it. It's the film for you if you want to become part of the school system. Whether if it's to be a teacher, principal, or part of the superintendent's staff, or even the superintendent himself, you should watch this film.
Stay tuned for the rest of this month, we got other great Morgan Freeman films to talk about. I hope you all enjoyed this review, and will watch the film. Now sit back and enjoy the rest of “Morgan Freeman Month.”
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