FilmSkool — a free film school
An Education
Despite her sheltered upbringing, Jenny is a teen with a bright future; she's smart, pretty, and has aspirations of attending Oxford University. When David, a charming but much older suitor, motors into her life in a shiny automobile, Jenny gets a taste of adult life that she won't soon forget.
2009 · Directed by Lone Scherfig · 100 min · Drama · Romance · Screenplay in the scene database · 20 frames
Tagline
An education isn't always by the book.
Plot
In 1961 London, Jenny Mellor is a bright and attractive 16-year-old schoolgirl who aspires to attend the University of Oxford. Her studies are controlled by her strict father, Jack. After youth orchestra rehearsals, Jenny waits at a bus stop on the street in heavy rain when David Goldman, an older man, stops his Bristol 405 and tells her that he is a music lover and is worried about her cello getting wet. He persuades Jenny to put her cello in his car while she walks alongside. As the rain becomes heavier, Jenny asks David if she can sit inside the car. The two talk about music and, before being dropped off, Jenny confides that she is looking forward to attending university and being able to live a life of culture, doing things such as going to art galleries and watching French films. The following week, David has flowers delivered to Jenny's house, wishing her luck at her youth orchestra's concert. Later, she sees him in town and approaches him. David asks Jenny if she is free to go and see a concert and have supper with him and his friends. She happily agrees and thanks him.
On the night of the concert, Jack disapproves of Jenny going, but when David comes by to pick up Jenny, he easily charms Jack into letting him take Jenny and bring her home later than her normal curfew. Arriving at the concert, Jenny meets David's friends, Danny and Helen. Afterwards, they go to dinner at a fancy restaurant with live music much to Jenny's liking. Finding she is also interested in art, they invite Jenny to an art auction. David picks up Jenny at school and they go to the auction, winning a bid for a painting by Edward Burne-Jones and going to Danny's place afterwards. They talk about Oxford and all agree to go and visit together the following weekend.
Jenny hears a commotion late one night and sees David drinking with her parents. He then uses the opportunity to ask them if he can take Jenny to Oxford, saying that he used to study there and would like to visit his old teacher, Clive Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Her parents are reluctant at first, but agree, seeing it as a good opportunity. At Oxford, Jenny discovers that David makes his money through a variety of shady practices, and although initially shocked succumbs to David's persuasive talk. Back outside her home, Jenny and David have their first kiss. Jenny then shows a signed copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to her parents (in fact, she had seen David sign it, and they had never met Lewis). Impressed by David's apparent connections and charisma, Jack and Marjorie approve of their romantic relationship.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Nick Hornby
- Cinematography: John de Borman
- Edited by: Barney Pilling
- Music: Paul Englishby
- Production design: Andrew McAlpine
- Produced by: Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
Cast
- Carey Mulligan as Jenny Mellor
- Peter Sarsgaard as David Goldman
- Dominic Cooper as Danny
- Rosamund Pike as Helen
- Olivia Williams as Miss Stubbs
- Alfred Molina as Jack Mellor
- Cara Seymour as Majorie
- Sally Hawkins as Sarah Goldman
- Emma Thompson as Headmistress
- James Norton as Student
Production
- Country: United Kingdom
- Language: English
- Studios: BBC Film, Wildgaze Films, Endgame Entertainment
- Budget: $10,000,000
- Box office: $26,096,852
- Themes: adolescence, parent child relationship, age difference, self-discovery, coming of age, love, based on memoir or autobiography, love affair, family, woman director
Own the film
FilmSkool earns a small commission from qualifying Amazon purchases, at no cost to you.
More by Lone Scherfig
On this film
This is the plain index, shown because JavaScript is off. Every lesson here is a free video published by the channel credited on it and plays through that channel's own embed — FilmSkool hosts nothing.