The Teacher (1974 film)
Encyclopedia
The Teacher is a 1974 American coming-of-age suspense film, written, produced, and directed by Hickmet Avedis (aka: Howard Avedis) and released by Crown International Pictures
. The film stars Angel Tompkins
, Jay North
and Anthony James
, and tells the story of an 18-year-old's first relationship with his alluring teacher, and the hidden danger awaiting them in the shadows.
) has just graduated from high school. His high school teacher, 28-year-old Diane Marshall (Angel Tompkins
), is a neighbor and friend to his doting, if rather naive mother. Married to an often-absent drifter and therefore bored and frustrated, Diane sets out to seduce the shy youth, and a romantic relationship develops. However, in the shadows lurks an obsessive and vengeful stalker who has set his sights on the unsuspecting lovers.
, North was still largely known to audiences as the impish child he'd played ten years before on the CBS
family series, Dennis the Menace. Prior to the release of the film, columnist Jack O'Brian
reported of the "vulgarity" of North's first adult feature film role - "Nice little Jay North (TV's Dennis the Menace only a few smiles ago) has a bang-up role in "The Teacher" flick - an explicit porn-scene with Angel Tompkins."
While not impressed with what he deemed to be a "ludicrous" storyline, Los Angeles Times
critic, Kevin Thomas
expressed appreciation for the portrayal of the film's two lead characters, writing - "The plot of "The Teacher" isn't worth outlining, yet it develops a relationship between a 28-year-old woman and an 18-year-old high school boy with sensitivity and credibility unusual for an exploitation film. [...] Avedis displays much concern for his people and allows Miss Tompkins and North plenty of room to give fresh, spontaneous performances."
Crown International Pictures
Crown International Pictures is an independent film studio formed in 1959 by Newton P. Jacobs Jacobs was a former branch head of RKO Pictures until 1947 when he formed his own company "Favorite Films"; a film releasing organisation. Jacobs became one of the first franchises for showing American...
. The film stars Angel Tompkins
Angel Tompkins
Angel Tompkins is an American actress and Golden Globe nominee, who appeared in several films and television shows.-Career:...
, Jay North
Jay North
Jay North is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of six, North became a household name during the early 1960s for his role as the well-meaning, but mischievous, Dennis Mitchell on the CBS situation comedy Dennis the Menace, based on the comic strip created...
and Anthony James
Anthony James
Anthony James is an American actor. Tall, often greasy-haired and with an oily grin, James specialized in creepy, sleazy villains in films and TV, many of them Westerns. His first major role, and probably his best known, was as Ralph, the diner counterman in the 1967 Oscar-winning movie In the...
, and tells the story of an 18-year-old's first relationship with his alluring teacher, and the hidden danger awaiting them in the shadows.
Synopsis
It's summer, and 18-year-old Sean Roberts (Jay NorthJay North
Jay North is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of six, North became a household name during the early 1960s for his role as the well-meaning, but mischievous, Dennis Mitchell on the CBS situation comedy Dennis the Menace, based on the comic strip created...
) has just graduated from high school. His high school teacher, 28-year-old Diane Marshall (Angel Tompkins
Angel Tompkins
Angel Tompkins is an American actress and Golden Globe nominee, who appeared in several films and television shows.-Career:...
), is a neighbor and friend to his doting, if rather naive mother. Married to an often-absent drifter and therefore bored and frustrated, Diane sets out to seduce the shy youth, and a romantic relationship develops. However, in the shadows lurks an obsessive and vengeful stalker who has set his sights on the unsuspecting lovers.
Cast
- Angel TompkinsAngel TompkinsAngel Tompkins is an American actress and Golden Globe nominee, who appeared in several films and television shows.-Career:...
... Diane Marshall - Jay NorthJay NorthJay North is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of six, North became a household name during the early 1960s for his role as the well-meaning, but mischievous, Dennis Mitchell on the CBS situation comedy Dennis the Menace, based on the comic strip created...
... Sean Roberts - Anthony James ... Ralph Gordon
- Marlene SchmidtMarlene SchmidtMarlene Schmidt , a professional Engineer, came to fame as winner of the 1961 Miss Universe pageant. Later she had a career in the movie industry....
... Alice Roberts - Barry AtwaterBarry AtwaterGarrett "Barry" Atwater was an American character actor who appeared frequently on TV from the 1950s into the 1970s...
... Sheriff Murphy - Med Flory ... Joe Roberts
- Rudy Herrera Jr. ... Lou Gordon
- Quinn O'Hara ... Margaret Parker
- Sivi Aberg ... Bonnie Nelson
- Richard Winterstein ... Russell Marshall
- Katherine CassavetesKatherine CassavetesKatherine Cassavetes was an American actress, born as Katherine Demetre.She was the mother of actor-director John Cassavetes and mother-in-law of actress Gena Rowlands. Her grandchildren are actors-directors Nick Cassavetes, Zoe Cassavetes, and Alexandra Cassavetes...
... Gossiping Lady 1 - Lady Rowlands ... Gossiping Lady 2
- Cassandra Lucas ... Waitress
Reception
Although 22-years-old during principal productionPrincipal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
, North was still largely known to audiences as the impish child he'd played ten years before on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
family series, Dennis the Menace. Prior to the release of the film, columnist Jack O'Brian
Jack O'Brian
John Dennis Patrick O'Brian was a New York Journal American television critic and supporter of Joseph McCarthy.O'Brian was born in Buffalo, New York...
reported of the "vulgarity" of North's first adult feature film role - "Nice little Jay North (TV's Dennis the Menace only a few smiles ago) has a bang-up role in "The Teacher" flick - an explicit porn-scene with Angel Tompkins."
While not impressed with what he deemed to be a "ludicrous" storyline, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
critic, Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Marvin Kevin Thomas is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was a standout high school football player at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, California and a college football player at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada...
expressed appreciation for the portrayal of the film's two lead characters, writing - "The plot of "The Teacher" isn't worth outlining, yet it develops a relationship between a 28-year-old woman and an 18-year-old high school boy with sensitivity and credibility unusual for an exploitation film. [...] Avedis displays much concern for his people and allows Miss Tompkins and North plenty of room to give fresh, spontaneous performances."