Notes on a Scandal is a 2006 British psychological thriller-drama film directed by Richard Eyre and produced by Robert Fox and Scott Rudin. An immensely intelligent and sharp film, 'Notes on a Scandal' is unreservedly captivating from the very opening shot and only snowballs in size, power and brilliance with every second of its taut 92 minute run time. Notes on a Scandal #70 in their list of 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. Notes on a Scandal (What Was She Thinking? Find the perfect 'Notes On A Scandal' stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The recently announced Golden Globe nominations include Dench, Blanchett and Marber, so we can expect Oscar nods … A New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. [1], The film opened to generally positive reviews, with Blanchett and Dench receiving critical acclaim for their performances. No_Favorite. Her only comfort is her diary. A woman takes the law into her own hands after police ignore her pleas to arrest the man responsible for her husband's death, and finds herself not only under arrest for murder but falling in love with an officer. In the loneliness of her apartment, she spends her spare time writing in her journal, taking care of her old cat Portia, and missing her special friend Jennifer Dodd. The film also features music by Toots and the Maytals and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Sheba's emotions spent, she quietly tells Barbara that she had initiated the friendship with her because she liked her and that they could have been friends. In NOTES ON A SCANDAL, History teacher Barbara Covett becomes infatuated with a new, younger colleague, art teacher Sheba (Cate Blanchett), who happens to be having an affair with a 15-year-old student. At a tidy 92 minutes, "Notes on a Scandal" is highly concentrated and vivid. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond a platonic friendship. Out in select theaters 12/25/06.One Woman's Mistake is Another's Opportunity.www.foxsearchlight.comJudi Dench and Cate Blanchett Add the first question. In the loneliness of her apartment, she spends her spare time writing her journal, taking care of her old cat Portia and missing her special friend Jennifer Dodd. Both Sheba and Barbara are fired. Notes On A Scandal is a clever tackling of an often taboo subject, but there was nothing in the novel that made me go wow. A mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments. Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial. Notes on a scandal Item Preview > remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. Barbara is … A spinster nearing retirement, she has contempt for her students and fellow teachers. Sheba begins an illicit affair and Barbar becomes the keeper of her secret. Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this Notes on a Scandal study guide. narrator – dealing with an illicit sexual affair between a frustrated middle-aged schoolteacher and a disadvantaged teenage student with learning difficulties. Film. Notes On A Scandal Synopsis: The bitter, cynical and lonely Barbara Covett is a tough and conservative teacher, near to retirement, who is loathed by her colleagues and students. The reviewer also identified the film as a "study in the anthropology of British liberal-left middle-class life. Heller’s narrative, which seems to focus on a middle-aged teacher’s scandalous affair with one of her high school students, actually turns out to be about another relationship altogether. Sheba introduces her husband and former professor Richard Hart (Bill Nighy), who is about twenty years older than her; her rebellious teenager daughter Polly (Juno Temple); and her son Ben (Max Lewis), who has Down's Syndrome. Notes on a Scandal offers a diverting 90 minutes of watching great actors find depths in superficial, stereotypical material. When Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) joins the high school as the new art teacher, Barbara dedicates her attention to the newcomer, writing sharp and unpleasant comments about her behavior and clothes. The Arts and Media School, Islington was used a film location for many of the school scenes. She leaves Barbara, placing the journal on the table, and returns to her husband. Notes on a Scandal” by the British writer Zoë Heller, the film stars Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett as colleagues nearly undone by desire. Notes on a Scandal Review: 76 Days Is a Harrowing Document of the Covid Outbreak in Wuhan. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. When Barbara confronts her, she recounts all the details of her involvement with the boy, but Sheba asks her not to tell the school administration until after Christmas, as she wants to be with her family. Notes on a Scandal Themes These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. In the loneliness of her apartment, she spends her spare time writing in her journal, taking care of her old cat Portia, and missing her special friend Jennifer Dodd. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. In any way, I would agree with the Guardian. An Irish journalist writes a series of stories about drug dealers. A row ensues, and Sheba runs outside to a crowd of reporters and photographers. Notes on a Scandal is a 2006 British psychological thriller-drama film directed by Richard Eyre and produced by Robert Fox and Scott Rudin. Review: Black Bear Is an Unnerving Look at the Baggage that Fuels Creation. Select from premium 'Notes On A Scandal' of the highest quality. A scandalous affair with an underage boy is the entry into this melodrama about the friendship between two teachers in North London. Use the HTML below. Dench and Blanchett are magnificent. The writing is easy to follow, and the characters realistic, but … Adapted from the 2003 novel of the same name by Zoë Heller, the screenplay was written by Patrick Marber. I saw this at a preview last night. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Another The original score for the movie was composed by Philip Glass. He leans on Philip Glass's ever-present and insistent music like a crutch. A woman trying to escape her past becomes embroiled in a drug deal. Notes on a Scandal in the U.S.) is a 2003 novel by Zoë Heller. Bitter, cynical, and lonely Barbara Covett (Dame Judi Dench) is a tough and conservative teacher, near to retirement, who is loathed by her colleagues and students. NOTES ON A SCANDAL is … BBC One - Notes on a Scandal This programme is not currently available on BBC iPlayer Self-styled 'old battleaxe' Barbara befriends new fellow … America’) could finally be rewarded for playing Phyllis Schlafly, Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton Film ‘Curtain Call’ Sells to Major Territories – EFM, ‘Curtain Call’: Colin Firth-Gemma Arterton Drama Pre-Sells To Germany, Italy, Lat Am, More, Everything Coming to Prime Video in February 2021. Notes on a Scandal is whip-smart, sharp and grown up. Notes on a Scandal is an extremely sordid story, narrated by a totally unlikeable (and unreliable?) Great performances all round, with special mention to Bill Nighy in the Bill Nighy role. The film was mainly shot on location in the Parliament Hill, Gospel Oak and Camden Town areas of northwest London. Zoe Heller’s novel Notes on a Scandal was published in 2003, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize that year. Murtada Elfadl welcomes back Teo Bugbee to discuss the juicy and delicious Notes on a Scandal, its lineage to hagsploitation flicks like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, the trope of the predatory lesbian, and why this film remains highly rewatchable. But his natural gift for framing scenes is terrifically assured. You visit your museums and cultivate your interests and remind yourself how lucky you are not to be one of those spindly Sudanese children with flies beading their mouths. Sheba's husband asks her to move out of their home, so she moves into Barbara's house, unaware that Barbara is the reason she was found out and believing the affair became known because Steven confessed it to his mother. When Sheba discovers Barbara's diary and learns it was Barbara who leaked the story of the affair, she confronts Barbara and strikes her in anger. [3], The Guardian called the film a "delectable adaptation" with "tremendous acting from Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett, with many blue-chip supporting contributions and a "screenwriting masterclass from Patrick Marber". Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? "[7] Chicago Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper heaped praise on the film: "Perhaps the most impressive acting duo in any film of 2006. Barbara wants to make notes on her relationship with Sheba from the time she first met the new teacher until the “present” time, when she is still taking care of Sheba in the house of Sheba’s mom. Bitter, cynical, and lonely Barbara Covett (Dame Judi Dench) is a tough and conservative teacher, near to retirement, who is loathed by her colleagues and students. When Sheba won't give Barbara the time and attention she desires, Barbara lets the cat out of the bag and Sheba's life is turned upside down. Barbara later witnesses Sheba in a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old student named Steven Connolly at the school. A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her fifteen-year-old students. This FAQ is empty. When Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) joins the high school as the new art teacher, Barbara dedicates her attention to the newcomer, writing sharp and unpleasant comments about her behavior and clothes. Sheba introduces her husband and former professor Richard Hart (Bill Nighy), who is about twenty years older than her; her rebellious teenager daughter Polly (Juno Temple); and her son Ben (Max Lewis), who has Down's Syndrome. But Barbara is not the only one drawn to her. Notes on a Scandal book of her is fast pacing thriller. After the death of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted. share. "[6] The Washington Post noted the "dark brilliance" and that it "offers what is possibly the only intelligent account of such a disaster ever constructed, with a point of view that is somewhat gimlet-eyed and offered with absolutely no sentimentality whatsoever." However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship. [2] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. The early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch. The Guardian ranked What Was She Thinking? However, when she refuses to give in to Barbara's demands on her time, Barbara reveals the secret to a male teacher who has told her that he is attracted to Sheba. An aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York. 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