History Boys

United Kingdom, 2006. 102 mins. 20th Cent. Fox

THE HISTORY BOYS focuses on the experiences of eight history students at a grammar school in northern England in the mid 1980s as they attempt to get a place at the top two universities in the country; Oxford and Cambridge. The headmaster of the school is keen to send as many of his pupils to Oxbridge as possible and employs supply teacher Irwin to teach them the tricks of trade concerning how to get into Oxford or Cambridge. This style of teaching is contrasted sharply with that of the boys’ eccentric and maverick English teacher Hector and the facts and figures based teaching style of their history teacher Mrs Linnott.

Director: Nicholas Hytner