Reviews (8)

What Courage It Takes To Tell Such A Story So Eloquently
The Little Rock Nine tryed in September 1957 to implement the Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. Board of Education. What follows was nine months of chaos, hatred, and courage that would forever change those involved, especially Ernest Green, the only senior. He would eventually become Assistant Secretary of Labor to Jimmy Carter. What he learned in that time was more valuable than any other experience he had. Hear him as he narrates the story, and see the obstacles he had to overcome. This movie also takes a look at the bigotry all nine students faced, and is a testiment to some of the lowest behavior the white race has ever participated in. It is also a testiment to the theory of non-violence in practice, and how one person's fight for what is right can truly make people question and change their beliefs. Excellent performance by Morris Chestnut as Ernie, Ossie Davis and Grandfather and Gary Grubbs as Mr. Lumas, Ernie's Physics teacher and Boys Counselor at Central. Every high schooler ought to be required to see it before graduation.

Amazing
I researched the Little Rock Nine for a report, and this movie really puts it in perspective for you. Its an awesome movie and everyone in America should see it.

Something everyone should see
An excellent and humbling movie. It brings to life and brings home the awfulness of the day to day struggles the Little Rock 7, and all blacks, had to go through and the courage and strength of character they faced it with. It is in a sense a sobering movie. Although it does end on a definitely triumphant note, it is not a sugar-coated "and they lived happily every after" story. I believe that every child should be required to watch this in school at least once. The history books give us facts, but it is excellent movies like this one that put names, faces, and emotions to our history and really make the story stick in your mind. The Long Walk Home is another excellent movie I recommend in this category.

A Must See!
Wow! What a must see for everyone during January and February with Dr. King's Birthday celebration and Black History month. I teach in a public school and show it every year. It is a powerful story of courage in the face of racial discrimination and utter hatred. The movie is a heartfelt look at what those courageous teenagers did, so that my black students and white students could go to school together peacefully. Young children do not realize the sacrifices made so that they could have equality today and this movie is an excellent look at what a mere 40 years can do to change a society, when there are people willing to stand up for what is right!

A MUST SEE FOR EVERYONE
I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I THINK IT SHOULD BE SHOWN TO ALL CHILDREN, SO THAT THEY CAN SEE JUST HOW FAR CIVIL RIGHTS HAS COME, AND HOW FAR IT STILL HAS TO GO. THE MOVIE BROKE MY HEART IN CERTAIN SCENES, AND MADE MY HEART SOAR IN OTHERS. AND JUST PLAIN MADE ME ANGRY IN SOME. I RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE WITH HEART. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Quantum Leap classic
i dont know why they took this show off after only 5 seasons. the pilot episode is great, if you have any questions about quantum leap, this episode will answer all of your questions.

I think it was very awesome in how Sam dealt his merory.
How he dealt with his loss of memory,and also how he jumped into the accelerator just to prove his point on his theory of Quantum physics. Also how he dealt with the premature labor of his (Tom Stratton's) wife.Plus, I think Quantum Leap is cool, But the pilot episode goes above the norm. to FAR-OUT!

Great Pilot
The best Quatum Leap episode available. The first season was QL's best season. GET IT! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A compromise .
In this episode Sam is a teenager trying to open his sister's mind to the fact that the man she has chosen to marry is a very poor choice . You won't remember much of the episode after seeing it , but it's better than the some of the other bargains offered here .

One of the best QL episodes
This is one of the best Quantum Leap episodes. I truly enjoyed watching Scott Bakula as a Cameron

HIGH SCHOOL NERD!
When Sam leaps into Cameron, a hotrod jock who loves junk-food, (and has the zits to prove it) He must rescue Cam's sister from a horrible relationship! But who will listen to him?! Not One of the Best Quantum Leaps, although pretty good! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Doris Roberts & James Coco unforgettable as "Cora & Arnie"
Actually, this video tape includes two of the first four episodes from the first season of "St. Elsewhere," the award-winning 1980s television medical drama that looked at the lives of the beleaguered staff and their patients at Boston's St. Eligius Hospital. In "Bypass" (Episode #2, November 9, 1982), Dr. Morrison (David Morse) has to treat a terrorist. "Cora and Arnie" (Episode #4, November 23, 1982), tells the heart rending story of a homeless couple played by Doris Roberts and James Coco. Both actors earned Emmy Awards for their Supporting performances. It is no surprise that Roberts is so good, but the performance by Coco is stunning, although we all should have stopped being surprised years ago that comedians turn in such great tragic performances. Cora and Arnie live together on the streets; he is mildly retarded and if Cora does not have her feet amputated, she will die. However, she refuses to leave Arnie alone. The scene where he is huddled in the corner crying for her will stay with you forever. It has for me.

Final Note: It has always been my belief that because of these performances, which deserved Emmys but were for characters who appeared only once on a show (Emmys are based on performances in a SINGLE episode which is submitted for consideration), the awards of best performances by "guest stars" were created. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Why St. Eligius Hospital is called "St. Elsewhere"
Before there was "E.R." there was "St. Elsewhere," which was originally considered to be "Hill Street Blues" in a hospital. Both shows were filmed in a gritty, realistic style. In the pilot episode we meet the beleaguered doctors of St. Eligius, a teaching ospital in Boston. The drama focuses on idealistic intern Jack Morrison (David Morse), who is fighting to prevent an operation that may kill a beautiful young woman (Dominique Dunne) under his care . Morrison, like Mark Green on "E.R.," became the compassionate young doctor who symbolized the dedication of these television doctors. Meanwhile, Dr. Annie Cavanero (Cynthia Sykes) is running all over the hospital trying to find a missing patient while down in the Emergency Room Dr. Ben Samuels (David Birney) and Dr. Wayne Fiscus (Howie Mandel) are trying to save the victims of a terrorist bomb attack. Trying to serve as the father figure for all this insanity is Dr. Donald Westphall (Ed Flanders), who has to put up with his bombastic heart surgeon, Dr. Mark Craig (William Daniels), who has gotten the hospital new clocks. One of the most critically acclaimed shows of its day, "St. Elsewhere" is now remembered mainly for the fact that young Denzel Washington played Dr. Phillip Chandler. "St. Elsewhere" was created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, who went on to create other critically acclaimed series including "I'll Fly Away" and "Northern Exposure." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
I REMEMBER THIS MOVIE A LONG TIME AGO!
DENZEL WAS JUST STARTING OUT, KIND OF!
THE STORY WAS HEART WARMING, BEFORE LEAN ON ME JOE CLARK!
WAS MR. MCKENNA!
I REMEMBER ONE KID FATHER DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL!
THAT WAS AWFUL!
THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!*****

Denzel Strikes Again!
I seriously doubt Mr. Denzel Washington is able to give anything less than a performance of total conviction, as he proves once again to me here in one of his earliest leading roles. In a true-life portrayal of George McKenna, new principal to the trouble-torn George Washington Memorial High School, he is wholly convincing. The problems he encounters are not solely those caused by the students, but also the parents and indeed some of the teachers. His determination to turn things round stems from his passion that his pupils WILL graduate to college if they want to, and that this will never happen if they don't feel anyone cares about them. Despite resistance from some pupils and teachers,(not to mention ongoing gang warfare within the grounds), others rise to the occasion, both for themselves and for McKenna himself, such is the respect he gains. In the process of such diligence his once supportive girlfriend leaves him under the pressure of his split commitments, but as for the School, he succeeds. Seeing the graduating students really is a heartwarming moment! Having previously seen "187", it does make the violent scenes and troublesome pupils here look bland by comparison, but its hard to tell if this film was sanitised or "187" sensationalised. Regardless, its still well worth the watch, especially if you respect Denzel's work in later movies already. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Sam finds its a whole new world when he leaps into Samantha
Sam leaps into a woman in "What Price Gloria? - October 16, 1961" (Episode #13, October 25, 1989). Samantha Stormer is a gorgeous secretary for an automobile company, which means he has to deal with not only being sexually harassed by his boss (John Calvin) and a suicide attempt by his roommate (Jean Segal), but the effect Samantha's looks are having on Al. Not a classic episode of "Quantum Leap," but certainly above average as Sam gets to see how the other half lives. As always, the chief charm is Scott Bakula's completely convincing performance. Written by Deborah Pratt, this episode was directed by Alan J. Levi.

I think Sam's first leap into a woman was funny.
I felt it was funny to see Sam's first foray into a woman's body, although I didn't think Samantha looked that pretty when they showed her in the mirror. But the episode itself was good. September 7, 1999-

Interesting to see Sam's first leap into a woman.
I thought it was funny to see the first episode where Sam leaped into a woman, although I think the actress who played Samantha's image in the mirror could have been prettier if the plot was partly about Al's reaction to Sam. - September 7, 1999

Good story
kind of interesting when he finds himself as a woman and he acted well. since this is the first time he is a woman this will captavate the viewer into this one. I thought it was pretty good.

One of the few gems from QL's '89-'90 season
Thank god one of four good episodes("Honeymoon Express","Disco Inferno", this one,and "MIA") from Quatum Leap's second season made it out on video. This Episode has some really cliched moments(pretty much anything Gloria says) but the great humor make up for that. Scott Bakula gives a great performance. One of the series best episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The second episode from the season of "St. Elsewhere"
"Bypass" is the second episode from the first season of "St. Elsewhere," the critically acclaimed series that changed forever the medical shows on television. "E.R." made it to the top of the Nielsen ratings, but "St. Elsewhere" was the show that opened to door to doctors being seen more realistically than what we were used to with "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Medical Center." I remember driving this home in a television class when we too the multi-episode plot line on "St. Elsewhere" involving the heart transplant and turned it into a "Medical Center" episode during a class discussion. I was sort of hoping that "Bypass" was the unforgettable episode from that run where the heart transplant was performed, but it is not.

Of course there are multiple plot lines going on in "Bypass," but the main one has Dr. Jack Morrison (David Morse) having to treat the bank bomber, Andrew Reinhardt (a young Tim Robbins). Meanwhile Stephen MacAllister (Jack Bannon), the husband of one of the bomber's victims, shows up at St. Eligus to find his wife in a coma. Unfortunately the rather memorable resolution of this particular plotline is not found on this tape (it comes in episode 4, "Cora and Arnie," and if you go for the "Best of" video series you can get both episodes on one tape). The other plot lines find Dr. Mark Craig (William Daniels) badgering a patient into agreeing to surgery in another effort to get publicity for the hospital, Dr. Ben Samuels (David Birney) trying to teach Dr. Beale (G. W. Bailey) to swim, and Laraine Newman of "Saturday Night Live" as a patient called "Tweety."

This episode, co-written by series creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey, originally aired on November 9, 1982. Hard to believe that it has been over two decades since "St. Elsewhere" went on the air and as "'Hill Street Blues' set in a hospital.'" On the basis of the pilot episode and this second effort Dr. Morrison is clearly the focal character (the Anthony Edwards of his generation) but you also have clear evidence of the quirky humor of the series. For those who reduce this series, one of the best television dramas ever, to being the first place where future Oscar winner Denzel Washington made a name for himself, there is the added bonus on another future Oscar winner with Tim Robbins guest-starring in this one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sam in black .
This is the best episode of the first season . This was the first success of the brand new series in touching my heart , in helping to understand how is it to walk in someone else's shoes , and especially , in a black man's shoes . As for the story itself , Sam leaps into a black man in the early Sixties and refuses to suffer from the discrimination and segregation blacks endured on those days .

This is one of the best plotted , directed , acted and remembered Quantom Leap's episode of all time...

Different in a good way
this one also a first being a Black person that is. this one deals with racial prejustice and segregration one scott's better preformances. it also showed the black strugle through the fifties. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

There were better ones .
My advise is to avoid this episode . It is quite a surprise they released it on VHS and with a price tag of [price]!!! There were a whole lot better ones and with the same amount of money you can get your hands on one of the best (double!) episodes of the series called "The leap home" ...

In case you're the long lost fan that just want to buy some good old episodes , I'm aware of the fact that the variety of chapters offered here is extremely modest calling you to buy whatever you can - Don't . Believe me , there were much better performances of our heroes , some of them do exist in the...library .

As for the plot itself , Sam leaps to a retarded fellow that just got out of an institution with the help of his brother , who now is trying to find him a job . We witness and identify with the difficulties a slow man faces on everyday basis . Sam feels how it's like to do almost everything wrong , despite his good intentions .

This is certainly not a smash hit - spend your money on other episodes that are for sale in here and for a reasonable cost.

A great episode from a great show!
Why this show was cancelled is beyond me. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell are a great team and together create real emotional depth as Dr. Sam Beckett and Al Calavicci. The science of the show is not as riveting to me as is the camaraderie between the two leads, who basically carried the show. Bakula is an actor of great versatility and style, and he plays Sam with a sweet befuddlement that is nowhere more apparent than this episode. Sam's body betrays him as he leaps into the developmentally disabled "Jimmy." He cannot seem to do anything right and it is desperately important that he not be sent back to the institution. Jimmy's sister-in-law grows more and more annoyed as Jimmy breaks plates and generally disrupts her house. Jimmy's brother and nephew accept him as he is, but Jimmy must prove himself to his brother's wife and does so in a heroic way. The usually-wisecracking Al shows a tender side as he pleads with Sam not to give up on Jimmy, giving us know a little more insight into his life.

Definitely a worthwhile episode to own. Easy to see why Bakula won a Golden Globe for his work on this series!

Jimmy
Sam leaps into a man named Jimmy who needs a job from his brother. While on the job he is thought to be a "retard" because he sometimes does somethings wrong. He must save a boy from drowning and save himself and his brother from being fired. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Sam leaps into a detective with a gruesome murder to solve
"Dreams-February 28, 1979" is something of a misnomer, because this "Quantum Leap" episode (#61, November 13, 1991) is more about nightmares. Sam leaps into a detective who is investigating a pretty gruesome murder. He may well me next on the murderer's hit list and the only ones who can help him are the victim's catatonic son and her husband's psychiatrist. To make things even more interesting, Sam is experiencing horrible flashbacks. Written by Deborah Pratt (who also wrote "Shock Theater" for the series), "Dreams" has guest stars Jocelyn O'Brien, Alan Scarfe and Bill Marcus. Certainly an interesting choice for inclusion in the video collection, which is a nice way of saying there are other episodes I would have selected first (the Lee Harvey Oswald ones being my first choice).

One of the best
This video is very good and interesting, because it is defferent from other episodes of QL. It is cute to see Sam's vonerability and Al is there for Sam as usual. As also in many other QL episodes in this it is not only about the plot itself, but about the friendship between the two men.I recommend to buy the video and enjoy one of the best episodes of Quantum Leap.

Quantum Leap - Dreams
This is a bit different from other Quantum Leap shows in the fact that it's length is shorter and the plot is a murder mystery. Its a good who-done-it movie with a turn of events that is surprising. I had never seen this episode on TV so it was totally new to me and I did enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

sad but beautiful
Wonderful performances by Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. Great plot. Loved it. Just one of the many reasons Quantum Leap should have lasted longer than it did.

Absolutely One of The BEST Quantum Leap Episodes Ever
This episode is extremely satisfying for anyone who is familiar with the series and especially the Sam-Al relationship. It is a definite tour-de-force for Scott Bakula's acting talents, as it is a rare time when he not only plays Sam Beckett but "becomes" those he has previously leapt into. I highly recommend this episode.

Quantum Leap at its best
This is by far one of the best Quantum Leap episodes there is. Sam loses touch with his reality due to a shock therapy treatment and "becomes" people that he has previously leaped into. This causes the project to almost lose contact with Sam for good. This episode has some great suspense as Al fights to make Sam realize who he is all the while fading in nd out as Ziggy fights to keep contact. The episode has a wonderful surprise ending as well, and its a great shame the companion episode hasn't been released on video as well. Anyway, this one is well worth a few bucks and will provide you hours of enjoyment as it is worth watching again and again and again.

Very pleased and want more
I was so pleased to watch this video again. My hope is that soon I can order the last show. It is very nice to see this and be able to remember so many more of the people Sam had helped.

One of my favorite episodes!
Shock theater is one of my favorite episodes. The acting is great and very touching and Dean Stockwell and Scott Bakula give emotional performances. The episode keeps you on the edge of your seat and entertained. My only complaint is that other episodes are not on video, I wish they were. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

One of the Very Best!
Amazing, bittersweet episode in which Dr. Sam Beckett leaps into himself at age 16 in Elk Ridge, Indiana 1969. Both Bakula and Stockwell give one of their greatest performances in this heartwarming third season opener. Sam wants to save his brother Tom from dying in Vietnam on April 8, 1970. Al reminds him that "you can't change something that isn't meant to be changed."-the same words Sam gave Al in episode "M.I.A." when Al wanted to save his marriage to his first wife Beth. Incidentally, "M.I.A" came right before "The Leap Home". While trying save Tom, Sam is also trying to save the rest of his family from misfortune- a sister who marries an abusing drunk and a father who dies of heart failure in '72. The ending of this wonderful 2-parter reveals a great sacrifice that Al had to pay in order for his best friend Sam to save his brother. Completely unforgettable!

Sam leaps home and tries to save his brother's life
I am ashamed to admit that the two-parts of "The Leap Home" were the first episodes of "Quantum Leap" that I ever watched. Of course, once it was over I never missed another episode of this most unique television series starring Scott Bakula. Part I, "The Leap Home - November 25, 1969" (Episode #32, September 28, 1990), finds Sam has leaped into himself at the age of 16. Ziggy says Sam is home to help his team win the state high school basketball championship but Sam insists he is going to save his father (also played by Bakula) from dying, his sister (Olivia Burnette) from marrying the wrong man, and his brother Tom (David Newsom) from dying in Vietnam. At one point Sam actually tries to convince them he knows the future, until his singing John Lennon's "Imagine" terrifies his sister. At the end he wins the game, but Al informs him Tom still dies in Vietnam. Sam calls his brother's name and leaps into "Magic," a Navy SEAL in his brother's squad in Vietnam.

"The Leap Home, Part II (Vietnam) - April 7, 1970" (#33, October 5, 1990), takes place in the days before Tom Beckett's death in Vietnam. Sam does not know if he is there to prevent Tom's death or simply to ensure that his mission is a success. Trying to do both, Sam uses a female reporter (Andrea Thompson) to help him out. But in the end he learns that saving one life effects others. The surprising consequences that his efforts have provides one of the biggest shocks I have ever seen on television. Absolutely stunning and a scene that continues to bring tears to my eyes. Tia Carrere is in this episode as a Vietnamese woman. Not surprisingly, both parts of "The Leap Home" were written by series creator Donald P. Bellisario. This is epic television of the first rank. It simply does not get any better than this, people.

Likely the best tv episode I've seen
While I've certainly not seen every television show ever made, I've seen quite a bit. I'm not a huge QL fan, but I don't know if I've ever seen anything this good. Not perfect, but I still tear up a little thinking about the ending. Try to see parts 1 and 2 consecutively if you can.
You must see the whole thing in order to truly 'get it.' This 2-part show would be very good without the ending, very moving with it.

Quantum Leap: The Leap Home
"Quantum Leap" is my favorite show of all time and I never missed an episode. I wish it never went off the air! I have to say that my favorite episodes are "The Leap Home" when Sam leaps into himself as a teenager and then into his brother's sqad in Vietnam. The two parts are extremely moving. The very last scene of part two still gives me chills. The acting is superb by both Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell (as always). I highly recommend "The Leap Home" and any of the other episodes!

Unfair Trading Practices!
These videos are excellent and well worth buying. I am, however, extremely disappointed that Quantum Leap is NOT available to English customers. On www.amazon.co.uk, Quantum Leap is only available in the books. Which sadly fail to live up to the series. Why are the videos only for sale to America and Canada.

PS. Save money and watch the series on UK GOLD. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
I REMEMBER THIS MOVIE A LONG TIME AGO!
DENZEL WAS JUST STARTING OUT, KIND OF!
THE STORY WAS HEART WARMING, BEFORE LEAN ON ME JOE CLARK!
WAS MR. MCKENNA!
I REMEMBER ONE KID FATHER DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL!
THAT WAS AWFUL!
THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!*****

Denzel Strikes Again!
I seriously doubt Mr. Denzel Washington is able to give anything less than a performance of total conviction, as he proves once again to me here in one of his earliest leading roles. In a true-life portrayal of George McKenna, new principal to the trouble-torn George Washington Memorial High School, he is wholly convincing. The problems he encounters are not solely those caused by the students, but also the parents and indeed some of the teachers. His determination to turn things round stems from his passion that his pupils WILL graduate to college if they want to, and that this will never happen if they don't feel anyone cares about them. Despite resistance from some pupils and teachers,(not to mention ongoing gang warfare within the grounds), others rise to the occasion, both for themselves and for McKenna himself, such is the respect he gains. In the process of such diligence his once supportive girlfriend leaves him under the pressure of his split commitments, but as for the School, he succeeds. Seeing the graduating students really is a heartwarming moment! Having previously seen "187", it does make the violent scenes and troublesome pupils here look bland by comparison, but its hard to tell if this film was sanitised or "187" sensationalised. Regardless, its still well worth the watch, especially if you respect Denzel's work in later movies already. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Essential QL
Like Shock Theatre and The Leap Home, Catch a Falling Star is a "must have" for any true Quantum Leap lover. This episode showcases Scott Bakula's singing talent. The episode was written using Man of La Mancha as a metaphor for the friendship between Sam and Al for Don Quiote and Sancho. Very moving.

I ordered for Catch A Falling Star on 4/26 & haven't rec'd
I ordered & paid for Catch A Falling Star on 4/26 through Paypal. I've e'd the seller a few times with no results! I won't deal through him again.

Sam tackles "The Impossible Dream" on stage
"Catch a Falling Star-May 21, 1979" (Episode #18, December 6, 1989) is the memorable episode of "Quantum Leap" where Scott Bakula's Sam Beckett gets a chance to show off his singing talent. The story line finds Sam leaping into Ray Hutton, the understudy for Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha." Ziggy tells Sam he has to prevent the show's drunken star, John O'Malley (John Cullum), from falling and seriously hurting himself during a benefit performance of the show. Complicating things is the fact that O'Malley has designs on Nicole (Michele Pawk), the understudy for Aldonza/Dulcinea. It seems she used to be Sam's piano teacher and he had a big time crush on her. Those saw Cullum on "Northern Exposure," or who remember him as Rutledge in the movie version of "1776," already know the man can sing, but watching Bakula tackle Don Quixote on stage is a great treat (be sure to check out the end credits for the cast's curtain calls). Janine Turner, another future "Northern Exposure" star, plays Michelle in this episode, which is my favorite lightheated one from the series. "Catch a Falling Star" was written by Paul Brown and directed by "Quantum Leap" creator Donald P. Bellisario.

Magnificent!
Scott Bakula's vocal talent is evident in this great episode! The music will keep you humming for days. You can't help but feel for Sam, as he works along side his old piano teacher, who sees him as an old flame, not as the Sam who had a crush on her when he was a child. Great story, Great music!

Man of La Mancha
The Man of La Mancha is the perfect story plot for Scott Bakula. When he was just getting started in acting he was in the musical which gave him a leg up for the show. Also the fact that Don Quixote and Poncho were side kicks gives the viewer a look at Sam (Scott Bakula) and Al's (Dean Stockwell) relationship. It showed the love and affection partners can have for one another on top of an already on going plot surrounded by guest stars. I loved the show it was full of love and pasion, hate and jealousy. It's my favorite episode! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
I REMEMBER THIS MOVIE A LONG TIME AGO!
DENZEL WAS JUST STARTING OUT, KIND OF!
THE STORY WAS HEART WARMING, BEFORE LEAN ON ME JOE CLARK!
WAS MR. MCKENNA!
I REMEMBER ONE KID FATHER DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL!
THAT WAS AWFUL!
THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!*****

Denzel Strikes Again!
I seriously doubt Mr. Denzel Washington is able to give anything less than a performance of total conviction, as he proves once again to me here in one of his earliest leading roles. In a true-life portrayal of George McKenna, new principal to the trouble-torn George Washington Memorial High School, he is wholly convincing. The problems he encounters are not solely those caused by the students, but also the parents and indeed some of the teachers. His determination to turn things round stems from his passion that his pupils WILL graduate to college if they want to, and that this will never happen if they don't feel anyone cares about them. Despite resistance from some pupils and teachers,(not to mention ongoing gang warfare within the grounds), others rise to the occasion, both for themselves and for McKenna himself, such is the respect he gains. In the process of such diligence his once supportive girlfriend leaves him under the pressure of his split commitments, but as for the School, he succeeds. Seeing the graduating students really is a heartwarming moment! Having previously seen "187", it does make the violent scenes and troublesome pupils here look bland by comparison, but its hard to tell if this film was sanitised or "187" sensationalised. Regardless, its still well worth the watch, especially if you respect Denzel's work in later movies already. ... Read more