The basic premise of the movie was good. A Narcissist Ego in human form (thanks to his worshiping father) gets a scholarship to Oxford. There he has to learn that not only humans, even if they are exceptionally gifted, but in the end, it is the team and the team spirit which matter.
An excellent and laudable concept but how that change came into the ego-personified into human was poorly made.
Till he was ridiculed and punished by his fello students for his attitude was alright. But his conversion from public-enemy #1 to Public-Hero #1, and reversal of the erstewhile Public Hero, Beaumont is ridiculous.
For what? Lee had punched a guard during raid. Beaumont was declared the culprit. He said he didn't but didn't name who did, and even accepted punishment for assault and lie - which he could have escaped by speaking out the truth. But he didn't. The truth would have in fact certainly expelled Lee, then and there. Who was the hero of this episode ? Why ? Even when the students knew that Beaumont has accepted the punished, and not crawled (escaping rustication only because his records, academic as well as non-academic). Certainly not something for which you can be socially boycotted.
The liaison with Mrs Craddock, continuation of which in the Probation period would was a sure way to get rusticated, was continued for some time with impunity (they were in Boat together) ! He knew of it, having refusing to fight Lee, even when extremely provoked an taunted for refusal.
The visit of Elsa in boys hostel at night ? The grounds were not strong enough to justify, unless it was to clear the way further, for him getting expelled. And even funnier - with an known flirt and unfaithful wife, who even goes with boys on week-ends to do purchases, but doesn't - would the husband relocate the shop to neighborhood of an "Officer's Club" ? Who would buy books there ? An intelligent script would have been to say resort - where the book-curio shop could be there as well as Elsa's needs would be met.
It is ironic to think that what Taylor's character learnt in the movie, he didn't in the real life, being one of the major squealers, in McCarthy Circus.
An excellent and laudable concept but how that change came into the ego-personified into human was poorly made.
Till he was ridiculed and punished by his fello students for his attitude was alright. But his conversion from public-enemy #1 to Public-Hero #1, and reversal of the erstewhile Public Hero, Beaumont is ridiculous.
For what? Lee had punched a guard during raid. Beaumont was declared the culprit. He said he didn't but didn't name who did, and even accepted punishment for assault and lie - which he could have escaped by speaking out the truth. But he didn't. The truth would have in fact certainly expelled Lee, then and there. Who was the hero of this episode ? Why ? Even when the students knew that Beaumont has accepted the punished, and not crawled (escaping rustication only because his records, academic as well as non-academic). Certainly not something for which you can be socially boycotted.
The liaison with Mrs Craddock, continuation of which in the Probation period would was a sure way to get rusticated, was continued for some time with impunity (they were in Boat together) ! He knew of it, having refusing to fight Lee, even when extremely provoked an taunted for refusal.
The visit of Elsa in boys hostel at night ? The grounds were not strong enough to justify, unless it was to clear the way further, for him getting expelled. And even funnier - with an known flirt and unfaithful wife, who even goes with boys on week-ends to do purchases, but doesn't - would the husband relocate the shop to neighborhood of an "Officer's Club" ? Who would buy books there ? An intelligent script would have been to say resort - where the book-curio shop could be there as well as Elsa's needs would be met.
It is ironic to think that what Taylor's character learnt in the movie, he didn't in the real life, being one of the major squealers, in McCarthy Circus.