Teacher, Teacher

I saw this Hall Mark Hall of Fame TV film once when it first aired and have never seen it since. Once however was enough to leave a lasting impression. David McCallum who was well know at the time for his Man from U.N.C.L.E. role is a teacher trying to get his life back on track and accepts a job as a tutor for a mentally retarded youth named Freddie played masterfully by Billy Schulman himself a mentally challenged person.

Ossie Davis is a jack of all trades for the youth's father. While McCallums character struggles to teach Freddie Davis takes a different approach towards the boy and the boy learns a number of things from him. Why this film is not shown more is a shame.

I first saw "Teacher, Teacher" when I was about 14 years old, primarily, because I was in love with David McCallum, who played Illya Kuryakin on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and because, in the 1960s, the "Hallmark Hall of Fame," specials held the imprimatur of quality television programming. I was so moved by the relationship between teacher and student, played by McCallum and Billy Schulman, that I took the opportunity to see it again at The Museum of Television and Radio some forty years later. The emotional impact of the story still holds up, and now, as a teacher, I appreciate the portrayal of the toughness of teaching a special needs student. With this second viewing, I'm reminded of the genius of Ozzie Davis who gave an understated, multi-layered performance as the handyman and kind of truth-sayer in this story. I may be looking at this film through the lens of nostalgia, but I find that many filmmakers of the 1960s had aspirations of telling stories that made views think about the human condition and social issues that needed closer examination. These films helped mobilize people, to some degree, to change in action or thought about many issues of the day. I think "Teacher, Teacher" like "To, Sir with Love" and "Up the Down Staircase" are quality films that do well in addressing teaching, learning, and the conditions necessary to make learning possible. I'd recommend that you seek out "Teacher, Teacher" and these other films that I have mentioned in this review. They are effective on many levels.

I remember occasionally having lunch with Billy Shulman in the Harry B. Thompson junior high cafeteria in Syosset, NY (where we both went to school). We never became close friends, but I have always wondered what happened to him. I would love to see this film again; I remember that he did a wonderful job in the film with David McCallum and Ossie Davis. I contacted Hallmark Hall of Fame a number of years back, to see if the movie was released on VHS, but they had no early records of movies that went back to the late 60's. Maybe it wasn't called Hallmark Hall of Fame back then. Anyway, I hope I can find a copy because I would love to show it to my students at the high school where I teach. John Wagner