Book Vs. Movie: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

(Replay ep for Dame Maggie Smith 1934-2024)

The Margos celebrate September with a series of “Back to School” episodes, starting with the 1961 classic  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. Brodie is a popular teacher at a girls' school in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1931.
Each year she picks a group of students to be an elite part of the “Brodie set”--under her tutelage learning mostly about the arts & beauty (and not science!)Brodie is single and considers herself at her “prime,” with two gentlemen vying for her affection. 
Mr. Lloyd is a painter, a father of six, and a bit of a letch. Mr. Lowther is a kind person but a bit wishy-washy. 
The competition for her attention and affection marks their relationships and is a game the girls enjoy watching.Turns out Brodie is a Fascist, which is her ultimate undoing. The complicated story about education and mentorship is an indictment of giving one person too much power over a young mind. The 1969 movie was not a massive hit at the time, but when Dame Maggie Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1970, it went back into the theaters and became a classic. There are many changes between the book & the film. Which did the Margos like more? In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The interesting life story of Muriel Spark
• The central characters and how they differ in the adaptation
• The moral quandary of liking Maggie Smith and despising Brodie
• The cast includes Maggie Smith (Brodie,) Robert Stephens (Teddy Lloyd,) Pamela Franklin (Sandy,) Gordon Jackson (Gordon Lowther,) Celia Johnson (Miss Mackay,) Diane Grayson (Jenny,) Jane Carr (Mary McGregor,) and Shirley Steedman (Monica.)

Clips Featured:

• The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie  trailer
• Miss Brodie confronts Miss Mackay
• Sandy confront Miss Brodie
• Miss Brodie shows her vacation slides
• Music: “Jean” by Rod McKuen

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