There were a few points while watching The History Boys (2006) that I almost turned it off.  I will not tell you why here, but it will become apparent in the synopsis why a practicing Catholic would be uncomfortable with some of the material.  What drew me to it was the title.  As somebody who has studied the title subject for most of my life, anything with the word “history” in it is going to draw me to it.  Nothing about the trailer I saw suggested that it would be about what I got.  Instead, aside from discussing the past, I thought it would focus on the interesting but unfamiliar British school system.  While recoiling at some of the themes, I found myself wishing that I had received a similar course of instruction before I entered college.  Yet, I am not sure I want you to continue reading in order to unravel my evasive prose.  Wish me luck.

Actually, it was just this Catholic reviewer’s luck that The History Boys starts with Donald “Donnie” Scripps (Jamie Parker) in church praying.  The reason for his supplication is for the results of an examination that will determine whether he and his classmates have an opportunity to go on to one of the two premier English universities, Cambridge or Oxford.  As he departs for school, he is joined by one of his seven other classmates, David Posner (Samuel Barnett), who will be introduced as needed.  By the time they all get to their school, they are excited to learn that they have all received the needed marks.  As an aside, I am quite proud of that turn of phrase, which bridges the gap between American and British grading conventions.  Whatever it is this means, their sole focus for the coming academic year is to prepare themselves for the interviews and tests needed to get into one of those universities.  Not to get ahead of myself, but the only one discussed is Oxford.  Their headmaster (think principal), Felix (Clive Merrison), wants them all to get into those prestigious schools.  As such, he is wary of long-time teacher Hector (Richard Griffiths).  To Felix, Hector is far too familiar and lenient with the boys.  As a way of isolating Hector, the course he is given with them is “General Studies.”  It is a meaningless designation, but he makes the most of it.  Meanwhile, Felix is doing everything he can to replace Hector with the young and Oxford educated Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore).  Of course, Irwin’s calling card is of the utmost interest to Felix, but the newcomer does aim to be a good instructor.  Irwin gets a few hours during the week with our eight students, teaching them history.  He does not take it easy on them.  Instead of praising them for their earlier work, he sharply criticizes their conventional thinking and challenges them to come up with new approaches that he believes will better impress Oxford.  As Irwin rises in Felix’s estimation, Hector sinks.  While Hector has always been unconventional, Felix had never known the full extent of the veteran instructor’s proclivities.  The boys, however, know.  Though they all seem to take it as a kind of twisted rite of passage, Hector enjoys giving the teenagers rides home on his motorcycle during which he fondles their private parts.  There is never anything else that comes of his indiscretions, at least not for him.  What might be argued is Hector’s effect on their sexuality.  David is a closeted homosexual, which Hector recognizes and thus never takes on his vehicle.  Yet, David develops a longing that centers on playboy classmate Stuart Dakin (Dominic Cooper).  While Stuart is aware of David’s feelings, the former instead flirts with Irwin.  It is an unrequited love triangle that is far too open for the grammar school level, which is what anything below college is referred to as over there, apparently.  Though Hector is not blamed directly for all these improprieties, he is caught touching one of his students while on his motorcycle one day after school.  The matter is reported to Felix, who summons Hector to the headmaster’s office.  The last thing Felix wants is a scandal, so he requests that Hector retire after the year is complete.  Hector offers the absurd defense that it was only ever touching, but he does not object to the request.  The tense situation continues until the boys finally take their entrance exams, and then head to Oxford for their interviews.  While there, Stuart looks up Irwin’s college and discovers that the teacher had never actually attended the school.  This information is used against Irwin by Stuart when they return.  It is not accurate to call it blackmail, but Stuart follows up his discussion of what he found out by requesting that he and Irwin do unspeakable things.  After this, Stuart goes back to Felix’s office where his classmates are celebrating the fact that they had all been granted entry into Oxford.  During the earlier festivities, Stuart had observed Felix groping his secretary, Fiona (Georgia Taylor), a woman with whom Stuart is intimately familiar.  Apparently, Stuart knows more about what goes on behind closed doors at the school because he accuses Felix of scandalous behavior.  The result of this is that Hector is reinstated for another year, which the boys all cheer, for some reason.  He heads off on his motorcycle, joined by Irwin, but they are involved in an accident not long thereafter.  Irwin suffers a broken leg, but Hector dies.  The final scene is just after the funeral when the deputy headteacher, Mrs. Dorothy Lintott (Frances de la Tour), imagines talking to all the boys, and Irwin, about their future lives.

I cannot say I was much interested in what any of The History Boys did after Oxford, save for Donnie, perhaps.  He is not the only Christian character, however.  There is also Mr. Stanley Wilkes (Adrian Scarborough), the physical education teacher, who is one of those believers who says things like God hates homosexuals.  You do not need to see this movie (generally speaking, too) to hear other so-called followers of God spouting such vile language.  In contrast, Donnie meets people where they are at, not necessarily trying to evangelize, but showing God’s love by sticking to his principles in the middle of the muck and mire without being a jerk about it.  There is a way of confronting sin in a civilized manner, and I have always been more in favor of a gentler approach.  Then again, given the controversies in which the Church has been involved, I should probably address the blatant sexual abuse.  I almost hesitated to use that word because that is not how the so-called protagonists view the situation.  Instead, the message is more about dealing with closeted feelings that they never indulge but are a constant source of torment.  Indeed, there is a scene between David and Hector where the student is reciting a poem as an assignment, and they are discussing its contents afterwards.  The message is clearly that one needs to bravely hide their true feelings in order to make it in the world, even to the point of being willing to sacrifice their lives.  It is a terrible position to be in no matter how you view it.  My intention here is not to gay bash.  That would not be Christian of me, or more specifically, Catholic.  The Church’s main concern is with sex outside of marriage.  Since marriage is reserved for a man and a woman, any sexual contact beyond that is a sin.  At the same time, if I were to say that everyone sins in some manner, including myself, that would sound like a copout. God calls us to strive to do better.  We may stumble, but we can always pick ourselves up and renew the struggle.  It is also good to pray that God speaks to our hearts and transforms them, so that we can continue the fight.  If there is any silver lining to the film, it is that Hector and Irwin, to a certain extent, want to struggle.

Still, I have to struggle to even say that much of a compliment about The History Boys.  Ultimately, Irwin gives in to Stuart’s advances, though they go unfulfilled due to the accident.  What is most bothersome is that Hector seemingly goes unpunished for his confessed rule breaking, unless you count his untimely death.  Notwithstanding, the Church takes a dim view of such behavior these days, and I will take comfort in that fact while strongly recommending against seeing this film.