P.R.O.F.S. (1985)

P.R.O.F.S. is a French film comedy first released in 1985, directed by Patrick Schulmann.  The film stars Patrick Bruel, Fabrice Luchini, Christophe Bourseiller, Laurent Gamelon and Etienne Draber.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


Frédéric is a reactionary literature teacher who intends to apply some unorthodox methods when he takes up a post in a typical French high school.  Whilst he quickly manages to get on the wrong side of most of his colleagues, his approach wins favour from art teacher Michel, gym instructor Gérard and librarian Francis.  Convinced that their teaching methods are the best, the four new friends set about eliminating their more conventional colleagues…

Patrick Schulmann manages to contain his more eccentric style of comedy – seen previously  in Et la tendresse?... Bordel! (1979) and Rendez-moi ma peau... (1980) – in this engaging comedy which cheerfully satirises the French teaching system.  Although the plot occasionally gets snarled up with some overly drawn out comic situations which fail to take off, P.R.O.F.S. is easily Schulmann’s best work, and features some of his funniest material.  Among a host of memorable visual jokes are: the instant transformation of a Karl Marx character into a Hitler-look-alike, the explosion of a chemistry teacher, and a hilarious sequence in which a bed falls through the ceiling during a film club screening of Jean Vigo’s Zéro de conduite.

Fabrice Luchini and Patrick Bruel are probably two of the least likely actors to appear in this kind of film (a low-brow, low-budget comedy), but their presence certainly gives the film extra appeal and kudos.  Luchini’s colourful portrayal of an art teacher is utterly eccentric yet – oddly – also totally spot on.  Can anyone claim to having had an art teacher who was remotely normal?

Whilst wacky for the most part, there are some attempts at serious reflection on the teaching profession.  A discussion between the four lead characters leads to some increasingly bizarre, yet strangely prophetic, predictions of the future of education.  Dare one imagine a world without teachers?  Schulmann dares, just before diving into another series of mad-cap comic situations.  It’s a bit messy, a bit too predictable in parts, but overall P.R.O.F.S. offers an entertaining view of high school education at its absolute worst.

© James Travers 2005

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