MovieChat Forums > The Paper Chase (1973) Discussion > Does Anyone Think Hart Is.....

Does Anyone Think Hart Is.....

posted 7 years ago by wt1963
2 replies | jump to latest

difficult to take by the end of the film? How can anyone be so blindly adoring of another human being? His obsession with Kingsfield borders on the bizarre.

First, when he is above the stacks and finds Kingsfield's notes, he begins to really get weird. It's as if Kingsfield's writings are some holy code explaining the meaning of life itself. ("Oh, how cute....he doodled in class!)

Then, in the football stadium, I always laugh out loud when he yells "I AM HAVING A TRUE SOCRATIC EXPERIENCE!!"..... as if he deserves some kind of award. I always think..."dude, I'm happy for you, but no one cares".

Even his girlfriend gets sick of hearing him wax poetic about old PK.

I know he finally "breaks free" at the end....and he seems to treat others well...but does anyone else think Hart's idolatrous fixation on Kingsfield---which is prevalent in about 98 per cent of the film--is a little strange? After all, Kingsfield is not God....he's a human being, just like anyone else.

PS--Speaking of Kingsfield.....talk about a guy that needs to loosen up!

[–] Drmccormack (743) 7 years ago

Hmm, there's no doubt that Hart becomes obsessed but I completely relate. I felt the same way about some of my professors. I don't know why, maybe it's the age (18~28?) but I think students are particularly vulnerable to idolatry. I can exactly remember nearly every compliment I received from a professor because it was so rare. So many of these people are geniuses, that there's bound to be some hero worshipping going on. Don't get me wrong, some were worthless and had zero interest in the students, but overall, I thought they were a special group of people.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Law school is like a cult but it is supposed to churn out independent thinkers not dependent followers. The Socratic method used by law professors “brainwashes” law students into questioning everything but they can experience some self doubt and vulnerability in the process. Contracts professors are notorious for being the most hard assed and are like the drill sargents of first year law school.

For anyone interested in a real version of this story, read “One L” by Scott Turrow. The author gives an autibiographical account of his first year at Harvard Law.