MovieChat Forums > Summer School (1987) Discussion > That wasn't Pam's father

That wasn't Pam's father

posted 16 years ago by Lady_Caca
6 replies | jump to latest

When the class is at the end and Shoop is talking about their test scores....Pam brings her brother with her. That guy that is shown is the guy that was there with his family when Pam tries to ask Shoop if she can live at his house. She says that guy is her brother. Why would her brother be there and not her mother or father? Maybe he was her legal guardian?

[–] Pinkmaltese1 16 years ago

Well Pam never mentioned her parents throughout the whole movie. Its very possible that the only people taking care of her were her brother and his wife. In that case, their parents must have died when her brother was of age, and he agreed to care for her.

[–] dmoreno27 16 years ago

Well...it was pretty obvious he was her legal guardian-and from the looks of of his large brood,no wonder Pam needed a place to stay!

Donna~

"WAR is OVER-if you want it!!!"...*John Lennon*

[–] Lady_Caca 15 years ago

I am watching Summer School now and that guy was Pam's sister's husband. So it was her brother-in-law.

[–] crispy_comments 14 years ago

I assumed Pam's parents must be dead...why else would she be living with her sister (and her sister's husband and kids)? It's a bit strange that they'd allow Pam to live with her teacher, and trust him like that when they don't know him but... gotta accept *some* suspension of disbelief in comedies. :) (Like a gym teacher being asked to teach another subject he's not really qualified for)

[–] dmoreno27 14 years ago

That was definitley Pam's older brother Tommy Sr (Nel Van Patten) in the scene a Freddy's beach house and at the end in the principal's office when they discuss the student's test scores!

Donna~

"WAR is OVER-if you want it!!!"...*John Lennon*

[–] MystMoonstruck 8 years ago

(Like a gym teacher being asked to teach another subject he's not really qualified for)

Believe me that happens in schools. For example: I was teaching during a flu epidemic. I taught English, but the principal took over MY classes and had me teach the following: Boys' PE, auto shop, and science (which I do have some background in). He told me that the boys in PE would behave if I told them they couldn't work on cars in shop. Of course, a number of them decided to test the teacher by going into the locker room, knowing I couldn't follow them there. Otherwise, they behaved more than I expected.

Also, when I was in 6th grade, whenever our English teacher was absent, our substitute was the boys' PE teacher, a big, gruff, drill sergeant-type man.

So, it's believable that a gym teacher could be saddled with English in summer school.

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC