MovieChat Forums > Dead Poets Society (1989) Discussion > Anybody else disturbed by the 'messages'...

Anybody else disturbed by the 'messages' of the film ?

posted 11 years ago by calcaylor
93 replies | jump to latest

I know this is probably going to elicit some very negative reactions but I have heard what a great film this is over the years and finally decided to try it. At least 2 people I have very high opinions of spoke very well of this film. Having now seen it, I found a couple of its core premises troubling.

First off, Keating is encouraging all these boys in a very traditional prep school to live these artistic indulgent lives. They try to defend his character on this point by having him say he wanted them to explore the indulgent life but he didn't want them to get kicked out of school. Seriously? So he encourages these 14 15 16 year old boys to live this radically indulgent life but he didn't stop to think that at least one or two were going to take it too far? Too far in the sense of getting either themselves or himself in serious trouble?

Secondly, I find the message of Neil's suicide disturbing. It seemed like the movie only spent about 5 to 10 minutes of grieving time for Neil's death. It bothered me in that rather than show the fallout of impact to parents, other close family, childhood friends, not to mention his fellow classmates, the movie seemed to suggest, "Well, sometimes people make the choice to kill themselves and it's awful but then you move on."

What the writer of the story was in a hurry to move on to was to celebrate Mr Keating in a bogus "redeeming moment" where they honor him in a way that, although the film fails to honestly reveal, would have certainly gotten most, if not all, expelled. If Keating had had any real integrity, the moment that Todd Anderson made his move, he would have left the room quickly to minimize the damage to them.

.*´¨¨)
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(¸.•´ Think heavenly, act locally...

[–] Jill-McBain 8 years ago

We must have watched different movies.

'Ne cherchez plus mon coeur, les bêtes l'ont mangé.' Baudelaire

[–] CorgiLobsterDog 7 years ago

Your opinion is valid, in fact - It's a major plot point in the film. That what Keating showed his students IS dangerous. You've just stated the obvious, IMO. Also, it's obvious that Keating wouldn't last long at Welton, and when you think about it - they probably would have sacked him pretty quickly...

"...If Keating had had any real integrity, the moment that Todd Anderson made his move, he would have left the room quickly to minimize the damage to them."

Todd stands on his desk and says: "O Captain, My Captain..."
{Keating pauses for a brief moment, never turning around and then promptly leaves the room, briskly closing the door behind him - camera then switches to Todd, still standing on his desk, with a dumbfounded look on his face}
Todd continues: "Hello?? Captain?... uh, Mr. Keating? ... MR. KEATING?!"
{cue The Price is Right 'Loser' sound byte plays as Mr. Nolan and the rest of the class breaks out in laughter at Todd. Slow Zoom out shot, Benny Hill theme music plays as credits begin to roll. Fin!}

[–] Owlwise (1497) 4 years ago

Thinking for yourself, questioning authority, attempting to find your own true path ... yes, these things can be dangerous. They're also necessary for any sort of real growth as a human being. Which is what Keating was attempting to convey to his students. His only miscalculation was in thinking that Neil's father would relent & allow Neil to do the play, because Neil's grades were otherwise impeccable. But Keating couldn't know just how obsessed Neil's father was in demanding that his son live out his own unrealized dreams for him, no matter what the cost to Neil.

[–] Mustang (5244) 9 months ago

Keating is trying to open their minds. There are boys in the class who are more entrenched in the traditional learning style and happy to go along with it to meet their ends but they still understood what Keating was talking about without taking it to the extreme that the boys who become Dead Poet's do.

Those boys don't understand how to deal with the freedom they have been introduced to and end up going a little nuts with it all. Charlie in particular appears to have a death wish the way he goes about it all with the pranks etc.

I disagreed with Neil committing suicide and the events that lead up to it. So he wants to be an actor, ok, so do that but play along with dad as well. Dad was also a dick who didn't want to allow his son an outlet. Essentially there is no compromise on either side and what makes Neil kill himself is his dad wanting to send him to Military school a place where Neil would not last long.

I see the film as a bit of a fantasy and a coming of age kind of thing where at the end the boys in the class stand defiant knowing that the school won't expel all of them anyway.

Given this school is preparing boys for roles in society that would include leadership, management, critical thinking etc Keating does have the right idea in trying to instill certain ideas and traits into them. To not just go along with what they are told and how things should be done.

It's not really his fault that some of the boys take it to an extreme.