An Education

AN EDUCATION:

Come on, girls.

Anybody?

Anybody else?

Jenny. Again.

Isn't it because Mr Rochester's blind?

Yes, Jenny.

I've got an English essay to do

by tomorrow morning.

Right.

So the only sound I want to hear

coming through the ceiling...

...is the sound of sweat dripping

onto textbooks.

- Cello?

- No. No cello.

I thought we agreed that

cello was my interest or hobby?

But it's already is your interest

or hobby.

So when they ask you

at the Oxford interview...

"What is your interest or hobby?"

...you can say, "the Cello".

And you won't be lying.

Look, you don't have to

practise a hobby.

A hobby is a hobby.

Can I stop going to the youth

orchestra, then?

No!

No. No. The youth orchestra

is a good thing.

- That shows you're a joiner-inner.

- Yes.

But, I've already joined in.

So now I can stop.

No!

No. Well, that just shows the opposite,

don't you see?

No, that shows you're a rebel.

They don't want that at Oxford.

No. They don't want people

who think for themselves.

No, of course they don't.

Jenny.

Should I wear like,

Sunday best?

You'd better, I'm afraid.

Just to show my father

you're a serious young man...

...not a teddy boy.

Oh, God!

I need to go.

It'll bucket down in a minute.

- Alright...

- I'll see you at the weekend.

- Bye, then.

- Bye.

- Sorry.

- Sorry.

Goodbye, my love.

Come on. Come on.

Stop it, now! Stop it!

Oh no, look what you've done.

- The nice man is waiting for us.

- It fell off.

Hello.

Look...

If you had any sense, you wouldn't

take a lift from a strange man.

But I'm a music lover, and I'm

worried about your cello. So...

...what I propose is, you put it

in my car and walk alongside me.

How do I know you won't just

drive off with the cello?

Good point.

How much does a new cello cost?

Ten? Fifteen pounds?

I don't know.

Let's say... fifteen.

No? Alright.

Up to you.

And that.

I'm David, by the way.

- Jenny.

- Very good.

How did the concert go?

It was a rehearsal.

The concert's next Thursday.

- What are you playing?

- Elgar.

I think it's a shame he spent

so much time in Worcester, don't you?

Worcester's too near Birmingham.

And you can hear that in the music.

There's a terrible Brummy accent in there,

if you listen hard enough.

Anyway, Elgar and the Jews

don't mix very well.

I'm not a Jew!

- No. I am.

- Oh!

I wasn't accusing you.

Can I sit in the car

with my cello?

Jump in.

I've never seen a

car like this before.

- It's very chic.

- It's a Bristol.

Not many of them made.

Where to, madam?

Jenny live round the corner.

- Worst luck!

- I'll see what I can do.

I suppose cellists must go to a

lot of concerts.

We don't go to any concerts.

- We don't believe in them.

- Oh, they're real.

So people say.

- Smoke?

- I'd better not.

I live just up there.

Why don't we believe in them?

He'd say there's no point in them.

- Your father, this is?

- Oh, yes.

They're just for fun.

Apart from school concerts,

which are no fun at all,

...so we go to those.

They don't help you get on.

Which of course is what is so

wonderful about them.

Anyway, you'll go one day.

I know. I will.

If I get to University...

I'm going to read what I want...

...and listen to what I want.

And I'm going to look at paintings

and watch French films...

...and I'm gonna talk to people

who know lots about lots.

- Good for you.

- Yes.

- Which University?

- Oxford. If I'm lucky.

Did you go anywhere?

I studied at what I believe they

call the University of Life.

I didn't get a very good degree there.

Well, thank you for driving me home.

- You alright? You got it?

- Yes, it's fine.

- Thank you.

- My pleasure.

bSous le ciel de Paris

performed by Juliette Greco/b

I don't want to hear

any French singing.

French singing wasn't on the syllabus,

last time I looked.

- Battenberg?

- Oh, thank you.

So where are you applying, Graham?

I'm not sure yet.

When will you be sure?

You can't let the grass grow

under your feet, young man.

- I might take a year off.

- What for?

I don't know yet.

Maybe do some travelling, yeah,

that sort of thing.

Travelling?

What are you, a teddy boy?

You know she's going to Oxford,

don't you?

If we can get her Latin

up to scratch.

So while she's studying

English at Oxford...

...you'll be the wandering Jew.

Mr Mellor, I'm not a teddy boy.

I'm... I'm a, uh,

serious man. Young.

No... yeah.

A young man serious...

man.

- They're for me!

- Who are they from?

- Gosh! Him.

- What's this?

Jack, I'm afraid Jenny's been

sent some flowers from a chap.

- A chap? What kind of chap?

- He's wishing me luck for tonight.

Are you sure that's all

he's wishing you?

Where did he get the money from?

- He earns it, I expect.

- Earns it? Why isn't he in school?

I don't... can we just go?

Otherwise the good-luck flowers will

actually be responsible for me...

...actually missing the concert.

Which would be ironic, isn't it?

- I... I don't like it

- Objection noted.

- Jenny?

- Noted.

Yeah, well... it's gotta be ten bob's

worth of luck here, I mean...

That's a bit much

for a schoolgirl, isn't it?

Oh, we can't leave it here.

I mean, I'd burgle a house

with flowers left outside.

They'll think we're made of money.

Thank you, Marjorie.

Camus doesn't want you to like him.

Feeling is bourgeois.

Being engagee is bourgeois.

He kills someone

and he doesn't feel anything.

His mother dies

and he doesn't feel anything.

I wouldn't feel anything

if my mother dies.

Does that make me an

existentialist?

No. That just makes you a cow.

A cow.

Well...

After I've been to the university...

I'm going to be French.

And I'm going to Paris...

...and I'm going to smoke and wear black

and listen to Jacques Brel.

And I won't speak. Ever.

- Oh, cranky!

- What?

Wait, here.

Hello?

Hello!

Hello. Thank you.

How did it go?

Fine. I think.

Well, I didn't mess my bit up.

Nobody got thrown out

of the orchestra afterwards.

Always the mark of a cultural triumph.

Listen. I'm glad I ran into you.

What are you doing on Friday?

- Going to school.

- I meant the evening.

Oh, of course. Nothing.

Because I'm going to listen to

some Ravel in St. John's Smith Square.

My friends Danny and Helen

would be coming too,

...so it wouldn't be, uh...

I tell you what.

I'll come and pick you up...

...and if your mother and

father disapprove,

...then you can have the tickets

and go with one of them.

- How does that sound?

- Thank you.

And I'd like to go with you.

Seven?

Okay, fine.

And probably go for

a spot of supper afterwards.

- Supper?

- Hm, if you want to.

Well, the thing is that...

we probably would have eaten.

Well, if you'd like supper,

then perhaps on friday...

...you could, uh, not eat?

Yes. Of course.

A spot of supper?

- You've heard of supper?

We've heard of it.

But we've never eaten it.

So, you're gonna have to

tell us everything.

Otherwise, it's not fair.

I won't allow it!

- Fine.

He's more than happy

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