The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Page #10

you really should.

I'm 43 years old, ean.

How old are you?

- I'm f... I'm in my prime.

- Your prime!

Look at yourself,Jean.

Look at me...

a second-rate painter running to seed.

- You're not in your prime,Jean.

- Teddy, don't...

You're a frustrated spinster taking it out

in idiot causes and dangerous ideas.

- A schoolmarm.

- I am a teacher.

A teacher or a leader?

The dangerous Miss Brodie

and her troops.

Well, where you lead

I cannot follow.

Arrivederci.

- Mr. Burrage, will you dance?

- Yes. Yes. Delighted.

Thank you so much.

Miss Mackay...

since you were first appointed

headmistress of Marcia Blaine...

you have done nothing but try

to dismiss me from the teaching staff.

You have tried

every feeble excuse...

even that of immorality,

and failed.

Now you are accusing me

of preaching politics to my pupils.

Such a continuous

personal vendetta...

is hardly conducive

to the dignity of your position.

Miss Brodie, I don't think

you quite understand.

Let me make the situation

perfectly clear.

It is not I,

but the board of governors...

who have pursued this investigation

to its conclusion.

And it is

the board of governors who...

after having given due consideration

to the grave charges laid against you...

have given instructions that you leave

this school immediately...

and that your classes be taken over

tomorrow morning by another teacher.

The board have asked me

to convey to you the fact that...

your salary will be paid in full

until the end of the term...

which, in the circumstances,

is more than generous.

Miss Brodie,

there is nothing more to be said.

I shall not accept

the board's action.

I shall petition. I shall put

the question before the public...

before the parents

and the student body.

You will find, Miss Mackay,

that I have the loyalty of my girls.

Do you, Miss Brodie?

For they are jolly good fellows

Which nobody can deny.

Come, now, Lowther, give us a song.!

Why, Miss Brodie,

aren't you coming to the common room?

- Common room?

- The celebration honoring Miss Lockhart and Mr. Lowther.

My love is like

a red, red rose

Aren't you coming,

Miss Brodie?

I'll...

I'll be there shortly.

In June

Oh, my love

is like a melody

That's sweetly

played in tune

As fair art thou

my bonny lass

So deep in love am I

And I will love

thee still, my dear

Sandy.

Sandy.

I believe, Sandy...

I believe

I am past my prime.

I had reckoned

on my prime lasting...

till I was

at least... 50.

Are you listening,

Sandy?

I'm listening,

Miss Brodie.

I have been dismissed

from Marcia Blaine.

I am accused of teaching

treason and sedition to my students.

I am being transported

for radicalism...

like Thomas Muir

of Huntershill.

But if Miss Mackay

and her conspirators...

expect that I shall meekly lay my head

on their chopping block...

- they're in for a wee surprise.

- What will you do?

As I informed Miss Mackay,

I will resort to public petition.

I have no doubt that many supporters

will rally to my defense.

My students are loyal.

My girls.

Someone betrayed me, Sandy.

Someone spoke against me to the board.

Who could it

have been? Who?

Are you thinking that

maybe one of your girls betrayed you?

I said

to Miss Mackay...

"I have the loyalty

of my girls,

and she said,

"Do you?"

I'll not believe it. I'll not believe

it was one of my girls.

Perhaps it's true.

I thought possibly Monica.

There's very little soul...

- Monica is a loyal girl.

- I know. You all are.

Monica and Jenny.

Oh, notJenny.

She's like

a part of myself.

You, Sandy... As you see,

you are exempt from all suspicion.

You have had more

of my confidence than anyone.

You know more than anyone

what I have sacrificed for my girls.

Teddy Lloyd was greatly

in love with me, Sandy...

as I think

you've always known.

And I gave him up to consecrate

my life to the young girls in my care...

you and Monica

and Jenny.

Jenny...

She and Mr. Lloyd

will soon be lovers.

- I have that.

- Do you think that you are Providence?

That you can ordain love?

What?

You haven't

pulled it off.

Jenny will not be

Teddy Lloyd's lover.

What are you saying,

Sandy?

Jenny will not be

Teddy Lloyd's lover...

and I'll not be your spy,

your secret service.

My spy? What on earth

are you talking about?

Do you understand at all

what has happened to me?

I have been dismissed

from Marcia Blaine!

Why are you standing there talking

about Providence and the secret service?

What is the matter

with you?

Miss Brodie,

I am Teddy's lover.

What?

I am Teddy's lover.

Teddy's lover? You?

Is that so difficult

to believe?

What does it matter to you which one of us it is?

It doesn't matter to Teddy.

Whatever possessed you?

You know his religion.

How could a girl

with a mind of her own...

have to do with a man

who can't think for himself?

That doesn't seem

to have bothered either of us, does it?

We were neither of us

very interested in his mind.

How dare you speak to me

in this manner!

I suppose I've always known that one day

you were going to ask how dare I?

Why? I don't understand.

I don't seem to understand

what has happened to everyone.

Where has everyone gone?

Only Mary is gone.

Mary? What has Mary

to do with it?

Miss Brodie,

Mary McGregor is dead!

Are you aware of

the order of importance...

in which you place

your anxieties?

One, you have

been betrayed.

Two, who is or is not to be your proxy

in Teddy Lloyd's bed...

and three, Mary's death.

Miss Brodie, aren't you concerned

at all with Mary's death?

I grieve for Mary.

It was because of you

she went!

Because of me?

It was her brother.

The poor, unfortunate girl

hadn't anyone else in the world.

She had you.

That was her misfortune.

To please you, that silly, stupid girl

ran off and got herself killed!

Don't you feel

responsible for that?

No.

No, I feel responsible

for giving her ideals...

The ideals that

sent her to Spain.

I feel responsible for teaching her

that service to a cause is a privilege.

You call it a privilege

to be killed?

And for nothing.

Nothing!

You really are

a shallow girl, Sandy.

By the way she died,

Mary McGregor illumined her life.

- She died a heroine.

- She died a fool!

Joining her brother to fight for Franco...

wasn't that just like Mary?

Her brother is fighting

for the other side.

- Her brother...

- Her brother is fighting for the Republicans!

Mary was headed

for the wrong army!

Oh, Mary McGregor!

"Mary McGregor".

I used to wonder why

you always called Mary by her full name.

I think it was because you had

such a hard time remembering who she was.

Poor, dim Mary.

I was devoted to Mary.

No, you were only attracted to Mary

because she had no one else...

and she was

so totally suggestible.

She appealed

to your vanity!

It was you

who betrayed me.

I didn't betray you!

I simply

put a stop to you!

Oh, I see.

No, you don't see.

You don't see that

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