Film session: ‘The Emperor’s Club’

PRE-WATCHING STAGE

A) What do you think the film is about?

 Look at the DVD cover above and think about the possible plot.

WHILE-WATCHING STAGE: Note-taking: Make notes on the table below

Setting School St. Benedict's Academy, near

Washington, D.C.
(where does the story take place?)
Main characters

(names; their attitudes to each other; their William Hundert:

character traits)  He´s a strict teacher and have the
intention of providing wisdom to
their students
 He not only seeks to teach them
about his signature, also about
being responsible and integral.
 At the beginning he is interested in
taking the position of school
principal.
  At first his attitude towards
Sedgwick is disapproving and
concerned about his behavior. But
then the teacher decides to have a
friendly relationship with him as
he decides to change in order to
improve his note, although he later
realizes that this change was
transitory.

Martin Blythe
 He is a student of teacher Hundert
 He is very dedicated in his studies
and intelligent, since the beginning
of the movie. Although in some
occasions he was influenced by
Sedgwerick's bad attitudes.
 His father had hoped that he would
participate in the activity of Mr.
Julius Caesar, however, his teacher
secretly changes Sedgewick's
grade, which causes Martin to be
disqualified from this activity.
 After this event, he had no further
contact with his teachers and
classmates.
 Later, his teacher confesses to him
about the cheating, but Martin,
although surprised, decides to
forgive him for it.
 His last appearance was greeting
his teacher after dropping his
daughter off at his old school. This
shows that he maintains a pleasant
and friendly relationship with his
teacher.

Sedgewick Bell
 He is a student of William Hunter.
 His father is a famous U.S. senator,
although his relationship with him
is not badly
 He enters classes later than the
others and is a bad influence in
class. In addition, he tends to get

Problem
(what is the main problem that the story
deals with?)
Events
(the main things that happened; how the
characters try to resolve the problem(s))
bad notes.
 His teacher decides to motivate
him to improve his behavior and he
decides to do it through constant
effort that will allow him to enter
Mr. Julius Caesar.
 After losing in this tournament, he
gets discouraged and decides to
continue with this inadequate
behavior.
 When he becomes an adult, he
decides to run for governor like his
father and even comments to his
teacher that his teachings were
useless.
I think the main problem of the film is
Sedgewick's attitudes and behavior,
therefore Mr. Hundert, initially, decides
to talk to Sedgewick's father, but then
notices that he has no interest in helping
him. Then, Mr. Hundert decides to help
Sedgewick himself so that he will change
to be more studious and responsible.
At first, Hundert notices that Sedgewick's
bad behavior is influencing his other
students, because Sedgewick motivates
them to disobey the school's rules. He
also notices that Sedgewick's notes aren’t
good, so he decides to go and talk to
Sedgerwick´s father. Then, he realizes
that this person isnt interested in how he
is doing in school or his attitude, he just
is interested in getting him to pass the
school.
Then, Hundert and Sedgewick begin to
develop a bond of friendship and mutual
appreciation as the Sedgewick begins to
make an effort in his homework and
studies.
 Later, Sedgewick becomes disillusioned
after failing to enter the Julius Caesar
tournament activity. Neverthelesss,
Hundert, taking into account the great
effort he made in his studies, decides to
change his grades so that he can enter the
tournament, leaving another student out.

After losing in the event, Sedgewick

returns to his bad habits despite his
teacher's complaints.

Years later, Sedgewick is shown as an

adult proposing to Hundert to return to
this activity for fun. His teacher agrees.
However, Hunderts later realizes that
Sedgewick continues with the bad
attitude and neglects the principles and
values that he once tried to teach him.

Climax I believe that what brought about this

ending was that Sedgewick decided to
(what happens to bring about the continue with his bad behavior in despite
ending?) of the advice that Hundert gave him.
However, the movie also shows us that
although Hundert had a disobedient
student, he had a positive influence on his
other students like Martin.

Ending

(is it predictable? Can you think of a
better ending?)
I consider that the ending was not
predictable, because the most imaginable
and usual in the movies would have been
that Sedgewick changes his bad attitudes
and decides to have a more respectful and
integral personality just because the
 teacher want that. However, the ending
was more realistic showing that
sometimes this kind of people, no matter
how hard a person tries to change them,
this won’t happen unless they take the
initiative by themselves. In addition, it
shows us that the teacher although he
could not change Sedgewick, he could
generate a great change in his other
students like Martin.

AFTER-WATCHING STAGE: Group discussion

A) Answer the following questions

1. Describe Mr. Hundert. (Comment on his physical appearance, behaviour,

character, interactions with his students, relationship with other colleagues, view of
his role as a teacher, and any other observations).

2. Although Mr. Hundert is an experienced and exceptional teacher, he faces the most
difficult challenge of his entire teaching career. Why is he so shaken and then altered
by this experience?

3. Describe the influence that Sedgewick Bell has on the other boys. Mr. Hundert
describes Sedgewick's influence as "hypnotic". What does he mean by this?

4. The Mr. Julius Caesar Contest is an annual contest held to test the students'
knowledge of their studies of the Greeks and the Romans. When Mr. Hundert
calculates the final marks to determine the three candidates for the contest, he faces
an ethical dilemma. Describe the dilemma and Mr. Hundert's final decision. What do
you think about his attitude?

5. Mr. Hundert is faced with another dilemma at the contest. What is it? What is the
final outcome? What happens when Mr. Hundert confronts Sedgewick about his
behavior at the contest?

6. Twenty-five years later, Mr. Hundert is asked to participate in a rematch of the Mr.
Julius Caesar Contest. Although Mr. Hundert is retired, he chooses to host the
contest. Why does he do this? What does he hope for? How is his hope both squashed
and then renewed?

7. Why does Mr. Hundert return to teaching? What surprise is there for him?
B) Look at the words below. They have been said by different characters. Do you
remember who said them? What do they mean?

 “A man's character is his fate.”

 “The die is cast. He crosses the Rubicon.”
 “Great ambition and conquest are nothing without contribution.”
 “The end depends upon the beginning.”
 “It is not living that is important, but living well.”

C) Choose the two expressions from the exercise above that you like the best and tell
the members of your group why you have chosen them.