Brilliant in its restraint and economy. There's not a wasted line of dialogue, nor any unnecessary stylistic flourishes or camera movements. It's as tightly written a script as I've come across. Its stage origins are clear, but it distinguishes itself with expert compositions and use of lighting. And the cast is uniformly superb, with Redgrave as the obvious standout. If there are any notable flaws with this film, I have yet to think of them.

Deeply moving and devastating, the film reveals its hand slowly. Once everyone's standpoints are established, it's hard to believe that any good will come to Crocker-Harris, which only makes the ending more poignant.

Well-acted and the end result nearly saved it, but ultimately found it dry and underwhelming. Would not watch again.

A classic and must see for film fans.

An interesting and touching look at a retiring teacher. Redgrave delivers a restrained and powerful performance as an ornery failure - a refreshing portrayal in comparison to the loads of recent "young, idealistic and inspiring" teacher dramas. This really gets to the heart of the reflections and anxieties of a teacher, or anyone who's past their prime, and the possibility of redemption.

A really moving picture about the student-teacher relationship. What makes it unique is that it doesn't focus on some upbeat inspirational story but rather on a retiring teacher trying to put his life in perspective. Wonderfully acted and builds up very well to the climax.

You'll learn to love this loser

I'm sure we've all had some teachers who clearly knew their stuff but failed to excite. Andrew Crocker-Harris is that teacher archetype taken to its extreme. He's got a prime specimen of that particularly uniquely British demeanor: measured, emotionless, erudite, condescending. This is not so much a story of a teacher as it's a story of a man who has been left dead on the inside by a joyless marriage. The heartbreaking thing is that he's as painfully aware of it as anyone else.

Crocker-Harris is the meanest, coldest and at the same time most sympathetic old geezer since Nikolai Stepanovich from Chekhov's "A Boring Story". The tragedy consists in that right about the time of his retirement, he begins to see the error of his ways. Browning is an exceptionally moving, emotional film that nevertheless consistently avoids sentimentality.

There's no shortage of horrible movies about teachers who use offbeat and heartwarming techniques to instill a passion for learning. But it's rare to see a story about the opposite: the stoic, demanding, condescending taskmaster who no one likes. And rarer still is a story that can make you feel sympathy for such a man. The entire cast is good, but it's Redgrave who really shines, expertly displaying the heart behind a heartless man. A nearly flawless film.