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3.1.5.5 Observations about school scenes.
** What do we learn about Pauline from the
opening scenes?
Plenty. These opening scenes in the school under the titles and credits are very
important. We learn Pauline lived very close to the school, in a property backing onto the
school grounds. In real life, that's exactly where she did live. On the same block, on
Gloucester St just south of the school. Gloucester runs parallel to Armagh, which was
where the cars were dropping off students at the front entrance. Glamuzina & Laurie
(see 7.7) found from their interviews that this situation was unusual, and most of the
'day' girls in the school lived in the more affluent suburbs; presumably, these were the
girls being driven to school and dropped off. We learn that Pauline could easily sneak out
of her room undetected, over the back fence. We learn Pauline was a serious girl,
something of a loner, but not so much that others didn't know her. She is greeted coming
over the fence quite enthusiastically by one friend, and others call out to her in the
hallways; she responds with a smile that fades quickly.
** What can be learned from school uniforms?
School uniforms are supposed to remove all sartorial differentiation between
students. They are supposed to act as an economic equalizer, and they are also supposed to
instill a sense of cohesion in the student body, and a sense of pride and loyalty to the
institution in the students. In the 'socially progressive' state High School the girls
attended, which freely and deliberately mixed girls of all social strata, these were
important roles for school uniforms. Now for reality. Most students actually use school
uniforms as instruments of free speech and/or protest and for setting up cliques within
the school. The signs are just more subtle than they would be if there were no
uniforms--small objects of jewelry or other accessories, added discretely, a certain way
of knotting a tie, a unique way of wearing certain objects, for example belts and
especially hats, body decoration. See section 6.3 for several good examples of films which
demonstrate the versatility of the school uniform as a vehicle of individual expression.
Especially Lyndsay Anderson's "If..." And school uniforms are like prison garb
in the outside world--the citizens of Christchurch would know on sight all school
uniforms, and would be able to report any mischief or truancy in the town to the
appropriate school official. Pauline would have had to buy her school uniform, or make it,
and this would have been a reasonably-large financial burden on the Rieper family, though
it would have saved on the cost of other clothes. Apparently, this cost was borne
willingly by her parents, showing the importance which Honora, in particular, placed upon
Pauline's education. School uniforms were universal in all Christchurch schools at the
time. See Janet Frame's Autobiography (listed in 7.7) for much more, absolutely
fascinating, material on school uniforms in NZ.
** What is learned about Pauline and Juliet from
their uniforms?
Pauline was rushed in putting on her uniform, leaving it until the last possible
moment, and a little sloppy in her attire. In this context, both of these things are
classic signs of protest against authority, and indicate that Pauline very much thought of
herself as struggling against the system from the outside. Her hair was wild and messy,
her tie wasn't done up properly, she was indifferent about her stockings, she wasn't keen
to wear her hat. Throughout "Heavenly Creatures" Pauline's attire in her school
uniform gradually became progressively more sloppy. In contrast, look at Juliet's
presentation. She was neat, precise, correct. We learn Juliet was also rebellious, but she
worked by stretching the boundaries of the system from within.
** What were the girls singing in assembly?
The girls were singing the hymn "Just A Closer Walk With Thee." For an
analysis of this piece, and its significance, see 3.1.19. Several people have commented
that the hymn was familiar, but not in the context of school assemblies.
** Why wasn't Pauline singing?
In context, Pauline was making the following rather bold statement, almost
unconsciously: she did not feel like she was part of this system and, furthermore, she was
thumbing her nose at those parts of the culture which the system held very dear but which
she did not. Pauline's not singing wasn't a small thing, it wasn't a passive abstention,
and it wasn't funny in this environment. For proof, look at the reaction she got. Pauline
was rebuked by a scowl from the headmistress, Miss Stewart. Imagine being chastised this
severely for doing something as innocuous as sitting quietly during assembly. The
pressures to conform here were very great indeed. Pauline lowers her eyes and starts to
sing, in time for the final line, but her expression is dark.
** Which girl was the last one to
"sit-tuh!" in assembly?
Pauline, of course. (Note: She was not the last to sit in assembly but the
last in class afterwards- Loz)
** What class did Juliet join?
Juliet arrived late and joined Pauline's French class, already in progress. The
headmistress, Miss Stewart, identified the class as "the girls of IIIA" after
telling them to "sit-tuh!" Naturally, Pauline was the last in her seat, once
again. Her name card was wildly askew.
** What can be learned about the girls from their
class name?
Even the smallest details have some cultural significance in this
rigidly-structured setting, and some significance within the background of the story, too.
This is also true of the girls' class. The school system ranked the students according to
their academic abilities, openly and publicly in some respects. The results of important
tests and examinations, for example, were posted in descending order of grade for all to
see. Students would have related to each other in terms of these academic pecking orders.
The classes, too, were ranked. So, we learn that both Pauline and Juliet were at the top
of the heap, academically--they were in IIIA, not IIIB or IIIC. Furthermore, since Juliet
was half a year younger than Pauline, this tells us that she was particularly bright.
Glamuzina & Laurie state that the Hulmes "decided, in view of this, that she
(JMH) would get more mental stimulation at the local high school, where she would be part
of a larger group of students than at a small private school". [note: "HC"
implies the small private school would be St Margaret's. jp] [note: Confirmed that Pauline
was in the top academic stream and that Juliet's measured IQ was 170 in '52. jb] We later
find out that Juliet had missed much school, on and off, due to illness, as had Pauline.
Yet, the academic performances of the girls remained very strong. These were very, very
bright kids. And, significantly, their intelligence was recognized by the system and by
their community.
** What can be learned from Juliet's
introduction?
Juliet's introduction was a highly-informative, condensed summary of the social
mores and attitudes of Christchurch. It's a wonderful scene. Juliet was introduced
personally by the headmistress, Miss Stewart (i.e. this student was important). Check out
Miss Stewart's quasi-Upper Class British accent, one-upping Juliet's. Miss Stewart stated
Juliet's prior schooling, emphasizing that she had attended private schools before coming
to Girls' High. Also, Miss Stewart made sure everyone knew that Juliet's father was Rector
of Canterbury University College (Juliet beamed proudly). Miss Waller, the French teacher,
was certainly impressed (having this child in her class would give her social brownie
points and something significant to gossip about). And, finally, Miss Stewart made sure
that the class knew Juliet had travelled "all over the world" and that Juliet
would be happy to share her impressions "of exotic lands across the seas" with
the "gehls" of IIIA. Another reference to the provincialism of Christchurch; we
get the impression that most of Juliet's classmates had never travelled far outside the
city. This made Juliet an exotic creature, herself. But Miss Stewart made one faux pas:
she forgot to mention that Juliet wasn't just well connected, but she was also from the
mother country. "Actually, Miss Stewart, I am from England." This transformed
Juliet into the closest thing to royalty in the school, and it was a subtle put-down of
Miss Stewart by Juliet [note: A sentiment, oddly enough, echoed by Anne Perry forty years
later, in her comments to me, though the filmmakers could hardly have known of her present
attitude. see 7.10.2.1. jp]. And this scene reinforces that, in this school/social
structure, breeding, background and connection were extremely important. Students would
have been judged and classified by who their fathers were and what they did. If your
father was somebody, you jolly-well spoke up and derived the greatest benefit from his
coat-tails. If he wasn't, you did your best to keep the issue out of sight, though there
could have been no secrets.
** What do we learn about Juliet in French class?
We learn that Juliet is willful, more than a little arrogant and quite used to
speaking her mind. The fact that she was correct was also particularly galling to Miss
Waller, of course. The fact that she rubbed it in was quite beyond the pale; this incident
would easily have become the stuff of school legend. Juliet's chosen name (Antoinette) was
also flamboyant to the point of bringing on disapproval. But she got away with it, another
clue to her privileged status. Incidentally, Juliet's chosen French name may have been a
subtle allusion to Anne Perry by Walsh and Jackson. In her published biography, Ms Perry
states that she has always held a deep fascination with the French Revolution (see
7.10.2).
** What do we learn about Pauline in French
class?
Pauline daydreamed in French class, and she was meekly 'Paulette'--hardly an
imaginative stretch for her. We gather French was not one of her favorite subjects. As
mentioned, Pauline was the last pupil to "sit-tuh!" on Miss Stewart's command,
her name card wildly askew, and she smiled in subversive approval when Juliet corrected
Miss Waller.
** What do we learn about the girls in the first
Art class?
Pauline was "with no-one." Juliet was quite happy to manage by herself.
The girls were thrown together by Art. The girls stood out like sore thumbs from their
peers. The other girls were flighty and playfully shallow in their imaginations. Pauline
and Juliet shared some deeper sensibility that included grand romance and violence. And
Pauline found out Juliet revered Mario Lanza, and Juliet found out Pauline looked up to
her. Juliet clearly approved of Pauline's admiration. Mrs Collins rebuked both girls for
not following the topic she assigned.
** What do we learn about the girls in PhysEd
(gym class)?
The girls stood apart physically from the other girls, not just emotionally. We
learn about their diseases (see 3.1.8) and they learn they have even more in common than
their outlook on life. They were excused from 'PhysEd' (physical education) and 'games'
(intramural sports). This gave them lots of compulsory, virtually unsupervised time
together. It's no wonder they became fast friends. They would have been in all classes
together, and they had this extra, special time to themselves as well.
** How does Juliet annoy Mrs Stevens?
The class had been given an assignment to write an essay on "The Role of the
Royal Family Today." It isn't clear what class this was--it could have been Geography
or Social Studies (there were maps of Europe and Palestine on the wall and a globe on the
teacher's desk). Juliet read her story aloud to the class about the lives, loves and
dramatic intrigues of Borovnia, and Diello in particular. This was not what the teacher
had in mind and Juliet knew this, of course. Juliet was treading on very thin ice. The
historical context of the upcoming Coronation and Royal Tour made Juliet's stunt not just
a minor amusement, but absolutely audacious and scandalous. Once again, Juliet had done
something which would make its way into school legend, no doubt. [I am trying to find out
if this was, indeed, a true story. jp] The scene with Mrs Stevens is probably an 'homage'
to the public reaction during the trial, where it was learned (and reported with
incredulity) that neither girl had shown much interest in the Royal Tour--and this was
taken to be an indication that they were not mentally balanced. [sb] The Coronation and
Royal Tour are featured prominently in an early draft of the script (Heavenly Creatures,
Draft #5, February 7, 1993, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences, Beverly Hills, CA.). [lfr]
** What does Pauline say in Juliet's defense?
"You didn't say it had to be about the Windsors!"
** Who are "the Windsors?"
The British Royal family is drawn from the House of Windsor. By "the
Windsors" Pauline was referring to Elizabeth, her husband Philip and their two
children (at that time) Charles and Anne. That's Anne with an 'e,' like Queen Anne. In
real life, of course, Juliet was later to adopt this name for herself.
** What happens to Juliet in Mrs Stevens' class?
Juliet starts coughing up blood--she is diagnosed with TB (see 3.1.8).
** What do we learn about Pauline in the second
Art class?
Pauline's fantasies were becoming more violent and explicitly gory by the time of
the second Art class scene. We also see that her teacher noted and disapproved of this
trend.
** What did Pauline say to John about History
class?
She criticized the teacher as being silly and irrelevant: "senile old
bat!" Pauline said "It's no wonder I don't excel at history!" The subject
was light, but it indicates just what a prominent place school held in the girls' lives
(look at the context!). School, teachers, their fellow students even schoolwork were
things they would have talked and gossiped about constantly.
** What happened to Pauline's grades and when?
According to Honora, who brandished a letter from Miss Stewart, Pauline's grades
plummeted early in the 1954 school year, i.e. Fifth Form, or Form V in CGHS. Earlier, at
the end of Third Form in December 1952, she had told her mother she got an 'A' in English.
A little more than a year later Honora said to Pauline that her grades all used to be A's
and B's but that she was now failing, and Miss Stewart was worried she wouldn't get her
School Certificate. As discussed previously, it was more likely that Pauline would have
actually reported her grades as percentages and also her place in class. ("I got an
84 in English, Mom. Third equal with Cynthia so-and-so."). This would have made
Pauline's slide even more obvious and quantifiable, and would have fueled Honora's anger
even more. It is interesting to note that Glamuzina & Laurie concluded that there was
no evidence of Pauline's grades falling at all, in real life, according to CGHS records.
This would put a whole new spin on Honora removing Pauline from school, of course.
** What options were open to girls with academic
problems?
If your grades were too low you would have been demoted, ultimately to the lowest
stream of the lowest form. You could have been advised to leave, based on your grades, if
you were too poor. However, if you had 'academic' parents, or if your mother or another
female relative had attended the school or one of the other Girls' Highs NZ-wide you would
not have been kicked out. I would guess if you were from one of the first settler families
you probably wouldn't have got the flick either. Conversely, if your grades improved you
would be promoted, ultimately into the top academic stream.
** When, how and why did Pauline leave school?
Pauline left school during the Fifth Form, in the 1954 school year, around Easter.
According to the film, she left at her mother's insistence after a very acrimonious and
emotional shouting match. Honora finally declares that she doesn't see "why I should
keep a horrid little child like you in school a moment longer." Pauline was fifteen
at the time, and was just old enough to leave school legally. But she left before amassing
enough credit to sit the examination for "School Certificate," which she would
have written at the end of Fifth Form, in December 1954. Although the film is not clear on
this point, in real life Juliet did not attend school after her return from the sanatorium
in September 1953. This would have contributed greatly to the girls being apart and would
also help explain why Pauline took up Honora's challenge and ditched school
altogether--why bother going if Juliet wasn't there? Pauline left under the condition that
she would pay her own way in the Rieper home. Which meant she had to get herself a job.
With her lack of qualifications, this could only have been a dead-end, low-end clerical
white collar job. Which meant she had to give up all of her dreams and aspirations.
Pauline was certainly no fool--she could extrapolate her fate and all she saw ahead of her
at this point were dashed hopes and enormous hurdles placed deliberately and, to her mind,
spitefully in her path by her mother. This event might have been even more significant in
real life than it was portrayed in the film.
** What is a "School Certificate?"
In the NZ school system, this was the most rudimentary certificate of secondary
education that was available. It was an external examination sat after the completion of
Fifth Form. Most white-collar employers would have looked for this as a condition of
employment, or a similar diploma. Having School Certificate made a graduate employable.
** Was Pauline's course of action that unusual?
Remember that the girls of IIIA were identified as the academic cream of CGHS. Most
of the girls who entered CGHS in Form IIIA went on to Teachers' College or to University.
The 'A' class sat School Cert after 3 years, immediately at the end of Form V, whereas the
rest of the school sat the exam after 4 years, and the pass rate for the 'A' class was
higher than for the other classes. It was extremely rare for any CGHS girls to go to
Digby's instead, and dropping out of school was unheard of. [mc] In real life Pauline's
dropping out seems to have generated many waves and much concern, in Miss Stewart and in
Hilda Hulme, who was actually a member of the Board of Governors of CGHS. [jp] Digby's was
looked down upon. I don't remember anyone dropping out from my class, in the early 60s,
except for one girl who became pregnant in Fifth Form--shock, horror!! Pauline's dropping
out probably would have been seen as a failure of the school, at the time, and would
certainly have caused a stir. [maw]
** What did Pauline do after she left school?
She went back to school, as she had to, to become employable. Only now, she was in
a vocational school, learning to type and file--at Digby's Commercial College. So she
could eventually get that dead-end, mindless job. The contrast between the wonderful
fantasy world she shared with Juliet and the hard reality of her daily life must have been
stark to Pauline. The pull-back tracking shot of Pauline typing in a growing sea of
typists, at Digby's, as the sound of letters smacking the page grew and grew, is a
wonderful one even as it is terribly dispiriting for the audience to see.
"Digby's" is an ominous shadow on the wall, hanging above Pauline's head. The
entire class is women, in an ironic perversion of the school she just left. Pauline even
sat in the same seat as in her CGHS classes. She is dressed in black.
** Did Juliet miss any school or leave school?
Yes, and there is evidence in real life that Juliet worried a lot about missing
this time. Juliet became sick with more than one term left in the 1953 school year. She
seems to have recovered sufficiently to return to school the next year, but she never did,
although this fact isn't made clear in the film. In real life, Juliet never attended
school again. Her experiences at CGHS seem to have made a lasting impression on her,
because she still recalls them (see 7.10.2.1).
