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The History Boys poster

The History Boys

"History. It's just one bloody thing after another."

2006 1h 49m EN
πŸ‘
6.6
SOLID
πŸ…
66%
FRESH
πŸ‘Œ
74
METACRITIC
⭐
6.8
IMDB
β˜…6.6TMDB Β· 223πŸ…66%Rotten Tomatoes●74Metacriticβ˜…6.8IMDB Β· 22,496
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield

The story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students at a Yorkshire grammar school in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master, a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores, a grossly out-numbered history teacher, and a headmaster obsessed with results, the boys attempt to pass.

β€œHistory. It's just one bloody thing after another.”

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Cast

Credits

Behind the camera

Director
Nicholas Hytner
Writers
Alan Bennett
Languages
English
Countries
United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8
MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $4.0M β€” micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#01
2 / 8
MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.4Γ— over at the box office.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA

Did you know

Released 20 years ago.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Nicholas Hytner, shot by Andrew Dunn. Note their partnership β€” DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by George Fenton. Worth a dedicated listen after β€” most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Wilson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST

Did you know

Richard Griffiths and Stephen Campbell Moore and Dominic Cooper carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "History. It's just one bloody thing after another.".

MoodPlayr Β· trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nicholas Hytner directs. Andrew Dunn behind the camera. George Fenton scores. John Wilson cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

  • 1Shot for just $4.0M β€” micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
  • 2Made its money back 3.4Γ— over at the box office.
  • 3Released 20 years ago.
  • 4Directed by Nicholas Hytner, shot by Andrew Dunn. Note their partnership β€” DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
  • 5Original score by George Fenton. Worth a dedicated listen after β€” most great films lose half their impact without the score.
  • 6Editor John Wilson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
  • 7Richard Griffiths and Stephen Campbell Moore and Dominic Cooper carry the top of the cast.
  • 8Marketing tagline: "History. It's just one bloody thing after another.".
  • 9IMDB entry: tt0464049 β€” still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
  • 10Classified under 23 themes, including "high school", "northern england", "scholarship", "becoming an adult".

The technical file

Cinematography
Andrew Dunn
Original score
George Fenton
Editing
John Wilson
Production design
John Beard
Costume design
Justine Luxton
Runtime
109 min Β· 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical)
1.37:1 (Academy)
Status
Released
Budget
$4,000,000
Box office
$13,401,952
Return
335% of budget
Original language
EN
Certification (US)
R
Rotten Tomatoes
66% πŸ… Fresh
Metacritic
74/100
IMDB rating
6.8/10 Β· 22,496 votes
MPAA
R

Awards

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards. 2 wins & 15 nominations total

  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Nicholas Hytner

Stills Β· wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames β€” open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Production companies

Who made it

  • DNA Films

    DNA Films

    GB

  • UK Film Council

    UK Film Council

    GB

  • BBC Two

    BBC Two

    GB

  • National Theatre

    National Theatre

    GB

Key crew

  • Line ProducerJulia Stannard
  • Executive ProducerCharles Moore
  • Executive ProducerAllon Reich
  • EditorJohn Wilson
  • ProducerPΓ‘draig Cusack
  • ProducerDamian Jones
  • Executive ProducerAndrew Macdonald
  • ProducerNicholas Hytner
  • Executive ProducerDavid M. Thompson
  • ProducerKevin Loader
  • Executive ProducerMiles Ketley
  • AuthorAlan Bennett
  • Stunt DoubleRocky Taylor
  • CastingToby Whale
  • Set DecorationJoanne Woollard
  • Costume DesignJustine Luxton
  • Production DesignJohn Beard
  • First Assistant "A" CameraMark Milsome

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

  • high school
  • northern england
  • scholarship
  • becoming an adult
  • education
  • exam
  • based on play or musical
  • oxford
  • cambridge
  • yorkshire
  • teacher
  • high school teacher
  • lgbt
  • lgbt teen
  • history teacher
  • headmaster
  • boys' school
  • teachers and students
  • 1980s
  • gay theme
  • cambridge university
  • history
  • gay teenager

Release history Β· US

When it landed

  • Theatrical2006-10-02R

Also known as

International titles

  • εŽ†ε²η³»η”·ε­©CN

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