Graham Weir (Laurence Olivier) is a man of principle and praiseworthy idealism. He shrinks from violence, and because of his pacifist views, he served a jail term during World War II as a conscientious objector.
Men holding such views rarely find themselves at the top, and even though he is a brilliant scholar with an honours degree, Weir is no more than an assistant master at a dingy secondary modern school in a northern English town.
Weir is not discontented with his lot and believes his scholastic knowledge might benefit his crude, couldn’t-care-less teenage pupils. But his French-born wife, Anna (Simone Signoret), chafes against their squalid environment and lack of money. She nags Weir, but his pathetic need of her – physically and mentally – makes him reluctant to quarrel.
Towards the end of the term, the Headmaster (Frank Pettingell) announces that two parties of older children will be making an educational tour of the Continent .
When Weir enters his classroom after assembly, he finds pretty Shirley Taylor (Sarah Miles) erasing a rude verse from the blackboard. The culprit is Mitchell (Terence Stamp), a young hooligan who wants to be thought of as a gang leader and who subsequently develops an implacable hatred for Weir.
15-year-old Shirley is physically mature and has an obsessional crush on her teacher. In an effort to get him to herself, she asks Weir to give her private coaching to help her get a better job. He agrees and later meets Shirely’s mother (Thora Hird) and her over-sexed sister (Felicity Young).
The private lessons continue, sometimes at Shirley’s home, occasionally at Weir’s, and Anna begins to suspect that Shirley’s interest in her husband is something more than scholastic.
Weir is one of the leaders of the party visiting Paris, of which Shirley and Mitchell are members.
They visit well-known sights, but when they are in the Louvre, Shirley complains of faintness and asks Weir to take her outside.
She quickly recovers, and Weir takes her up the Eiffel Tower and to other places of interest.
The party duly arrives back in England to find their train for the North is gone. They spend the night in London, and while Weir is reading in his hotel room, there is a knock at the door.
It is Shirley in a raincoat to say that she is frightened by the thunderstorm which is raging outside. She eventually confesses that it is not the storm that has brought her but her love for Weir.
Weir gently explains to her that he is in love with his wife, but Shirley – now hysterical – slips out of her raincoat and passionately begs him to make love to her.
Weir is sorry for her, kisses her and contrives to get her out of his room without hurting her adolescent feelings – or so he imagines. The repulsed Shirley turns vicious, and Weir finds himself facing a grave charge of indecent assault.
Based on a novel by James Barlow, Term of Trial is frank, earthy, tumultuous and vital. Olivier is magnificent as the schoolteacher, and he is movingly supported by Simone Signoret, whose performance in Room at the Top won her an Oscar.
And you will never forget Sarah Miles’ film debut. She’s sensational!
Graham Weir
Laurence Olivier Anna Weir
Simone Signoret Shirley Taylor
Sarah Miles Mitchell
Terence Stamp O’Hara
Hugh Griffith Trowman
Roland Culver Detective Sergeant Keirnan
Dudley Foster Headmaster Ferguson
Frank Pettingell Mrs Taylor
Thora Hird Mr Taylor
Norman Bird Prosecutor
Newton Blick Sylvan-Jones
Allan Cuthbertson Joan
Barbara Ferris Constance
Rosamund Greenwood Magistrate
Nicholas Hannen Thompson
Roy Holder Lodger
Derren Nesbitt Collins
Clive Colin Bowler Chard
Earl Cameron Virginia
Julia Foster Mrs Thompson
Vanda Godsell Inspector Ullyat
Lloyd Lamble
The private lessons continue, sometimes at Shirley’s home, occasionally at Weir’s, and Anna begins to suspect that Shirley’s interest in her husband is something more than scholastic.
