Ciao Professore MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +1 Content: -3

A third-grade teacher from northern Italy is mistakenly assigned to a village in southern Italy. When he arrives in the small village, he is appalled to see many of his pupils working during school hours. Taking the situation in hand, he rounds up the children and leads them to school. In the school, he finds the janitor runs the building and sells school supplies, even toilet paper as needed. Trying to make the best of the situation, the professor begins to win over the cynical children with his care and concern about their lives. One boy, whose brother works for the Mafia, tries to intimidate the professor, but even he is eventually won over. Unless you're learning Italian profanity, this film in Italian with English subtitles is only mildly entertaining. GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS it's not.

This could have been a very touching, sentimental film about a teacher winning over cynical students. Unfortunately, it's filled with almost non-stop profanity, obscene and crude language. It's even more unfortunate that the third-grade children are responsible for most of it. The Italians in this film seem to use insults almost as compliments. In one instance, a pile of fecal matter is left on the professor's chair. While he turns the insult to his advantage, he quotes a poem about the material with the subtitles spelling out the s-word. Several children are slapped and/or kicked in the pants, and although the villagers seem to condone this form of violence, the professor is upset when he slaps a boy in anger. The teacher also administers flu shots to the students, who expose part of their buttocks during this ordeal. In a comical scene, he also must help a girl with the stuck zipper on her pants, and she is seen briefly in her underwear. There are some sexual innuendoes and the landlord's daughter suggestively brushes against the professor. Overall, it's best to say ciao (goodbye) to this film.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Miramax Films, 18 E. 48th St., NY, NY 10017