Wes Anderson: Rushmore

Rushmore 

Director – Wes Anderson

Writer – Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson

The extracurricular king of Rushmore preparatory school is put on academic probation.

-IMDB.com

Cast                                              Character

Jason Schwartzman       …       Max Fischer

Bill Murray                       …        Herman Blume

Olivia Williams                …        Rosemary Cross

Seymour Cassel               …        Bert Fischer

Brian Cox                           …        Dr. Nelson Guggenheim

                                                       Mason Gamble                 …        Dirk Calloway

                                                       Sara Tanaka                      …        Margaret Yang

Max Fischer is the character we focus on in Rushmore. The title refers to the school in which he attends. He competes with Herman Blume played by Bill Murray for the love of Rosemary Cross. It’s hard to like Max because he is a deluded, little prick. 

 

Herman Blume during a speech takes aim at rich boys who are privileged and can buy anything. Max likes this and talks to him after. He is a member of countless extracurricular clubs. Later he is put on sudden death academic probation. If he fails another class he’ll be asked to leave Rushmore. 

He discovers Miss Cross because of a quote she might have put in a book he’s reading. H finds her reading to her kindergarten class. It’s funny because the title of the book she’s reading is called “Kidnapped.” When asked by Blume what his dad does, Max lies and says he’s a neurosurgeon. At his twins sons’ birthday party his wife spoon feeds a man who it seems she is having an affair with. 

Max Fischer is smitten by Miss Cross so he becomes her teacher’s assistant. Max is only 15 and he’s trying to pick up Miss Cross. She says they cannot have a relationship. He puts on a play of Serpico and everyone loves it. Miss Cross introduces Max to Peter Flynn played by Luke Wilson. Max is condescending and rude to Peter which is funny since he’s a 15 year old nobody. Blume has feeling too for Miss Cross.

Max gets expelled from Rushmore and is now at a public school. He meets Margaret Yang. He still wears his Rushmore uniform while at this school which shows his attachment to the school and his arrogant attachment to status. Blume shows some mean spirit by blocking a basketball shot to some 8 year olds interrupting their game. It’s funny. 

Miss Cross begins tutoring Max. He becomes a cheerleader for his school.  Margaret Yang takes an interest in him which I can’t see why. Dirk confronts Blume about cheating on his wife with Miss Cross. He then spits on the hood of Blume’s car. 

Max does a play now with racial stereotypes as a gangbanger which is how he views his racially diversified school. It shows his arrogance and ignorance. He argues with Blume telling him he was in love with Cross first, childishly. Max like the prick he is tells Blume’s wife Blume is cheating on her. Max puts bees through Blume’s hotel door through a tube. He then sabotages Blume’s brakes in his car. Max is later arrested. Max is such a two-faced prick he takes photos of Miss Cross that show she is with Blume trying to get her fired. 

Max tries to kiss Miss Cross which she rejects. Max gets knocked out by the Scottish student. He becomes a barber with his dad at his shop. Max and Blume talk at the hospital and he reveals to Max Miss Cross is still in love with her dead husband. Max always abuses Miss Cross’s kindness and lies about being hit by a car to her. She tells him she left Blume because he’s married and hates himself. Miss Cross cries over her dead husband. Later while flying a kite with Dirk Margaret Yang tells Max he is a real jerk to her. She flies her remote control airplane.

Max buys dynamite. He later directs and writes a play about Vietnam. The Vietnam play is a hit like all his plays. 

This movie is very good and I recommend people to see all of Wes Anderson’s films.