Before considering how the film personally puts across the message better than the play you should contemplate the advantages the film starts off with. A film is able to edit parts and have outdoor shots. The film can have hundreds of settings and quick shots at different places but in the play it’s very hard to change a set and distracting for the audience. The audience would lose concentration if the play kept having a black out and a change of setting. A film can edit out gaps so the viewers don’t get bored, cutting out all distractions in the process of filming. An example where the film has used shots and scenes the play couldn’t do is when Rita is on a bus talking to another student then the camera changes from this setting to Frank walking down the street then the camera is of Frank in his house with classical music playing the finally to Rita in the hairdressers cutting someone’s hair. If this was done on stage as a play the difficulties to get all 4 different shots in different settings would be too impractical. The different shots show different methods of showing the message of the play. The shots in both the characters homes helps the viewers get to know the characters better and helps the delivery of the message. All the extra clips of the characters also help us get a better prospective of both their lives. We also get to see Rita’s life working, which is talked about in the play, but being able to visually see it. It’s main advantage to do with the message is that it helps the viewers have a greater understanding for why both Frank and Rita feel they need to find themselves and that they are both not happy with the way things are. In the film the viewer sees more of the storyline but in the play you hear about parts of the storyline second hand after it has happened. Denny Rita’s husband burns her books when he finds out she’s still on the pill and he blames her education for her not wanting a baby, we only see Rita and Frank talking about this but with the advantage of the film we visually see it happen. As a viewer of the film you get a more open opinion because you see more of the storyline and not just Rita and frank you see other characters which helps see it from not just one prospective. In the play because its only set around two characters you become very intense and personal with them. You also have a greater understanding for there problems, this is because you only see them talking about it and the viewer sees their opinion and view on everything. As the film shows more you are more likely to make up your own mind and opinions on events that happen in the storyline. As a viewer we know that Rita doesn’t want a baby her husband Denny does, this causes a lot of conflict. In the play you have a lot of understanding for Rita and seem to agree with her not wanting a baby but watching the film we see how upset its making Denny and see how its affecting him. This instead of getting the viewer on Denny’s side makes the viewer agree more with the message that Rita needs to find herself and that she does need to open more doors to her life apart from having a baby.
Added scenes also show more how working class Rita is. When she gets home and Denny is knocking down the wall we get to see the sort of life style she has and how working class she is. Other scenes like the one in the pub where there all getting drunk and singing the same old song you see how unhappy she is there, knowing there is so much more to life. Just because Rita’s working class shouldn’t stop her from having an education and having the same chance as everyone else. Viewers can see this more clearly in the film to the play, you see the things that would make her a happier person and open her doors.
Rita brings a light to Frank’s life and he realises that he might be educated but that’s all he’s got in life. He is also at dead ends. Rita and Frank have to help each other overcome there closed doors and they both have what the other doesn’t. The film shows them helping each other in more ways than the play can. We see Frank take Rita to the station showing there relationship and care for each other. We see Rita and Frank in other settings apart from the office. Frank getting drunk is shown better in the film because we see him outside shouting and waking everyone up, when Frank is in the lecture room falling around and making a fool of himself. All of this isn’t shown in the play. In the play we know he gets drunk a lot we also see a lot of evidence in his office of bottles but we don’t actually see it.
Added humour also is put into the extra scenes. All of the things that are added in the extra scenes all add up to the message being put across better. The different sorts of emotion the film can give you. Extra pathos when for example Rita’s flat mate attempts to commit suicide. Extra comedy when for example Rita’s flat mate shows her around the house and the flat mate acts very peculiar. This all has an effect on the message of the play and being able to see it happen in the film makes the message easier to receive.
Rita’s change is shown better in the film to the play because it is easier to change things with quick shots and changes of clothes. We see Rita change physically in clothes and hairstyle she also changes as she becomes more intellectually capable. Methods the film used are more effective than the methods the play used to express that.
The film shows what happens to Denny after he’s left Rita. We see Denny’s new partner who is now pregnant. This helps understand that Denny was just mainly interested in the typical working class ways of getting married young having a baby. However Rita even though she’s working class she wanted to find out she was before settling into something like that. She knew that once she has a baby even more options in life would be closed to her.
My final thought would be that the effect of a film trying to put across a message is more effective because it’s easier to receive and for the viewer is lighter. A film throws visual images at you all the time so your mind doesn’t have to work as hard. It can be seen as a better but lighter way of putting across a message. Willy Russell also made the play easy to adapt into a film because the extra scenes are already written just not shown only talked about. Therefore Willy Russell has made ‘Educating Rita’ a play that can be received well in a film.
