Cheat-charon. Watching the first few minutes of The Emperor’s Club, you might think that you’re seeing another Dead Poets’ Society flick. But later on, you’ll realize that it is something different compared to the Robin Williams’ starrer. Kevin Kline is in all his greatness as the history professor and assistant headmaster Mr. Hundert. He is very effective as a teacher. He made me remember Ma’am Dumawal and Mrs. Clemente back in HS. He inspires his students to study hard until one day a stubborn Senator’s son came to the exclusive school. Sedgewick Bell, played by Emile Hirsch tests the patience of his professor. But Mr. Hundert did not give up on Sedgewick. Soon, Sedgewick appreciates the efforts of his professor and started to study his lessons. He was even given the chance to join the Mr. Julius Caesar quiz, an annual history bee. Sedgewick was not supposed to be in the contest; he fell short. But since he is now Mr. Hundert’s favorite student, the teacher made ends meet. Instead of including the more deserving Martin Blythe in the top 3, he gave the spot to the young Bell. At the contest, he was impressed at how his 3 chosen students performed until he realized that Sedgewick was cheating. He informs the headmaster of this knowledge but his superior told him to let it go and continue with the quiz. He pushes through with the bee but asks Bell a question he knows the cheater is not prepared to answer. Bell finished as the bridesmaid in the competition. He confesses to Hundert that, yes, he cheated. But asks him why he did not bring it up. Hundert offered no answer.

The following years, Sedgewick continued to be the popular jackass. He never studied his lessons again after the incident. He graduated but Hundert failed him. Because his dad is a senator, he got admitted to Yale. After 25 years, Bell requests for a rematch and asks Hundert to be the quizmaster. He flies to the ranch of the uber-rich and successful Bell only to be disappointed because he still cheated. But Mr. Hundert, now old and still wise, still did not allow him to win by asking a question the “feeder” of Sedgewick cannot answer. He confronted Sedgewick about what he had discovered but Mr. Bell wasn’t sorry. He even told Mr. Hundert that no one cares about the latter’s principles. And that he will get where he wants to even if it means that he has to cheat.

The movie, directed by Michael Hoffman, is an entertaining drama. It was set in the 1970’s but it showed us the signs of our times. We have cheaters in the government and as long as people tolerate such misconduct, a breed of new cheaters will be elected to office. I have never found cheating appealing. In school, I find it unfair. I spend hours studying but still find some of my classmates cheat and some of them even get higher scores than I do. I do not divulge to the whole class that I despise cheating but sometimes, I find myself crying at how unfair the practice is. Oh well, God is fair but life isn’t.

That was all folks. Thanx for being one with the fabulous epal God bless us all!!