Honesty In The Film 'The Emperor's Club'

The Emperors club directed by Michael Hoffman is a film woven with many surprises, morals and principles. It outlines many themes, yet it highlights one very important to the plot- the quality of being fair and truthful. Honesty. How is this shown in the film? Throughout the movie, you see multiple times where Mr Hundert (Kelvin Kline) uses lies to sew doorways for his troubled student Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch) and perceive to be the father figure Sedgewick never had. The Julius Caesar test marks were changed, library books granted, only to give Sedgewick the opportunity to cheat and Mr Hundert a guilty conscience.

An act of honesty, or rather, dishonesty is placed in the spotlight first early in the film in the library, a time when the …show more content…

This shows us that even the fairest people can be dishonest if they want to.

A mistake thrown in the trash, Mr Hundert soon realises that in-between Sedgewick’s thoughtful glances at the arm of his toga Sedgewick is cheating. Using the answers from the book Mr Hundert insisted him on having, Sedgewick has the answered stuck to the fold in his toga. Masking his eyes with a sneaky thinking pose, Sedgewick has the answers lined up and ready. On stage in front of all the students and parents, Mr Hundert approaches the situation by whispering to the headmaster.
“I believe Sedgewick is cheating.” Already tangled in a web he weaved himself, Mr Hundert is already flustered enough before hearing a response that catches his breath.
“Ignore it.” Ignore the fact that Sedgewick is cheating. Ignore the fact the headmaster is asking him to lie to everyone in the audience, ignore the fact that Sedgewick has the possibility of winning. But he goes against the thoughts pounding against his head and continues the competition. Seeking consolation after the Julius Caesar contest he goes to his friend James …show more content…

If only that was the case for Sedgewick. Mr Hundert receives a letter from Sedgewick saying he wants a rematch of the Julius Caesar competition with all the same people-including Mr Hundert as master of ceremonies. Sedgewick, now a multi-millionaire and businessman sends the finest of transport for Mr Hundert. A rematch is held the next day with the now very successful Masoudi and Deepak by Sedgewick’s side. Masoudi is struck out straight away and the competition is heated as the contestants fail to incorrectly answer any of the questions received. But Mr Hundert’s hope is shattered as he notices a stray hearing aid planted in the one and only Sedgewick’s eye. Mr Hundert starts to notice Sedgewick’s glances at the back of the room and follows his stare to a young man reading from a book- and speaking into a small microphone. A new weapon is brought into the crime scene, more discreet but with the same vile intentions. Very disappointed, Mr Hundert catches Sedgewick afterwards in the