Notes on A Scandal (England, 2006) February 13, 2007

Barbara Covett (Judi Dench) is a short, stocky, grey-haired woman. She is a few years from retirement as the esteemed head of the history department in a British working class high school. Her self-described "battle-axe" demeanor freezes students when she accosts them for misconduct. That power also serves her well at faculty meetings. When a row breaks out in the new art teacher's classroom, Covett steps in quickly to terminate the ruckus, and gently comforts her young colleague, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett). Covett and Sheba quickly become friends. Vulnerable and sensitive, Sheba impulsively begins an affair with one of her students. When Covett discovers Sheba's relationship, she keeps her young friend's secret. However, it soon becomes clear that Covett's motives are far more complex.