Great Moments in Film for Janitors: The Breakfast Club and More

It's fair to argue that janitors have not been adequately portrayed in the media. Whether this is evidence of a media bias will probably be a matter best debated in the future by historians. However, in considering how janitors have been portrayed by Hollywood, I would rather concentrate my attention on the handful of films that provide positive examples of contributions made by janitors to their communities. These films recognize that behind every dust mop stands a humble hero.

Charly

Charly is a film that recalls the more charming episodes of 'The Twilight Zone.' Based on a short story, 'Flowers for Algernon,' which was also turned into a novel, this film introduces us to a kindly janitor named Charly who has a low I.Q. Doctors offer him the opportunity to participate in a breakthrough experiment, which may or may not increase his I.Q. They also perform the experiment on a lab rat named Algernon. The results are spectacular. Charly's I.Q. begins to rise, and so does Algernon's. Soon, Charly is a genius, devouring literature. However, at about this same time, Algernon's abilities begin to suffer.

Charly is a film that is engaging on several levels, while at the same time posing a serious question. At the core of our nature, what makes us who we are? Is our intelligence, our power, or our kindness to others what is most essential to our lives?

The Breakfast Club

This movie is an illustration of the truth of this maxium: 'A job is what you make of it.' 5 high school students are held in Saturday detention by a warden-like principal, with only one other adult present in the school, the janitor. As time passes, it is clear for the viewer to see that the principal despises both his job as well as the students he is responsible for. In a scene with the school's janitor, he laments that students have grown more disrespectful over the years, and it is obvious that he is antagonized by them. The janitor, on the other hand, has a firm but friendly relationship with the kids, talking to them without being condescending yet still maintaining his professionalism and authority. He lets them know that he is aware more than they think he is, remarking, 'I look through your letters, I look through your lockers...I listen to your conversations, you don't know that but I do...I am the eyes and ears of this institution my friends.'

Often, the most important people in terms of position in an organization can be the least respected, while its least visible members actually exert a much greater influence.

The Karate Kid

This Rocky-style feel-good teen film tells the story of a kid who is new to the neighborhood. He quickly finds himself at odds with a small gang, and he gets punched around when he is attacked by the group in the middle of the night. Fortunately, a Japanese janitor helps him out and befriends him.

In the weeks to come, he is trained by the janitor in the fine art of karate. Soon, the teen is able to defend himself, and he humilates the entire gang by giving it a taste of its own medicine, both on the streets as well as later in a well-attended karate tournament. Janitor movies do not get much better than this. The Karate Kid emphasizes that while a janitor plays an almost invisible role in society, he can always has the power to turn the tables and to cripple his enemies with a mere swing of his mop.

The Principal

This is an overlooked film, featuring a valuable performance by Academy Award winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. as the janitor of a public school in the ghetto which is troubled by drugs and violence. James Belushi is the lead in the film; a new principal who is determined to clean up this community. He finds few allies in the school other than Gossett. This man is a janitor who genuinely cares for his community, but holds out little hope for change until Belushi shows up. Although this film was produced more for mass-consumption than to draw attention to the ills of society, watching Gossett trying desperately to caution Belushi from being overly idealistic and arrogant is something that almost anyone who has tried to improve their community can identify with.

Good Will Hunting

This may be the most inspiring of the janitor movies considered here. It is based on a screenplay which was later honored with an Academy Award, catapulting its authors, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to fame. It presents the story of a genius janitor, who is able to solve mindbending equations in his sleep. However, one problem has always impeded his growth: he is haunted by his past. As a child, he was abused, and it takes a psychologist played by Robin Williams to help him to begin to come to terms with his feelings of hurt and resentment.

This is a story of a man who is being held prisoner by his own fears -- fears of success, fears of the past, and fears of commitment. He is well-equipped with all of the resources he needs to abundantly succeed in life, yet his fears hold him back.

What this movie proves is that a janitor's life is not for everyone. While the career of a janitor is a virtuous career, as is the case with a great number of careers, it can be a limiting career if you have a different future which awaits you.

The life of a janitor should be approached with respect and with caution. If there's one lesson that all of these films share in common, it appears to be this: If you feel that you cannot invest your whole heart and soul into this job, perhaps it is best that you seek a job more suited to your talents and abilities.