"The Paper Chase" is one of the few 'college' films, (in this case, Harvard Law School), to concern itself almost exclusively with studying. Yes, there is some sex and a bit of partying but essentially this is about what happens in the classroom and the cut and thrust between professor and student. It's a highly intelligent ,well acted picture but it's also a bit on the slow side and even rather dull; there's only so much contract law you can take in one picture.
Timothy Bottoms is the law student in a relationship with his professor's daughter, (that's the sex bit), and John Houseman is the professor, (superb in an Oscar-winning turn). It's certainly not a bad movie but it might have been easier to like had Bottoms' character been more sympathetic. You know the world will be his oyster but somehow you don't really care.
