Jacks of All Trades

Successful social satire from 1980. At the start of the film, we see a lady enter a building and the film ends with her departure early next morning and then we know who she is. In the intervening 24 hours, a lot happens. On the day that the cleaner of the local school that being the lady concerned is retiring, a young inspector arrives. He has been sent to the school because of a letter from one of the teachers who complains to the leadership of the Communist Party about bad behaviour (these days we would call it sexual harassment) by the deputy headmaster. Of course the Party is worried. As the day passes, preparations continue for the farewell party for the cleaner. In view of the fact this is at government expense, the headmistress of the school regards it as a great opportunity to invite all her friends. Everyone is busy and, in the meantime, the ambitious inspector is sniffing around the secrets of the school. He soon finds out that the school looks all very well on the outside, but it is falling apart on the inside. When the party starts, the children start their show and the cleaner, smartened up for the occasion, arrives with her family. That also marks the start of the grand unmasking of all those present.