The Principal

The Principal is a 1987 crime thriller action film starring Jim Belushi, Louis Gossett, Jr. and Rae Dawn Chong. It was written by Frank Deese and directed by Christopher Cain. It was filmed in Oakland, California and distributed by TriStar Pictures on Panavision. Belushi reprised his role as Rick Latimer in the 1990 film Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe.

Plot
Rick Latimer (Jim Belushi) is a high-school teacher with a drinking problem. Spotting his ex-wife Kimberly (Sharon Thomas Cain) in a bar one night, Rick gets into a fight with the man she is with, culminating in his beating the hapless man's car with a baseball bat.

The board of education finds that Rick's behavior is reflecting poorly on the school district's image. They unanimously decide to transfer him to another school, in another district: Brandel High, a crime-ridden and gang-dominated institution, where he is made the new principal. Initially, Rick is under the impression that this move is a promotion for him — but he soon comes to realize that it is actually a punishment, because he is viewed as being as lost, incorrigible, & hopeless as the students of “Brand X” (the nickname that everyone derisively uses to refer to the school).

Believing he can repair his image by cleaning up the school, Rick attempts to have an assembly to declare his intentions: "No more." No more drugs, running in the hallways or being late to class. While he's giving his speech, Victor Duncan (Michael Wright), the leader of the main gang in the school, walks in, derides Rick in front of everyone, then walks out, which eventually results in a small riot, which earns Rick the enmity of not only the teachers but also school head of security Jake (Louis Gossett Jr.).

Eventually, Rick manages to enforce his policy of getting rid of the drugs being dealt in the bathrooms and clearing out the hallways — but not always with success. Because the students are now forced to go to class, some of the more unruly students become increasingly disruptive, including White Zac (J.J. Cohen), who eventually attempts to rape one of the teachers, Ms. Orozco (Rae Dawn Chong), with whom Rick is beginning to form a close friendship. She is able to throw a chair out the window, alerting Rick, who was talking with Arturo (Jacob Vargas), who has a crush on Ms. Orozco. Rick rides his motorcycle into the school, with Arturo following behind him. Rick makes his way to the classroom and White Zac is forced to run. He doesn't get far and Rick subdues him, punching Zac so hard he falls into a garbage can.

Victor, meanwhile, continues to assert his influence on the school, going so far as to brutally beat a former member of his gang and hang him by his ankles when the member warms to Rick and actually starts learning. After a confrontation in the lunch room, Victor threatens Rick, telling him that if he shows up the next day, he's going home in a body bag. Rick scoffs and walks away as Victor continues to threaten him. At the end of school the next day, after classes have been dismissed, Victor and his crew show up and sneak into the school. Jake goes to chain the doors, and while attempting to cal the cops, Rick discovers that Victor's crew has cut the phone lines. A game of cat and mouse ensues. Rick is in a girls shower, with a baseball bat, waiting for Victor. However, Victor and Jojo (Reggie Johnson) get the drop on him. Victor points a gun and Rick, and then gives Jojo the order to cut him. Rick makes a plea for his life, and tells Jojo not to follow Victor. Jojo realizes the spot he is in and refuses to kill Rick, telling Victor that killing Rick would bring down the crew. After Jojo drops the knife, Victor shoots him in the head, killing him. He's about to shoot Rick when Arturo, who disobeyed orders form Rick to go home, swings the bat and strikes Victor. The distraction allows Rick to go one the offensive. The clash between Rick and Victor eventually leads to a showdown in the school halls, where Jake is temporarily locked inside a supply closet while Victor and his gang hunt Rick down. In the end, Victor and Rick fight each other with their fists, with Victor seemingly having the upper hand until Rick overpowers him.

Rick beats Victor, much to the shock of the rest of the school who witness the beating. Several students cheer Rick on, much to the chagrin of Victor's gang members. After a small fight breaks out Rick again declares, "No more!" Victor is taken away in a police car, and as a student derisively asks, "Hey man, who the hell do you think you are?", Rick responds "I'm the principal, man!" and rides away on his motorcycle.

Cast

 * Jim Belushi as Principal Rick Latimer
 * Louis Gossett, Jr. as head guard Jake Phillips
 * Rae Dawn Chong as teacher Hilary Orozco
 * Michael Wright as gang leader Victor Duncan
 * Reggie Johnson as Jojo
 * Jeffrey Jay Cohen as White Zac
 * Kelly Minter as Treena Lester
 * Esai Morales as Raymi Rojas
 * Troy Winbush as Baby Emile
 * Jacob Vargas as Arturo Diego

Box office
The Principal had moderate success at the box office. The domestic total gross for the film was $19,734,940.

Reception
In 2014, the movie was one of several discussed by Keli Goff in The Daily Beast in an article concerning white savior narratives in film.