Epilogue
Why is Mrs. Wilkinson not invited to watch Billy's performance? She is the reason he is there.
shareMainly because Julie Walters wasn't available when filming that scene.
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MovieChat Forums > Billy Elliot (2000) Discussion > Epilogue
Your relationship with a teacher or mentor is still different than that with family/best friends.
I danced at the same studio throughout my entire childhood - from age 4 through 18. I adored the studio owner, and I knew her for a GREAT deal longer than Billy knew Mrs. Wilkinson. I've started dancing again, after too many years off - and I've never invited Marti to my recitals. This is due in large part to the fact that I now live 700 miles away, but even aside from that, it just didn't occur to me. She was a dear friend, and a good teacher, but she's not a part of my life anymore, just as Mrs. Wilkinson was no longer a part of Billy's.
Also, bear in mind how many former students any dance teacher has. Most of them will never do anything with their dancing, but there will still be plenty who go on to become dancers. There is no possible way that they can attend all of their performances, they wouldn't be able to do anything else. ;)
The literal answer is that Julie Walters wasn't available to film that scene.
But in the context of the film I saw it as she had passed from his life -moved away from the area, possibly even died (she was a smoker...). But there is also the chance that she was there in the audience, but not with tickets arranged by Billy (which is how his family and Michael were seated together). She could also have been planning to attend another performance.
The relationship between Billy and Mrs. Wilkinson is definitely a complex one. I'm not a dancer, but I do feel that she must have been something special herself at one time, on order to help Billy as she did. But something kept her from pursuing her dream, and I think that makes her association with Billy somewhat painful. She might have stayed away simply because she wasn't up to an emotional encounter afterward.
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Zaphod's just zis guy, you know?
I would have thought Mrs. Wilkinson and Debbie would be invited, because they were there at the change of his life.
Classics are names that everyone heard, yet most have never seen!!
It is a wonderful quality in a mentor if she can truly step aside when her role is over. Mrs. Wilkinson didn't help Billy because she wanted him to succeed or because she wanted to be thanked.
She helped him because she saw something in him and she knew that she was the CONNECTION to take him to the next point.
I wouldn't put it past these film makers to milk a bit more emotion out of the audience by including Mrs. Wilkinson in the performance scene. I'm glad the actress wasn't available because, to me, it seemed more realistic.
This was opening night. He wanted his family and friend there. Afterwards, they could chat and laugh together.
Billy invited Mrs. Wilkinson and Debbie to the final night. This would be when his performance had been honed to perfection, for Mrs. Wilkinson's critical eye. He would then be able to give Mrs. Wilkinson his undivided attention after the performance.
OK, I made that whole scenario up. But, that's what happened as far as I'm concerned.
how many people invite their kindergarten teachers to their university graduations? how many people even keep in touch with their kindergarten teachers? Mrs Wilkinson played a pivotal role in Billy's life as his first teacher, but she was certainly not his only one and likely not even his best. having her at the performance would seem to me an obvious attempt at a 'happy ending' that would come off disingenuous or unrealistic. Billy's father, brother, and best friend? that's exactly who should be there.
shareShe was his only dance teacher. She gave up her time, free of charge, believed in him, fought his family to give him the opportunity. She wrote to the Royal Ballet to get him an audition. In short; she made him who he became.
I think it's unrealistic that Billy would not have invited her to a performance. She was more than a 'kindergarten' teacher.
that's a contradiction - as you say yourself, she got him into the Royal Ballet school, where he would have had a multitude of teachers over his years there. she most definitely was NOT his only dance teacher. and the teachers he would have had there would likely have been of a much higher calibre, so she likely wasn't even his best. i'm not negating the effort she put into helping him nor the effect she had in his life, but i respectfully disagree that it's unrealistic she wasn't invited to the performance.
i love that woman, and one of my favourite scenes of the movie is the one where she storms into his house and shouts at his father and brother - like a mama bear with a cub. she definitely went above and beyond to help Billy. on the other hand, i think we all have stories in our lives where another person has made an impact, stuck his neck out for us, or has pushed us to better ourselves. on a personal note, i was a crazy kid who learned to read when i was 3, before i started school. when my kindergarten class was sitting in a circle learning the sounds letters make, i was sitting in the corner thinking about the Narnia books i was reading at home. after a few weeks, my teacher realized that it would be better for me if i were learning something during that time, so she went to the principal and asked if i could join the grade 5 class during language study. the initial response by the principal and the grade 5 teacher was no, because they thought it would be disruptive to have a 4 year old in with 11 year olds, but my teacher persuaded them to allow me to do it. now, there was no shouting at big mining men, but my teacher stuck her neck out for me and it definitely helped me - i was reading at a college level before i was 10 years old, while i likely would have lost interest in either reading or school if i were held back with the rest of my class. as much as i appreciate what she did for me, i don't keep in touch with her, nor do i keep in touch with the grade 5 teacher who allowed me into his class. neither of them were invited to my university graduation, and i don't think anyone looked around and thought, "where's Mrs Rabb and Mr Pearson? i can't believe she didn't invite them!" ;)
We'll agree to differ.
shareI think it's unrealistic that Billy would not have invited her to a performance.I think it was too, but apparently the director/writer couldn't decide whether to include her for whatever reasons and by the time they filmed the epilogue Julie Walters was otherwise engaged.
I don't think her absence detracts too much from that scene.🐭 share
She should have been there. I never forgot my ballet teacher as a child, and when I became an adult I went to see him and he remembered me. He was a strong element in my life and I didnt want him to feel like I would ever forget him.
Also, Billys teacher was also a sort of mother figure, since his own mom passed away..She should have been there.
it's funny reading all the interpretations when the truth is she was not available when the scene was shot, lol
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