Spare the Rod (1961): cast, story & where to watch
1961 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1961, Spare the Rod is a drama film directed by Leslie Norman, running about 93 minutes.
What it’s about. It is London in the year 1960 and John Saunders enthusiastically begins his new teaching career at a tough slum-area school. His class are bored pupils in their last term before leaving. Will he handle the grave problems that lie ahead?
Who’s in it. Spare the Rod stars Max Bygraves as John Saunders, Geoffrey Keen as Arthur Gregory, Donald Pleasence as Mr. Jenkins and Betty McDowall as Ann Collins, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Spare the Rod has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Philo. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Spare the Rod page.
If you liked it. Fans of Spare the Rod tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Spare the Rod (1961)?
- In US, Spare the Rod is available to stream on Philo. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Spare the Rod worth watching?
- Spare the Rod holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Spare the Rod?
- Spare the Rod stars Max Bygraves, Geoffrey Keen, Donald Pleasence, Betty McDowall and Peter Reynolds.
- When was Spare the Rod released?
- Spare the Rod was released in 1961, with a runtime of about 93 minutes.