History Film / SchoolTies

* BerserkButton: David is generally a nice, polite, studious and even-tempered guy, until you make Jew jokes or threaten his friends. This is kind of scary, given that it's not unbelievable at all that David (played by an even then ''6-foot-tall'' Brendan Fraser) is a quarterback.

* DirtyCoward: The prep school boys, big time. [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney They're used to hiding behind mommy and daddy's big money]] [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections and big name,]] rather than face their problems head-on. They also resort to passive-aggressive insults and pranks rather than insult someone to their face. The biggest instance is when David finds a swatstika in his room, and no one comes forward when he issues a public challenge to the culprit.

* DrivenByEnvy: Dillon starts out envying David Greene because he got the quarterback position he wanted. After learning more about Greene's life, he outright tells Greene that he envies the fact that his life won't be ruined if he doesn't make it into a prestigious college because he has more to him than just a wealthy family. Then, during a football game with his family watching, Dillon tries to show off, screws up a play and Dillon has to use him to block a tackle. It's not until he learns that Greene is dating the girl he loves that he becomes outright hateful.

* DrivenByEnvy: Collins starts out envying David Greene because he got the quarterback position he wanted. After learning more about Greene's life, he outright tells Greene that he envies the fact that his life won't be ruined if he doesn't make it into a prestigious college because he has more to him than just a wealthy family. Then, during a football game with his family watching, Collins tries to show off, screws up a play and Dillon has to use him to block a tackle. It's not until he learns that Greene is dating the girl he loves that he becomes outright hateful.

* TheResenter: Collins starts out friendly enough to David Greene, but he grows more and more jealous of Green as he outdoes him in sports and romance, until the fact that Greene is Jewish is dropped into his lap and he has a way to strike back.

* GreedyJew: Jokes are made to this extent in David's presence; he tries to ignore them with middling success. Given he's also the [[{{PennyAmongDiamonds}} Token Working-Class]] student, it makes even less sense. [[TruthInTelevision Not that bigotry ever needs to make sense, as many real minorities will tell you.]]

* InsultBackfire: The ending

* NiceJewishBoy: David Greene is the gentlest, most understanding boy you'll ever meet [[BewareTheNiceOnes until you make fun of him for being Jewish.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David is cleared of the cheating accusation, and his biggest enemy in the school has been expelled, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year. Still, the film ends on a positive note, with his confident, borderline impertinent words to the headmaster ("You used me for football; I'll use you to get into Harvard") implying he's [[CharacterDevelopment learned to accept the situation]] and will no longer allow it to distract him from his goals.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year. The only respite is that at the end, his confident words to the headmaster ("You used me for football; I'll use you to get into Harvard") imply he's [[CharacterDevelopment learned to accept the situation]] and will no longer allow it to distract him from his goals.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year. The only respite is that at the end, his confident words to the headmaster suggest he's accepted the situation and won't allow himself to fall into despair over it [[CharacterDevelopment as he had previously]].]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year. His final words to the headmaster suggest he's accepted the situation and won't allow himself to fall into despair over it.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year. But his final words to the headmaster suggest that at least he's accepted the situation and won't allow himself to fall into despair over it.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year.]]

* MalignedMixedMarriage: Sally dumps David when she learns he's Jewish. She claims it's because he lied to her, but it's clear to the audience she's anti-Semitic too.

* MalignedMixedMarriage: Sally dumps David when she learns he's Jewish. She claims it's to avoid this, but it's clear to the audience she's anti-Semitic too.

* MalignedMixedMarriage: Sally dumps David when she learns he's Jewish. She claims it's to avoid this, but it's clear to the audience she's anti-Semetic too.

* BittersweetEnding: David avoids expulsion, and his biggest enemy in the school is gone, but he's still a pariah among the majority of the students, he's lost his popularity, he's lost his girlfriend, and he's going to continue facing significant anti-Semitic bullying for the rest of the school year.

* BigGame: one relatively early in the season happens during [[UsefulNotesJewishHolidays Rosh Hashana]], when David's father tells him to go to temple instead. David plays anyways, but sneaks into the chapel to do his prayers later.

** Collins's lackey Smith imitates Radio/TheShadow, dressing up in a coat and fedora and saying his catchphrase.