March 7, 1999 -- "Rushmore" is a charming, unconventional film that reminds me of the cult favorite "Harold and Maude." In essence it is the story of an aspiring movie director, or perhaps it is a director's fantasy. It is the product of Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, the team that made "Bottle Rocket."

The star of the film is Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a 15-year-old who likes to manage people. Perhaps not since "Ferris Beuller's Day Off," has there been so captivating a young film character. Fischer free-wheels his way through the stodgy halls Rushmore Academy, paying little attention to class, but starting up numerous clubs. He writes plays, he orders people around. He's like a cult leader. He's what every director wants to be.

Fischer is able to schmooze his way into the confidence of a rich Rushmore benefactor Herman Blume (Bill Murray). Blume quickly falls under the spell of Fischer, who begins to order him around just as he does his younger classmates. Although Blume is like putty in Fischer's hands, he does manage to become Fischer's enemy when he has an affair with a teacher at Rushmore that Blume has a crush on.

A battle ensues between Fischer and Bloom which escalates into extreme comedy. The "dirty trick" campaigns each of these two people launch against the other are some of the funniest scenes in the film. The battle escalates to the point where Fischer gets a box of dynamite and heads to school with a rifle. If this was an ordinary film you could predict what would happen next. Not in this one.

Although the plot wanders almost aimlessly, and the blind loyalty that Fischer is able to get from people would not happen in real life (in real life, he'd get the tar beat out of him for being an insufferable nerd), the movie did hold my interest right up to the very strange conclusion. Schwartzman is superb in the starring role, which is surprising because he had never been in a movie prior to this. Bill Murray is wonderful as Blume. He's wacky, vulnerable and a little threatening. Seymour Cassel is also excellent as Fischer's father, Bert. He is relaxed and confident in the role. The rest of the supporting cast is also good.

This is a fine film for film buffs like myself, because it is all about movies, not about real life. There are many film references and Fischer's plays acted out in the film are really movies, not plays. Still, one can overlook the narcissistic aspects of the film because it is fun, and those who crave novelty will love it because it is unpredictable. This film rates a B.

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