Blackboard Jungle (1955)

A new English teacher at a violent, unruly inner-city school is determined to do his job, despite resistance from both students and faculty.

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Richard Brooks (screenplay), Evan Hunter (novel)

Stars:

Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Glenn Ford	...	Richard Dadier
Anne Francis	...	Anne Dadier
Louis Calhern	...	Jim Murdock
Margaret Hayes	...	Lois Judby Hammond
John Hoyt	...	Mr. Warneke
Richard Kiley	...	Joshua Y. Edwards
Emile Meyer	...	Mr. Halloran
Warner Anderson	...	Dr. Bradley
Basil Ruysdael	...	Prof. A.R. Kraal
Sidney Poitier	...	Gregory W. Miller
Vic Morrow	...	Artie West
Dan Terranova	...	Belazi
Rafael Campos	...	Pete V. Morales
Paul Mazursky	...	Emmanuel Stoker
Horace McMahon	...	Detective

Storyline

War veteran Rick Dadier is one of three new teachers hired at North Manual High School, an inner city boys school. This is his first teaching assignment, which he needs to support himself and his insecure pregnant wife, Anne. Despite Principle Warnecke's assertions to the contrary, Dadier quickly learns that the rumors of student discipline problems at the school are indeed true. The established teachers at the school try to counsel the newcomers, all inexperienced in such situations, as how best to handle the rowdy students. Regardless, Dadier tries to exert discipline in his class, which provokes a violent response. Dadier believes the student leaders against him are Artie West, but more specifically Gregory Miller, who he thinks uses the fact of being black as a means of racial provocation. Dadier has to decide either to leave and teach at a "real" school, or stay and figure out how to get through to his students. If he decides to stay, he has to figure out who the real disruptive ...

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Plot Keywords:

student | teacher | high school | teaching | teenager | 

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Taglines:

I'm a teacher. My pupils are the kind you don't turn your back on, even in class!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Blackboard Jungle

Filming Locations:

El Segundo, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film includes the debuts of Jamie Farr, Rafael Campos and Vic Morrow. Morrow's audition helped him beat out a newcomer named Steve McQueen for the role.

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Goofs

When Dadier is talking to Miller in the auto shop, Miller is working on a car. He is using a ratchet. But instead of twisting the ratchet handle, he is holding it still and twisting the socket extension bar with his hands.

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Quotes

Anne Dadier: I was like one of the bad kids in your class. Somebody told me a lie and I believed it. One's as bad as the other.

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Connections

Referenced in Empire of the Censors (1995)

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Soundtracks

The Jazz Me Blues
Written by Tom Delaney (uncredited)
Played by Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang
Courtesy of Columbia Records, Inc.

User Reviews

The Hunter Gets Captured by the Prey.

James Dean's untimely death in September of 1955 made "Rebel Without a Cause" a booming box office and critical success. Overshadowed due to that was "Blackboard Jungle", a superior and more important film than the aforementioned "Rebel Without a Cause" (contrary to popular belief admittedly). It is New York in the mid-1950s and former military man Glenn Ford (in his greatest screen role) takes a job as a high school teacher in the inner-city. Soon it is blatantly apparent that the school is full of male thugs (most notably guys like Sidney Poitier, Vic Morrow, Paul Mazursky and even Jamie Farr) who run things with total disregard of faculty rules and policy. Ford becomes enraged and proves to be a lot tougher than originally thought. However when pregnant wife Anne Francis starts receiving anonymous phone calls and letters from one of Ford's students about a possible affair between he and one of his female co-workers, the real fireworks start. At first Ford believes that Poitier is the culprit, probably based more on race and Poitier's obvious intelligence rather than actual proof. It takes lots of time and effort, but Ford becomes determined to get through to his pupils and weed out those who are trying to impede his progress and the advancement of others at his school. "Blackboard Jungle" is another excellent piece from writer-director Richard Brooks (Oscar-nominated for writing). It is the first truly legitimate movie that dealt with 1950s teenage angst and it rises above every other movie of the genre. Ford is a revelation, once again showing that he is probably the most under-appreciated actor throughout the history of the cinema. With that said, "Blackboard Jungle" is likely best remembered as Poitier's breakthrough role, a role which ultimately led to outstanding movie after outstanding movie throughout the late-1950s and 1960s. Poitier, 28 at the time, plays much younger than he was and adds much emotion and depth to a potentially flat character. A booming rock'n'roll soundtrack and top-flight performances dominate Brooks' outstanding winner. 4.5 out of 5 stars.