Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Richard Brooks (screenplay)
Evan Hunter (novel)

Release Date:

25 March 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The sensational novel...now on the screen!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Student | Teacher | High School | Teaching | School Teacher

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

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
Jamie Farr	...	Santini (as Jameel Farah)
Danny Dennis	...	De Lica
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Alpert	...	Lou Savoldi (uncredited)
Jimmy Ames	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dwayne Avery	...	Student (uncredited)
Ben Avila	...	Student (uncredited)
Henny Backus	...	Miss Brady (uncredited)
Doyle Baker	...	Wilson (uncredited)
Beau Buchanan	...	Student (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Joan Danton	...	Irate Mother (uncredited)
Valentin de Vargas	...	Latino Student (uncredited)
Richard Deacon	...	Mr. Stanley (uncredited)
Gary Diamond	...	Child (uncredited)
James Drury	...	Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
Del Erickson	...	Student (uncredited)
John Erman	...	Daly (uncredited)
Robert Foulk	...	George Katz (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Electrician (uncredited)
Paul Hoffman	...	Mr. Lefkowitz (uncredited)
Teddy Infuhr	...	Needles - a Teenager (uncredited)
Tommy Ivo	...	Frightened Student (uncredited)
Ike Jones	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Nikki Juston	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Italian Restaurant Table Extra (uncredited)
Carl Kress	...	Peewee (uncredited)
Mickey Little	...	Boy on Bus (uncredited)
Tom McKee	...	Manners (uncredited)
Jerry Mickelsen	...	Krauss (uncredited)
Peter Miller	...	Joe Murray, Attacker of Miss Hammond (uncredited)
Jimmy Murphy	...	Frank Adams (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann	...	Miss Panucci (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Italian Restaurant Proprietor (uncredited)
Virginia Pherrin	...	Teacher in Lounge (uncredited)
Gerald Phillips	...	Carter (uncredited)
Chris Randall	...	Levy (uncredited)
William Rhinehart	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Willard Sage	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
B.W. Sandefur	...	Student (uncredited)
Emil Sitka	...	Father (uncredited)
Bobby Somers	...	Student (uncredited)
Lee Stanley	...	Kid (uncredited)
Steve Stevens	...	Boy on Bus (uncredited)
Yoshihiro Tomita	...	Tomita (uncredited)
Skip Torgerson	...	Boy on Bus (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Bystander at Accident Scene (uncredited)
Martha Wentworth	...	Mrs. Brophy (uncredited)
Jerry Wynne	...	Murphy (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Richard Brooks		(screenplay)
Evan Hunter		(novel "The Blackboard Jungle")

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Scott Bradley		(uncredited)
Charles Wolcott		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Russell Harlan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
Randall Duell
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Shenberg	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman	....	assistant director
Buddy Messinger	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Hank Moonjean	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	sound recording supervisor
Conrad Kahn	....	sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Eli Bo Jack Blackfeather	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Wolcott	....	music adaptor

Other crew
Harold Clifton	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Eylla Jacobs	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design

Also Known As:

"The Blackboard Jungle" - USA (review title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #17376) | UK:12 (1996 release) | UK:R | UK:X (August 1955) | Norway:12 (1955) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Portugal:17 (original rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1955)

Filming Locations:

El Segundo, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film was initially rejected for a UK cinema certificate by the BBFC in March 1955. It was resubmitted again in August where it was then by around 6 minutes to remove uses of threatening dialogue and the entire climactic switchblade scene between Dadier and Artie. It would later be passed completely uncut for video and DVD with a 12 certificate.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the record smashing scene, as the students exit the classroom, Santini(Jamie Farr) is shown walking down the hallway, but in the next shot he is still in the classroom,giving Mr.Edwards his glasses.

Quotes:

Belazi:Five points off, what for?
Richard Dadier:For having loose eyes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 21 Jump Street (2012)

Soundtrack:

Let Me Go Lover

Of the 50's but very actual

In the mid 50's, when this film was released my parents like many other people who had teenagers were very reluctant to permit them to spend their allowance money for a ticket to this one. The film is superb, very realistic , giving an in depth view over problematic educational situation. But not only this- it is also a social outcry about racial problems, poverty problems, and when I viewed this film again in 2005 (yes, I managed to enter the theater in the 50's after all..) I was very astonished to realize that later films about the same situation-and there were quite a few of those during the years to come- displayed the same situations , motives and dilemma's. One realizes a very outstanding fact , which, if you will, is heart touching: these violent juveniles can easily dodge school, nobody can make them to stay in class, they even dread to face an expulsion , because deep in their heart they know that education is essential for their future if they ever want to get out of the vicious circle of poverty and low class, that holds them inside it.