Up the Down Staircase (1967)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Robert Mulligan

Writers:

Bel Kaufman (novel)
Tad Mosel (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 July 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Simple words that start a war: "Good morning. My name is Miss Barrett. I am your Home Room teacher..."

Plot:

The experiences of a young female English teacher in an inner-city New York high school.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | New York | Student | News | Book

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Sandy Dennis	...	Sylvia Barrett
Patrick Bedford	...	Paul Barringer
Eileen Heckart	...	Henrietta Pastorfield
Ruth White	...	Beatrice Schacter
Jean Stapleton	...	Sadie Finch
Sorrell Booke	...	Dr. Bestor
Roy Poole	...	James J. Mc Habe
Florence Stanley	...	Ella Friedenberg
Vinnette Carroll	...	The Mother
Janice Mars	...	Miss Gordon
Loretta Leversee	...	Social Studies Teacher
John Callahan
Denis Fay
Otto Lomax
Martha Greenhouse	...	Albert Kagan

Runtime:

USA:124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

El Barrio, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Park Place Production

Trivia:

Bel Kaufman, in the Preface to the 25th anniversary edition of the book, writes: "The movie was filmed in New York City, in and around Haaren High School, which had been emptied for the summer."

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the opening montage establishing the first day of school in September in a New York high school, several shots were obviously filmed in dead of winter with extras in heavy coats, gray skies, etc. contrasting wildly with scenes of sunny skies and lightweight costumes of main characters.

Quotes:

Sylvia Barrett: The theme of MacBeth is that too much ambition can lead to ruthless ambition, and end up in disaster. That's what words are for - to be used. Who can tell me what "ruthless" means? Joe?
[Gets no response, decides to ask... ]
Sylvia Barrett: Eddie?
Eddie Williams: Steps all over.
Sylvia Barrett: Use it in a sentence.
Eddie Williams: Steps all over, like white people. I know because I'm colored.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Replacements: Hollywoodn't (#3.11)" (2008)

Great Drama

Reminds me of the wonderful movie "To Sir, with Love" starring Sidney Poitier, which came out one year earlier in 1966. Both have an academic setting and emphasize reaching difficult young adults through intellect and respect. The direction and the script on this one is somewhat darker, and scenes are allowed to build up suspense with realistic danger that comes very close to the edge. The film explores the spectrum of student characters and the delicate balance a teacher has with both students and faculty. A very hard to find film, I've seen it only once just after midnight and commercial free on a highly rated classic movie channel, Turner Classic Movies. I highly recommend at least one viewing of this great drama.