Stand and Deliver (1988)

The story of Jaime Escalante, a high school teacher who successfully inspired his dropout prone students to learn calculus.

Director:

Ramón Menéndez (as Ramon Menendez)

Writers:

Ramón Menéndez, Tom Musca

Stars:

Edward James Olmos, Estelle Harris, Mark Phelan

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Edward James Olmos	...	Jaime Escalante
Estelle Harris	...	Estelle - Secretary
Mark Phelan	...	Cop in Office
Virginia Paris	...	Raquel Ortega
Eliot	...	Armando 'Tito' Quintana (as Mark Eliot)
Adelaida Alvarez	...	Sexy Girl
Will Gotay	...	Francisco 'Pancho' Garcia
Patrick Baca	...	Javier Perales
Ingrid Oliu	...	Guadalupe 'Lupe' Escobar
Carmen Argenziano	...	Principal Molina
Richard Martinez	...	Heavy Metal Boy
Mark Everett	...	Heavy Metal Boy
Tyde Kierney	...	Joe Goodell - Neighbor
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Fabiola Escalante (as Rosana De Soto)
Bodie Olmos	...	Fernando Escalante

Storyline

Jaime Escalante is a mathematics teacher in a school in a Hispanic neighbourhood. Convinced that his students have potential, he adopts unconventional teaching methods help gang members and no-hopers pass the rigorous Advanced Placement exam in calculus.

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Plot Keywords:

calculus | inner city youth | institutional discrimination | national film registry | student | 

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Taglines:

In 1982, a new troublemaker hit Garfield High. He was tough. He was wild. He was willing to fight. He was the new math teacher.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

11 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Walking on Water

Filming Locations:

Garfield High School - 5101 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$411,884, 13 March 1988, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$13,994,920

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., American Playhouse, Olmos Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jaime Escalante was actually impressed by the movie, stating that it was 'Ninety per cent truth, and ten per cent drama.'

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Goofs

When Edward James Olmos is taking out the garbage and makes a comment to his neighbor about how good his boat looks, the boat registration numbers are an Iowa registration not California where the story takes place.

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Quotes

Jaime Escalante: [about Claudia] This girl's gotta do some work from the neck up. We're going to have to stay late again. Of course you know, we have pizza because they deliver. We can get fried chicken, hamburgers with cheese. We'll need donations. No, really, you owe me money anyway. You don't deserve the grades you're getting.
[Claudia gets up and leaves]
Jaime Escalante: Where are you going? Late for another date? She's got more boyfriends than Elizabeth Taylor.
Claudia: I don't appreciate you using my personal life to entertain this ...

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: Pretty Woman/Blind Fury/A Shock to the System/The Fourth War/Lambada (1990)

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Soundtracks

Contrabando Del Paso
Performed by Marcos Loya & Jacinto Guevara

User Reviews

Edward James Olmos delivers!

I know, there are a million movies made like this. The story about a teacher handling tough students has been told quite some times. "Dangerous Minds", To Sir, With Love", "The Substitute"-movies, "The Principal",... The stories often look a lot like each other and "Stand and Deliver" isn't any different, but that doesn't bother. This is a fine movie!

I don't know if Edward James Olmos' Academy Award nomination was a big surprise at the Oscars or if his performance was indeed one of the 5 best performances of 1988, but I can only confirm that he gave a great performance. Funny, smart and touching as well. I think all the students were great as well, even so I didn't knew any of them, except from Lou Diamond Philips of course.

"Stand and Deliver" might not be the most original movie ever made, but that doesn't change the fact that it's highly enjoyable to watch. The story is good and the performances are great. Nor melodramatic, neither comic, just excellent Saturday night entertainment without being cheap. Worth watching!

8/10