A new English teacher at a violent, unruly inner-city school is determined to do his job, despite resistance from both students and faculty.A new English teacher at a violent, unruly inner-city school is determined to do his job, despite resistance from both students and faculty.A new English teacher at a violent, unruly inner-city school is determined to do his job, despite resistance from both students and faculty.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 1 win & 6 nominations total
- Santini
- (as Jameel Farah)
- Lou Savoldi
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Teens are rebellious and act up. They think they are immortal and can never die. They always have, especially since the 1940s and 1950s of America. Even the Bible documents a group of youths making fun of Elisha's baldness 3,000 years ago, "Go on up you bald head, Go on up you bald head" Poor kids, God came down with two bears and smote them all for making fun of Elisha. Unfortunately, God won't likely solve every youth problem like that anymore. :) Ways have to be found the way Glen Ford does in this film, to reach out to the troubled youth. And adults must always remind themselves that this is not a "new problem" as they so often wish to believe.
Before Sidney Poitier 'came to dinner', before Vic Morrow went into 'Combat', before Richard Kiley 'dreamed the impossible dream', and, yes, even before Jamie Farr (ne Jameel Farah), donned a dress, they were all part of The Blackboard Jungle. This movie launched quite a few notable careers.
The amazing thing this high school, at the center of the action, is not typical of any other schools in that one males attended and no females are to be seen around them. By making an old male high school, Richard Brooks updated Evan Hunter's novel to show the violent nature of most of those young men that are clearly from under privileged homes, perhaps, boys whose fathers had bolted and left their women to bring up the sons they didn't want to have anything with.
The film is important in that it marked the arrival of a strong actor that would dominate the movies like no other one, Sidney Poitier. With his handsome looks, and his great screen presence, Mr. Poitier was instrumental in breaking into the main stream movies in ways others tried, but didn't make a dent. Perhaps it was in the cards that Hollywood began dealing with a reality they tried to ignore integrating their stories with Blacks that had taken a back seat to other, not so talented performers.
The film works because of the strong performances by Glenn Ford, Vic Morrow and Sidney Poitier. Also, the theme song of the film, "Rock Around the Clock" went to become an anthem for viewers that filled the theaters for the thrill of hearing it play as the film started, putting them in the right frame of mind to accept what they were going to see.
Richard Brooks is the one responsible for the adaptation and the inspired direction for the movie that still resonates because of its raw energy.
Well cast with a number of fine actors and actresses virtually all films that followed this one and dealt with unruly schools and students are born from this one. Sidney Poitier turns in a great performance as a student who has academic potential but is torn between his street ways and his desire to become educated and better himself. While watching this film it's hard to imagine any worse situation-taking place in a high school. Yet what has been happening in Americas high schools of recent makes the goings on in the classroom of Richard Dadier seem quite mild. A young Jamie Farr who would achieve fame as Klinger on the long running TV series MASH is cast as a simple minded student in the class of delinquents. None of whom will ever pitch for the Yankees by the way! After seeing this movie you might just say `Oh Daddy-O what a good film'
Did you know
- TriviaFilm debut of Jamie Farr.
- GoofsIn the garage scene, when Miller starts fixing the car, he says "nobody gives a hoot", but his lips indicates he really says "nobody gives a damn". The replacement of the profanity is made humorous by the director, who chose to play the sound effect of a car horn when the word "hoot" is uttered.
- Quotes
Richard Dadier: Now, pretty soon, you're gonna be reading in the newspapers want ads for jobs, apartments, something to buy. Advertising space is expensive so abbreviations are used. Now, write out the complete words to all the abbreviations in these problem ads. All right, get started.
[Dadier notices Belazi coping anwsers from Morales paper]
Richard Dadier: Belazi. Let's keep your eyes on your paper.
Belazi: Me?
Richard Dadier: Cheating won't help you learn those abbreviations, you know.
Artie West: He won't look for no job. His old man owns a store.
Belazi: Yeah, and I'm not gonna buy me me no Cadillac either.
Artie West: No, It's cheaper to steal one. That's arithmetic for ya, teach.
Richard Dadier: All right, Belazi. Bring me your paper up here.
[Belazi gets up and hands over his paper to Dadier]
Belazi: Five points off. What for?
Richard Dadier: For having loose eyes.
Richard Dadier: [Dadier notices that West is cheating also] West!
Artie West: You talking to me, teach?
Richard Dadier: Bring your paper up here West.
Artie West: What for?
Richard Dadier: I said bring your paper up here.
Artie West: And I said , what for?
Gregory W. Miller: Come on, Artie. Bring him the paper.
Artie West: Now , look, you keep your rotten mouth out of this, black boy.
[Miller stands up ready to pounce on West]
Richard Dadier: Miller!... Hold it... All right. All right, Miller. It's all right. Now, bring your paper up here, West.
[West crumbles the paper and throws it on the floor]
Richard Dadier: All right, we're going down to see the principal.
Artie West: We are? You gonna make me, Daddy-O? How'd you like to go to hell?
Belazi: What's the matter, Daddy-O?
Artie West: Yeah, how about it, teach? You got a big mouth. Tell me to do this, do that. Are you big enough to take me to the principal's office? Beacause that's what you're gonna have to do. Take me. So, come on! Take me! Come on!
[Dadier approaches West and West pulls out a switchblade. This stops Dadier in his tracks and the rest of the class gets up and out of the way]
Artie West: Come on. For a bright boy, you didn't learn nothing. Well, take me down. Come on. Step right up and taste a little of this , Daddy-O.
Richard Dadier: Give me that knife, West.
Artie West: Where do you want it? You want it in the belly? Or how about in the face, huh? Here it is. All you gotta do is take it. Come on, take it! Come on!
Gregory W. Miller: Take it easy, chief. He's crazy, he's high, he's floating on Sneaky Pete wine.
Pete V. Morales: He's gonna kill him.
- Crazy credits"We, in the United States, are fortunate to have a school system that is a tribute to our communities and to our faith in American youth. Today we are concerned with juvenile delinquency -- its causes -- and its effects. We are especially concerned when this delinquency boils over into our schools. The scenes and incidents depicted here are fictional. However, we believe that public awareness is a first step toward a remedy for any problem. Is is in this spirit and with this faith that BLACKBOARD JUNGLE was produced."
- Alternate versionsThe film was originally rejected in the UK for containing "unbridled, revolting hooliganism" and having a "damaging and harmful effect (on teenagers)". Following protests from the distributor, it was viewed again but there was an even split between examiners in favor of banning it again or cutting it for an X (16) certificate. After further meetings where the distributor claimed it had a sincere moral purpose, a cuts list was drawn up which removed around five minutes of footage. This included the following:
- The foreword which absolved the US of blame regarding its realistic depiction - this was added specifically for foreign releases following the huge controversy it caused back home. It reads: "We, in the United States, are fortunate to have a school system that is a tribute to our communities and to our faith in American youth. Today we are concerned with juvenile delinquency -- its causes -- and its effects. We are especially concerned when this delinquency boils over into our schools. The scenes and incidents depicted here are fictional. However, we believe that public awareness is a first step toward a remedy for any problem. It is in this spirit and with this faith that BLACKBOARD JUNGLE was produced."
- Male pupils leering at women.
- A boy assaulting a female teacher.
- Dadier being attacked.
- Dadier being threatened by a knife-wielding pupil.
- The planning and execution of a van robbery.
- Dadier fighting back against a pupil.
- ConnectionsEdited into Heavy Petting (1989)
- SoundtracksRock Around the Clock
Written by James E. Myers and Max Freedman
Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets
Courtesy of Decca Records, Inc.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,168,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 1h 41m(101 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.75 : 1