Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Evan Hunter (novel)
Richard Brooks (writer)

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:

Teacher Inspires Students | Beautiful Woman | Switchblade | Delinquent | 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)
Benny Burt	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Joan Danton	...	Irate Mother (uncredited)
Richard Deacon	...	Mr. Stanley, Teacher in lounge (uncredited)
Valentin de Vargas	...	Latino student (uncredited)
Gary Diamond	...	Child (uncredited)
James Drury	...	Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
Del Erickson	...	Student (uncredited)
John Erman	...	Daly - Student seated behind Artie in class (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)
Steve Roberts	...	Boy on Bus (uncredited)
Willard Sage	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
B.W. Sandefur	...	Student (uncredited)
Emil Sitka	...	Father (uncredited)
Lee Stanley	...	Kid (uncredited)
Steve Stevens	...	(uncredited)
Yoshihiro Tomita	...	Tomita (uncredited)
Skip Torgerson	...	Boy on Bus (uncredited)
Martha Wentworth	...	Mrs. Brophy (uncredited)
Jerry Wynne	...	Murphy (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

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

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)

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

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	sound recording supervisor

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

Music Department
Charles Wolcott	....	music adaptor

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

The Blackboard Jungle (USA) (review title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

El Segundo, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original novel was based on author Evan Hunter's own experiences as a teacher in South Bronx. Hunter, who found fame as crime writer Ed McBain, said "I thought I was going to give these kids who want to be motor mechanics Shakespeare and they were going to appreciate it and they weren't buying it. I went home in tears night after night".

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Set decoration includes cardboard alphabet running across top of blackboard--something rarely seen past a third grade classroom, let alone a high school.

Quotes:

Richard Dadier: Yeah, I've been beaten up, but I'm not beaten. I'm not beaten, and I'm not quittin'.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Jazz Me Blues

Blackboard Jungle is a breakthrough film that brings up important issues about urban schools.

I chose to watch Blackboard Jungle after I saw Rebel Without a Cause in Film class. I enjoyed the first movie and after I learned what Jungle was about, I assumed that I would enjoy it as much as Rebel. I was wrong; I enjoyed Blackboard Jungle twice as much.

Blackboard Jungle premiered in 1955, the same year as Rebel Without a Cause and historical milestones such as Rosa Parks' monumental protest of bus segregation. In fact, race relations pay an important part in this film, which I will discuss later. The movie is about a teacher, Richard Dadier, who accepts a job at North Manual High School. At this school, he encounters a school-wide discipline problem. The two main perpetrators in Dadier's class are Gregory Miller, a black student whom Dadier comes to see much promise in, and Vic Morrow, the true instigator of violence, whose gang attacks Dadier. Over the course of the film, Dadier also encounters apathetic teachers, a principal in denial, and a wife who gives birth prematurely. Eventually, Dadier must decide if his pursuit to teach is important enough to endure the hardship.

This movie brings up some very important issues that were just important in 1955 as they are in 2001. Violence in schools is still a major topic, culminating in the Columbine shooting which everyone should remember. Also important is how teachers are to deal with this threat. Dadier dealt with it by reaching out to Miller and by confronting Morrow. But is this a realistic scenario? Sometimes students just cannot be reached, and it is irresponsible to ask teachers to directly confront weapon-totin students who have a propensity for violence. This just goes to show that solving violence in schools is difficult. It has taken at least 46 years; it will probably take many more.

No female students are portrayed in Blackboard Jungle. This contributes to the stereotype that usually teenage boys are the ones who instigate violence. Of course, the statistics show that male students are mostly responsible for school violence, and many stereotypes exist for a reason. Rebel Without a Cause demonstrates the female role in school insubordination well, by including a woman in the main gang. Still, I would have liked to see a female student element in Jungle, to show that girls are often involved, and that they also influence male student's behavior.

For the era, the racial attitude of Blackboard Jungle is very progressive. Dadier confronts racial slurs in the classroom. The principal, who was tipped off by a student that Dadier was using racial epithets (when all he was demonstrating was the dangerous consequences of such racism), is not happy with this report and chastises Dadier. Both situations show that two important protagonists object to racism, signifying the film's aversion to this social aspect. This comes just after Brown v Board, simultaneous to Rosa Parks' significance, and long before the high point of the Civil Rights Movement. Blackboard Jungle should undoubtedly be recognized for its attitude on race relations and other controversial elements, such as rock and roll. At a time when rock music was still controversial and outside the mainstream, Blackboard Jungle opened and closed with Bill Haley and the Comet's "Rock Around the Clock." This was a bold step to take and was one of the reasons that the film was banned from many theatres. The relatively violent content also contributed to the barring of the movie and probably contributed to many riots that occurred in theatres while the movie was shown.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie, both for the issues it addressed, its support for educators and their responsibilities, and for its entertainment value alone. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in educational dilemma, or someone who simply would enjoy a classic film with a progressive, realistic attitude. However, for anyone looking for a clone of Rebel Without a Cause, they won't find what they're looking for, but I guarantee they will enjoy it just the same.