Blackboard Jungle

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Russ G Another 50's film that hasn't aged well. Useful only for viewing footage of a long ago era. I think it's notable only for the soundtrack having "Rock Around the Clock" in the opening credits. In this era, the troublemakers would simply have been expelled. A "secondary" [ie, high school] education wasn't considered essential to earn a living at that time so they would all have flunked out or been kicked out. The one interesting casting choice, besides Vic Morrow better known for the 60's TV series "Combat!" is Sydney Pottier who later did a role reversal in "To Sir, with Love." Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/19/25 Full Review Jeff S A timeless film with a profound message. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review Joel H Blackboard Jungle definitely has its ups and downs. There were times when I was feeling real stress about the fictional situations whereas, at other times, the story got so melodramatic that it felt like an after school special. The real shining star here is Sidney Poitier, who steals the spotlight in every scene that he's in. Vic Morrow is no slouch, either, as he becomes a character that you truly dislike. I think better inspirational teacher movies have come out since then, but you can tell that Blackboard Jungle set a standard for those types of films and made a big impression on audiences of that era. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/03/23 Full Review Steve D You have seen it all before NOW but at the time this was important and powerful stuff. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/28/23 Full Review stu b Heavy-handed and cliched, but still effective. Glenn Ford stars as an idealistic young teacher who lands a job at a rough-and-tumble inner-city high school, only to discover that the students there have no more interest in learning than most of the teachers have in educating them. Its over-the-top, 50s-era view of juvenile delinquency does the film no favors, but the crisp dialogue, smooth direction and fine, low-key performances more than make up for it. With an utterly believable Sidney Poitier and a dangerous and dour-faced Vic Morrow--both at the start of their careers--as two of the chief agitators, a young Anne Francis as Ford's worried wife, and even a pre-"Man of La Mancha" Richard Kiley as the milquetoast teacher who is eventually forced to resign. (And if you look closely, you may even spot Jamie Farr, who went on to star as Corporal Klinger on "M.A.S.H.") Written and directed in gorgeous black-and-white by Richard Brooks. Based on the book by Evan Hunter. A classic. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/19 Full Review Audience Member Unlike most of the other school reform movies that I've watched, this movie made me so mad I wanted to murder the Vic Morrow character. There are a number of things that make me think that a violent solution is the answer, and his character committed a number of those actions. All that is going to happen to him is he is either going to be sent to another school where he will hurt someone else, or he will foul up the streets with his scumminess. The sexist ways that the women act and are acted upon is revolting, but shows a lot of the issues that the fifties were having with gender rights and sexism within men and women of the time. I liked the race statements that we shouldn't call each other racial slurs even within our own groups because it can not be a universal maxim and is therefore immoral. The chat between the teacher and Miller is also true, that you can't use the excuse of your race to not try and make something of yourself. Sidney Poitier is absolutely fantastic as usual, and this movie has introduced me to Glenn Ford, who now I want to see more of. This is an interesting and emotionally engaging movie, but I think a lot of the solutions should have been addressed in the beginning of the class rather than letting them fester and get out of control, including Ms. Hammond's advances. The cinematography was great, and it was amazing to me to hear a popular song used for the opening credits in a black and white movie, really cool. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Blackboard Jungle

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