Blackboard Jungle (1955)

76% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(3,471 ratings)

In this gritty urban drama, war veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) wants to begin his career as a teacher and is given an assignment at a boys high school in inner-city New York. However, he soon discovers the school is overrun by delinquents, led by Artie West (Vic Morrow), an insolent hood who… More In this gritty urban drama, war veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) wants to begin his career as a teacher and is given an assignment at a boys high school in inner-city New York. However, he soon discovers the school is overrun by delinquents, led by Artie West (Vic Morrow), an insolent hood who likes to call Richard "Mr. Daddy-O." Artie and his gang steal, destroy property, refuse to respect authority, and threaten the female teachers with rape. While most of the faculty have given up and meekly let the delinquents do what they want, Dadier is determined to bring order back to his classroom, even after Artie's thugs threaten Richard's pregnant wife. Keep your eyes peeled for a bit part by Jameel Farah, years before he would change his name to Jamie Farr. Blackboard Jungle was also the first major studio film to use rock & roll on the soundtrack; the film's success kick-started sales of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets, which helped to spark the rock & roll boom of the 1950s. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Richard Brooks I
Written By: Richard Brooks
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Mar 25, 1955 Wide
On DVD: May 10, 2005
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Glenn Ford, Morrow and Poitier are so real in their performances under the probing direction by Brooks that the picture alternatingly has the viewer pleading, indignant and frightened before the conclusion.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
It gives a blood-curdling, nightmarish picture or monstrous disorder in a public school. And it leaves one wondering wildly whether such out-of-hand horrors can be.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Writer-director Richard Brooks had a flair for sensationalism, and his adaptation of Evan Hunter's novel is loads of fun as a consequence, but don't expect much analysis or insight.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Originating the genre of 'dedicated teacher reaches troubled kids in a ghetto school', this is still affecting although heavy-handed.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This searing if somewhat overrated condemnation of juvenile delinquency brought attention to some of the problems afflicting urban high schools.
, Time Out
The studied pseudo-documentary atmosphere never quite convinces.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Tells us as much about teaching as Einstein's Theory of Relativity tells us about football.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Still hard hitting teacher-in-ghetto tale.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Released in the same year as Rebel Without a Cause, this seminal high-school melodrama was just as popaulr at the box-office but far more controversial; Sidney Poitier gives a star-making turn as a student.
Jeremiah Kipp, Slant Magazine
Sidney Poitier steals the show and makes it a cut above what it is: a holier-than-thou public service announcement.
Jeremiah Kipp, Slant Magazine
Sanctimonious.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Today, Blackboard Jungle is surprisingly dated and ineffective.
Tony Medley, Tolucan Times
Tense and realistic.
, Film4
The locations and lighting are simple and sparse, and the themes of class and race are addressed head on, in an honest and brave way.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Arash X

Not a weak depiction actually but frankly not my kind of film, I couldn't care less about its characters
Danny R

A provocative and powerful drama about a teacher, Glenn Ford in a superb performance and his harrowing experiences in a New York City high school in the mid 1950s. Where gang violence, racial and sexual tensions are out of control, from the scenes that show the painful inability of… More
A provocative and powerful drama about a teacher, Glenn Ford in a superb performance and his harrowing experiences in a New York City high school in the mid 1950s. Where gang violence, racial and sexual tensions are out of control, from the scenes that show the painful inability of the teacher to control his class to incidents of straight assaults by some juvenile hoodlums this a hard-hitting entertainment. A first-rate cast with Vic Morrow as the leader of teen misfits and Sidney Poitier in star-making performance as a troubled youth. This was the first film to feature rock music-"Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley is played over the opening and closing credits. One of the most controversial films in cinematic history.
Henrik S

One of the earliest if not the earliest school/teacher drama out there that deals with issues of violence, drugs, crime (attempted rape) etc. You got give the filmmakers credits for taking this bold step and Glenn Ford holds his own as tight-teethed teacher fighting against the odds.… More
One of the earliest if not the earliest school/teacher drama out there that deals with issues of violence, drugs, crime (attempted rape) etc. You got give the filmmakers credits for taking this bold step and Glenn Ford holds his own as tight-teethed teacher fighting against the odds. Of course, the depiciton of the kids is very one-sided and follow (or should I say established) the typical formula that is still being used today. Evil leader, good leader and the teacher who tries to win over the other while getting rid of the bad seed. Yes, the whole pro-America, hard-working man take is slightly annoying but then again, the film is from 1955 and that is probably what one has to expect. Apart from being one of the first of its kind, a solid lead performance and the charisma of Poitier, I don't see a lot of merit in her that warrants a rating above 2.5.

Cast

            Glenn Ford as Richard Dadier

            Sidney Poitier as Gregory W. Miller

            Anne Francis as Anne Dadier

            Louis Calhern as Jim Murdock

            Vic Morrow as Artie West

            John Hoyt as Mr. Warneke

            Maggie Hayes as Lois Judby Hammond

            Emile G. Meyer as Mr. Halloran

            Warner Anderson as Dr. Bradley

            Basil Ruysdael as Prof. A.R. Kraal

            Dan Terranova as Belazi

            Rafael Campos as Pete V. Morales

            Paul Mazursky as Emmanuel Stoker

            Horace McMahon as Detective

            Danny Dennis as De Lica

            David Alpert as Lou Savoldi

            Richard Deacon
            
            Jamie Farr as Santini

            Robert Foulk as Mr. Katz

            Paul Hoffman as Mr. Lefkowitz

            Teddy Infur
            
            Richard Kiley as Joshua Y. Edwards

            Tom McKee as Manners

            Dorothy Neumann as Miss Panucci

            Manuel Paris as Proprietor

            Henny Backus
            
            Chris Randall
            
            Peter Miller
            
            Warren Hamilton
            
See full cast