IMDb RATING
7.4/10
9.9K
YOUR RATING
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
Jamie Farr
- Santini
- (as Jameel Farah)
David Alpert
- Lou Savoldi
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
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: Yeah, I've been beaten up, but I'm not beaten. I'm not beaten, and I'm not quittin'.
- 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.
Featured review
Rock around the clock
"Blackboard Jungle" marked a turn around in films coming from Hollywood. This was a film that dealt with a reality that movies had not dared to touch before in the way they always wanted to sugar coat every picture about teens in high school. The guys one sees here are the real thing, as though taken from any high school in the inner city of that time.
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.
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.
helpful•521
- jotix100
- Jul 20, 2006
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,168,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.75 : 1
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