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Blackboard Jungle Overview:

Blackboard Jungle (1955) was a Drama - Film directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Pandro S. Berman.

The film was based on the novel The Blackboard Jungle written by Evan Hunter published in 1954.

SYNOPSIS

Atmospheric story of a teacher's harrowing experience in the New York City school system. Navy veteran Ford is eager to start a new career as a high school teacher and his military training might come in handy. His new school is located in one of the poorest districts and is a magnet for delinquents. The new teacher's idealism fades as he struggles to make a difference to his indifferent students. Rock came to the big screen when Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" bopped over the opening credits.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1955 --- Ceremony Number 28 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Randall Duell; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis, Henry GraceNominated
Best CinematographyRussell HarlanNominated
Best Film EditingFerris WebsterNominated
Best WritingRichard BrooksNominated
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Blackboard Jungle BlogHub Articles:

Blackboard Jungle (1955)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jul 13, 2022 From 4 Star Films

Billy Haley and The Comet’s “Rock Around The Clock” is often touted as the first rock n’ roll tune. I won’t get sucked into that discussion for the time being, but whatever we want to call it, there’s this sense of youth culture — teenagers as a demographic ... Read full article

ClassicFlix (Teen Scene) – Review #22: Blackboard Jungle (1955)

By Virginie Pronovost on Jun 30, 2017 From The Wonderful World of Cinema

From March 2015 to April 2017, I was writing the monthly Teen Scene column for the website ClassicFlix. My objective was to promote classic films among teenagers and young adults. Due to the establishing of a new version of the website, it’s now more difficult to access to the old version and read... Read full article

Blackboard Jungle

By Beatrice on Mar 12, 2016 From Flickers in Time

Blackboard Jungle Directed by Richard Brooks Written by Richard Brooks from a novel by Evan Hunter 1955/USA Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer First viewing/Netflix rental A lot of it doesn’t quite ring true, but this film has nervous energy to burn. Veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) has a surprisingly ... Read full article

Weekday Watch: Blackboard Jungle (1955)

By Vanessa Buttino on Feb 12, 2014 From Stardust

Weekday Watch: Blackboard Jungle (1955) First, let's get the technical stuff out of the way: this film was directed by Richard Brooks and released in March 1955. It starred Glenn Ford as high school English teacher Richard Daddy-O Dadier, Anne Francis as his insecure, jealous, and fragile wi... Read full article

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Blackboard Jungle Quotes:

Belazi: Five points off, what for?
Richard Dadier: For having loose eyes.
Richard Dadier: What's your name?
Artie West: Why do you want to know?
Richard Dadier: What's your name?
Artie West: What're you picking on me for?
Richard Dadier: I'm not picking on you, I asked what's your name.
Anne Dadier: I was like one of the bad kids in your class. Somebody told me a lie and I believed it. One's as bad as the other.
Richard Dadier: They can't all be bad kids.
Prof. A.R. Kraal: Why not?
Richard Dadier: Yeah, I've been beaten up, but I'm not beaten. I'm not beaten, and I'm not quittin'.
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Blackboard Jungle Facts
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".
Clare Boothe Luce, then US Ambassador to Italy, prevented the film from being shown at the Venice Film Festival. A Senate committee had decided that the film would not have beneficial effects on the youth of the day.
The film was initially rejected for a UK cinema certificate by the BBFC in March 1955. It was resubmitted again in August where it was then by around 6 minutes to remove uses of threatening dialogue and the entire climactic switchblade scene between Dadier and Artie. It would later be passed completely uncut for video and DVD with a 12 certificate.
To the end of his life, Richard Kiley regularly received collections of old jazz records to make up for the ones his character lost in this picture.
The lead "juvenile delinquents" were played by Vic Morrow and Sidney Poitier; in the year of film's release, Morrow was 26 and Poitier was 28.
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