“Blackboard Jungle” (1955) starring Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Vic Morrow and Sidney Poitier / Z-View

Posted on by

Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Director: Richard Brooks

Screenplay: Richard Brooks; based on THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE by Evan Hunter

Stars: Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern, Margaret Hayes, John Hoyt, Richard Kiley, Emile Meyer, Warner Anderson, Sidney Poitier, Vic Morrow, Dan Terranova, Paul Mazursky, Horace McMahon, Richard Deacon, James Drury, Emil Sitka and Jamie Farr.

Tagline: Is The Most Startling Picture Of The Year!

The Plot…

Richard Dadier (Ford) is a war vet and recent college graduate (thanks to the GI Bill).  His wife is pregnant and Dadier needs a job.  So Dadier accepts a position at North Manual Trades High School.  North Manual is an inner city school for boys.

From day one, the students attempt to run Dadier off.  But Dadier is not a quitter.  Although most other faculty members allow the students to run wild, Dadier is determined to reach and teach his students.  Dadier’s attempts to win over Greg Miller (Poitier) and Artie West (Morrow) are unsuccessful.  As time goes on West’s leadership turns the students from mild defiance to insubordination and worse.

Dadier is determined to teach his students, no matter the cost…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Blackboard Jungle was nominated for four 1956 Academy Awards…

  • Nominee for Best Film Editing – Ferris Webster
  • Nominee for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White – Cedric Gibbons, Randall Duell, Edwin B. Willis, Henry Grace
  • Nominee for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White – Russell Harlan
  • Nominee for Best Writing, Screenplay – Richard Brooks

Blackboard Jungle features the film debuts of Vic Morrow, James Drury and Jamie Farr.

Morrow was 26 and Poitier was 28 playing high school students.

I liked Blackboard Jungle, but it didn’t resonate with me like the audiences in 1955 (and maybe most today).  I thought it was good.  Glenn Ford was an excellent choice to play Dadier.  Anne Francis doesn’t have much to do other than look pretty and she fulfills that role.  Vic Morrow and Sidney Poitier look right despite being a decade too old in real life.

The characters and story have all the expected arcs and plot points.  The students don’t seem that scary of course in 1955, they could have seemed shocking.  I liked the film but most folks seem to love it.  Your mileage, as always, could vary.

Blackboard Jungle (1955) rates 3 of 5 stars.