Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Directed by Richard Brooks. Starring Glenn Ford, Vic Morrow, Sidney Poitier, Margaret Hayes, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern, Richard Kiley, John Hoyt, Emile Meyer, Dan Terranova, Rafael Campos, Warner Anderson, Paul Mazursky, Jamie Farr.

Early example of the “well-meaning educator improves the lives of troubled inner-city students” sub-genre, and one of the better ones, too. An obvious and not always believable social drama, but it rates high as melodrama, with Ford sweating it out as a nervous but determined teacher who tries to hold it together as young hooligans in his classroom exert street authority with impudence. He’s able to break through to one of them (Poitier, playing a high schooler several years after portraying a doctor and a reverend in other movies!), but rebellious gang leader Morrow is a different story, and when the punk starts harassing teach’s wife, the gloves come off. On a visceral and emotional level, this fast-paced piece of sensationalism nearly scores a bulls-eye, but time and retreads have softened its influence; a few key performances and tense direction erase the bitter taste of heavy-handed patronization. Historical footnote: the debut of rock music in feature films, with Bill Haley & the Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” played over the opening and closing credits. Film acting debuts for Morrow, Campos and Farr (credited here as Jameel Farah).

75/100