Blackboard Jungle

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Blackboard Jungle

1955,

1h 41m,

Drama

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Watchlist

75%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

World War II veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) takes a teaching position at a rough New York City school for boys. The staff warns him that the students are nearly impossible to control, but the optimistic Richard remains unfazed. Soon, though, he realizes that his class isn't merely rowdy -- they can be downright dangerous. The students, led by the thuggish Artie West (Vic Morrow), threaten their teacher and his family with violence, yet Richard refuses to give up on the troubled teens.

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TIME Magazine

Jan 8, 2018

More important, however, than the letter of the film is the spirit. It seizes a burning issue, and lets the sparks fall where they may.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Apr 8, 2008

3/5

Originating the genre of 'dedicated teacher reaches troubled kids in a ghetto school', this is still affecting although heavy-handed.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Apr 8, 2008

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.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Feb 12, 2026

2.5/4

...a decent-enough drama that never quite becomes as enthralling as one might’ve anticipated (and hoped).

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George N. Fenin

Film Culture

Dec 15, 2021

This film has been made more with an idea to exploit a news item than to deal seriously with a phenomenon which the camera could have expressed and fixed, with realistic ferocity.

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André Bazin

L'Éducation Nationale

Dec 8, 2021

[The] film confines itself to dealing with a theme that has often been treated by the cinema: delinquent or even predatory adolescence. But Blackboard Jungle revitalizes this theme through its social activism and its documentary realism.

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Hagrid S

Feb 20, 2019

Heavy-handed and cliched, but still effective. Glenn Ford stars as an idealistic young teacher who lands a job at a rough-and-tumble inner-city high school, only to discover that the students there have no more interest in learning than most of the teachers have in educating them. Its over-the-top, 50s-era view of juvenile delinquency does the film no favors, but the crisp dialogue, smooth direction and fine, low-key performances more than make up for it. With an utterly believable Sidney Poitier and a dangerous and dour-faced Vic Morrow--both at the start of their careers--as two of the chief agitators, a young Anne Francis as Ford's worried wife, and even a pre-"Man of La Mancha" Richard Kiley as the milquetoast teacher who is eventually forced to resign. (And if you look closely, you may even spot Jamie Farr, who went on to star as Corporal Klinger on "M.A.S.H.") Written and directed in gorgeous black-and-white by Richard Brooks. Based on the book by Evan Hunter. A classic.

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Abraham G

Jun 24, 2017

Gritty inner city school story. Of course, Glenn Ford is successful in getting through to the kids. Also Vic Morrow, Sidney Poitier.

Theodore S

Apr 6, 2017

Ford and Poitier are good, but the story is so dated. The dialog is silly. One of the silliest movies I've seen that needed more realism. Rebel without a Cause is a lot better, so is To Sir With Love.

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Finn R

Feb 6, 2017

Desperdiça tempo precioso com propaganda sobre respeitar professores, apesar de entregar bem sua mensagem no restante do filme (o que só mostra o quão inútil é a propaganda). Se tem problemas no primeiro e segundo ato, o último é ótimo, com um clímax muito acima da média

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Theodore M

Jan 26, 2017

I found the entire message of the film to be relevant to today, in regards to the education system. Glen Ford delivers a great performance as does Sidney Poritier. The only problem I have is that the film does overplay the 50'sness of it. You find that the over the top "bad boys" at school are kind of distracting. But over all a solid must see classic.

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Richard Brooks

Director

Glenn Ford

Richard Dadier

Vic Morrow

Artie West

Anne Francis

Anne Dadier

Louis Calhern

Jim Murdock

Margaret Hayes

Lois Judby Hammond

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Synopsis

World War II veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) takes a teaching position at a rough New York City school for boys. The staff warns him that the students are nearly impossible to control, but the optimistic Richard remains unfazed. Soon, though, he realizes that his class isn't merely rowdy -- they can be downright dangerous. The students, led by the thuggish Artie West (Vic Morrow), threaten their teacher and his family with violence, yet Richard refuses to give up on the troubled teens.

Director: Richard Brooks
Producer: Pandro S. Berman
Screenwriter: Evan Hunter, Richard Brooks
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 18, 2008
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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