Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford), a Navy veteran, is is seeking the most noble of jobs - a high-school teaching position in English at an inner-city school overrun with misfits and gang members. One of them, Artie West, the leader (Vic Morrow), taunts "Teach" relentlessly. First, Artie might listen to Mr. Dadier, then he ignores and scoffs at him. Eventually, there is a brutal assault on the streets of this rough neighborhood where Dadier is beaten up along with math teacher Josh Edwards (Richard Kiley). Police are called yet Dadier has no idea who beat him up or slashed his briefcase. Naturally, he suspects one of the students and it doesn't take long for him to find the culprit in Artie. Only the shenanigans go beyond the classroom when Artie starts sending letters to Dadier's wife with false adultery accusations. There are also false bigotry accusations within the classroom. A Navy man can only take so much before making a stand. Mr. Edwards quits after his jazz records are all destroyed by these students. Dadier's pregnant wife (Anne Francis) insists that her bruised husband quit and teach elsewhere. Nothing will make Dadier quit, however, not even hearing the heartless remarks by another teacher (Louis Calhern) who calls the school "a big garbage can."
"Blackboard Jungle" shows some students are willing to learn despite peer pressure from Artie and other loyal members. One of them is Miller (Sidney Poitier), who calls Dadier "chief," and he is the smart guy of the class whom others listen to. Miller also has interest in music and is preparing for a Christmas play at school. Dadier knows that with Miller's help, he might be able to reach his students. Dadier will not quit no matter how often he's pushed or threatened with switchblades.
"The Blackboard Jungle" is a rough, tough picture for its time, showing how far juvenile delinquents have gone to defy the establishment. What may have irked some audiences back in 1955 wasn't so much the teens in the audience finding something that spoke to them but rather the cold reality of the school system. One teacher is either sexually assaulted or beaten or they have their property destroyed - no one is safe from the teens' wrath. Being destitute brings forth desperation and anger and the teens felt it and, I suspect, so did the teenage audience who danced in the aisles to the tune of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" playing in the opening credits (later the song became synonymous with "Happy Days"). The movie is ostensibly a rock and roll-type picture with the vastly underrated Glenn Ford showing he is the perfect idealistic teacher - the one who is ready to fight for what he believes in. We have had cinematic teachers for many decades but Ford has that special gift and that is, beyond his tough exterior, he shows he cares. He genuinely cares. Not dated at all.
Note: Look for Paul Mazursky and a beaming Jamie Farr (listed in the credits as Jameel Farah) as students in Dadier's class.
