Blackboard Jungle
Blackboard Jungle
Adopted from the 1954 novel by the same name, ‘Blackboard Jungle’ is an American classic film which highlights the life of teachers in an inter-racial inner-city school. The film talks about the life of Richard Dadier, a retired war veteran who joins the school as a teacher. The film highlights the anti-social problems that affected the society during the 1950s after World War 2 and depicts the racial differences and problems faced by the African-American people at that time. The film focusses on Dadier’s determination on delivering his duty on time, despite the resistance caused by his students and faculty.
The film played a very important role in marking the revolution of ‘rock and roll’ era by featuring the song ‘Rock Around the Clock’ by Bill Haley & His Comets which went on to become an anthem among the youth. The film also featured future Oscar winner Sidney Poitier as the rebellious and musically talented student.
Released on March 1955, the Blackboard Jungle was coined by the Library of Congress as being ‘culturally, historically or aesthetically significant’. Currently preserved by the United States National Film Registry, the film is a very important reference for teachers to understand the impact of culture on education.
