The US Since 1945

I am planning to show one of these three films next Monday Feb 13th at 3:30 pm. I know not everyone can make it, and so it’s optional – but if you’re free, come on over. The location will be LRC-117 on the lowest level of the library building.

Please vote in the poll below the description of the three films (descriptions adapted from Rotten Tomatoes)

Blackboard Jungle (1955) The first film to use rock’n’roll in its soundtrack, this gritty urban drama tells the story of war veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) wants to begin his career as a teacher and is given an assignment at a boys high school in inner-city New York. However, he soon discovers the school is overrun by delinquents who steal, destroy property, refuse to respect authority, and threaten the female teachers with rape. While most of the faculty have given up and meekly let the delinquents do what they want, Dadier is determined to bring order back to his classroom.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) This landmark juvenile-delinquent drama follows Jimmy Stark (James Dean) who can’t help but get into trouble, Judy (Natalie Wood) who is basically a good kid but behaves wildly out of frustration over her inability to communicate with her deliberately distant father. Both are part of a group of troubled teens who end up settling a score with a dangerous drag race. Released right after James Dean’s untimely death, Rebel Without a Cause almost seems like a eulogy when seen today, since so many of its cast members — James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Nick Adams — died young.

On the Waterfront (1954) This classic story of mob informers was based on a number of true stories and filmed on location in and around the docks of New York and New Jersey. Starring Marlon Brando as a washed-up boxer who stumbles onto corruption and murder. Featuring Brando’s famous “I coulda been a contendah” speech, On the Waterfront has often been seen as an allegory of “naming names” against suspected Communists during the anti-Communist investigations of the 1950s. Director Elia Kazan famously informed on suspected Communists before a government committee — unlike many of his colleagues, some of whom went to prison for refusing to “name names” and many more of whom were blacklisted from working in the film industry for many years to come. On the Waterfront won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor for Brando, and Best Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint.