weezeralfalfa Review of Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase (1967)

Determined rookie high school teach experiences boot camp in an inner city school

[7/10 · 5 June 2019]

Sandy Dennis, as Sylvia Barrett, is a new teacher at Calvin Coolidge High School in inner NYC. As principle Dr. Bester articulates, there are certainly better schools in NYC, but there are also worse. Symbolizing her disorientation during her first day on the job, she tries to get on an elevator, but is told it's only for teachers, she being perceived as a student. Thereupon, she finds an empty staircase, and begins to ascend it. However, she meets Dr. Bester(Sorrel Booke) coming down the stairs, who admonishes her that this is the down staircase, a point soon reinforced by a horde of students coming down, almost trampling her..........Towaard the end of the film, when Sylvia makes known to Dr. Bester her desire to resign her position as English teacher, at the end of the semester, Bester tells her that she is a born teacher. She complains that she doesn't think she is getting through to the students, and perhaps would be happier at a private school, where the students hopefully would be more receptive. However, an event occurred that made her change her mind at the last minute, for better or worse. She was supervising a mock trial, in which Jose, a very shy, nonparticipating boy, was chosen as the judge. Very surprisingly, he made a forceful impression, wearing a graduation cap and gown to add to the perception of authority. Afterward, he remarked that he regarded Sylvia's class as his favorite. Thus, she felt she had gotten through to at least one student, and tore up her resignation form. Perhaps with more experience, she could get through to more?........Among the other faculty she conversed with, the most important was Paul Berringer(Patrick Bedford), outspoken head of the English department, and a frustrated wanna be writer. Don't know if he was single, but during his various contacts with Sylvia, I got the impression he was trying to flirt with her. However, their relationship was severely tested over an incident where one of Sylvia's students: a homely, love-starved studious girl, had a crush on Berringer, and didn't know how to tell him except through a love letter she left in his pigeon hole. He told her to see him after classes. He only commented on her grammar mistakes, without comment on the content: a slap in the face. She waited until his classroom was empty, then jumped out the window, apparently surviving, with serious injury. Dr. Bester called a conference. Both he and Sylvia were appalled that he didn't even comment on the purpose of the note, saying something positive, but not encouraging an affair. If allowed, I think I would have held her hand while commenting. as the best compromise(She did dance with him at a school dance). Sylvia avoided speaking to him the next time they met. Quite bizarrely, he broke into her class, and proceeded to spout various points of philosophy, especially toward reading, and writing........Sylvia had to deal with a handsome student who was on probation. She complemented him on his good grade(86) on his last exam. When the VP (Roy Poole, as Mr. McHabe) expressed the opinion that he must have cheated, she defended him. Unfortunately, he got the impression she might have some romantic feelings toward him. He caught her alone in her classroom, turned out the lights, and advanced toward her. A half kiss is all he extracted from her, being rather timid.(censors?.).......Sylvia had several run-ins with Dr. McHabe, not unexpectedly. In the beginning, she was disappointed that common materials, such as chalk, were in short supply or non-existent, and that it was weeks before the text books would be delivered. I didn't detect any ethnic problems in the classroom, perhaps because there was such a variety. However, she had to signoff for an African American boy who was dropping out. His explanation was that his brother had graduated, but whites took each job he applied for. His love was fixing up cars, and he couldn't see how English classes would help with that.........I didn't notice any of Sandy's said quirky mannerisms. However, her classroom persona was often guarded, understandably so. She seldom smiled in class. She lacked the natural smiley face that many young women have. Her mouth was rather small; however, I did find her upper overbite moderately sexy, along with her dirty blond hair, arranged in an attractive way.