STAND AND DELIVER
US, 1988, 102 minutes, Colour.
Edward James Olmos, Andy Garcia, Lou Diamond Philips.
Directed by Edward James Olmos.
Stand and Deliver was one of the popular successes of 1988. Edward James Olmos (Miami Vice, Saving Grace) was nominated for an Oscar for his persuasive performance as Jaime Escalante, a Colombian-born teacher in East Los Angeles who, with his dedication, was able to train students in mathematics and calculus. It is a true story and charts the experience of the class of 1982. The end of the film gives statistics about the continued success and the growing number of students passing calculus exams in this school.
The film is in the tradition of To Sir With Love, though Olmos's Escalante is not a glamorous figure. He is very demanding, eccentric in his style, full of generosity but with a touch of the tyrant. There is also a glimpse of his home life. However, it is with the students and his helping them to gain self-respect that the film comes alive - even a film about calculus.
The final crisis of the film is that the good results of the students seem to indicate cheating and so the pressure on the students is strong and they sit for the exam again. The supporting cast includes Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Young Guns) and Andy Garcia (The Untouchables) as one of the inspectors.
1. A powerful film about education? American settings, universal values? The film's acclaim?
2. The atmosphere of East Los Angeles, Garfield High School, the streets, homes? Authentic?
3. The credibility of the plot: a true story, the experiences of the 1982 class? Escalante himself and his personality, his interaction with the students, the results and the success up to 1987?
4. The quality of the screenplay on teaching, on teaching mathematics, calculus? The portrait of Escalante. his teaching methods, his clever style? Humour? Musical score, songs?
5. The title and the ironies of highwaymen and standing and delivering? The teacher standing and delivering? The students delivering? In the context of East L.A
6. Jaime Escalante and his Bolivian background, his working in boats, his wanting to teach? Expecting to teach computers? Edward James Olmos and his characterisation, appearance, stoop, hair, weight, etc? The interest in computers, arriving at the busy school, the rowdy class, the bells and the jokes? The wariness of some of the teachers? The glimpse of his family life, his disciplining his children, his coaching of maths, hard, demands? The response of his wife?
7. His character as a teacher, the neighbours and their comments, his wife's comment about his dedication and her exasperation, his giving English lessons to migrants, coaching special students, the heart attack?
8. His devices for getting student attention: the apron and the hat, the apple and the chopper? Repeating principles by rote? The challenge to the personalities of the students and their behaviour. his joking at their expense (and the hostile reaction of some)? Personal persuasion, pressure? The gradual success? Getting the students to make contracts, getting their parents' signatures? Asking them to do extra time in the morning. summer courses (in the heat)? The paying off of this hard work? The clash with the maths department head? The principal and the registration of the school and his support?
9. Angel and his toughness, 'net head', tough friend, the police and the joking in the cars, taking his grandmother to the doctor and Escalante blaming him, going to Escalante's home to plead? Clever, becoming involved, changing? Pancho as not so clever, working hard, mechanics, relationship with Sofia, desperation? Sofia, at home, with the children? Anna and her cleverness, leaving-to work at the restaurant, the Escalantes going for the meal, the clash with the father, her return to class? Claudia and her boyfriends and her anger at Escalante for taunting her? The clever boy and his knowing the answers? The thin girl and her presenting the award to Escalante? The others in the class, a cross-section, ethnic backgrounds, capacities? The contracts, some dropping out?
10. Escalante's illness, the substitute teacher, his return? Pressure, the decision about calculus? The collage of teaching? The build-up to the exam, the exhilaration of the results - and the joyful episode on the beach and in the water?
11. The accusation of cheating, the arrival of the examiners, the suspicion, the averages? Accusation of racism in their decision? The arguments with the principal? Angel and his leading the examiners on about how he cheated? Escalante's anger, going to see the two examiners, the plea for justice? The students' decision to redo the exam?
12. The revision, the exam again, the results and success? The collage of the successful students and their graduation? The final figures?
13. Themes of education, belief in people, setting goals, setting expectations which can be reached, achievement, self-respect, possibilities of career, family? A portrait of American education and schools?
