Stand and Deliver (1988)

Director:

Ramón Menéndez

Writers (WGA):

Ramón Menéndez (written by) &
Tom Musca (written by)

Release Date:

11 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In 1982, a new troublemaker hit Garfield High. He was tough. He was wild. He was willing to fight. He was the new math teacher.

Plot:

A dedicated teacher inspires his dropout prone students to learn calculus to build up their self-esteem and do so well that they are accused of cheating.

Plot Keywords:

Calculus | Dedicated Teacher | Cheating | Dropout | Mathematics

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Eliot	...	Tito (as Mark Eliot)
Edward James Olmos	...	Jaime A. Escalante
Estelle Harris	...	Estelle (Principal Molina's secretary)
Mark Phelan	...	Cop
Virginia Paris	...	Raquel Ortega
Adelaida Álvarez	...	Sexy girl
Will Gotay	...	Pancho
Patrick Baca	...	Javier Perales
Ingrid Oliu	...	Guadalupe 'Lupe' Escobar
Carmen Argenziano	...	Mr. Molina - Garfield High Principal
Richard Martinez	...	Heavy metal boy
Mark Everett	...	Heavy metal boy
Tyde Kierney	...	Joe Goodell
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Fabiola Escalante (as Rosana De Soto)
Bodie Olmos	...	Fernando Escalante
Karla Montana	...	Claudia Camejo
Vanessa Marquez	...	Ana Delgado
Daniel Villarreal	...	Chuco
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Angel Guzman
Michael Goldfinger	...	Coach
Michael Yama	...	Sanzaki
Lydia Nicole	...	Rafaela Fuentes
Graham Galloway	...	Craig
Betty Carvalho	...	Angel's grandma
Irene Olga López	...	Lupe's mother
James Victor	...	Mr. Delgado (Ana's father)
Yvette Cruise	...	Claudia's mother
Aixa Clemente	...	Hospital receptionist
Victor Garron	...	Jaime Escalante Jr
Michael Adler	...	Schloss
Bárbara Vera	...	Proctor
Andy Garcia	...	Dr. Ramirez (Educational Testing Service)
Rif Hutton	...	Dr. Pearson (Educational Testing Service)
Star Frohman	...	Female cop
Jessica Seynos	...	Ganas kid
Dominic Lucero	...	Ganas kid
Sonia Fuentes	...	Ganas kid
David Brian Abalos	...	Ganas kid
Irma Barrios	...	Ganas kid
Henry Torrès	...	Ganas kid
Richard Moreno	...	Ganas kid
Phillip Elizalde	...	Ganas kid
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Justin Aguila	...	Student (uncredited)
Frank Aragon	...	Student (uncredited)
Eugene Robert Glazer	...	(uncredited)
Fernando Thomas	...	High School Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Ramón Menéndez

Writing credits (WGA)
Ramón Menéndez		(written by) &
Tom Musca		(written by)

Produced by
Iya Labunka	....	associate producer
Lindsay Law	....	executive producer
Tom Musca	....	producer

Original Music by
Craig Safan

Cinematography by
Tom Richmond

Film Editing by
Nancy Richardson

Casting by
Jaki Brown
Toni Livingston

Art Direction by
Milo

Costume Design by
Kathryn Morrison

Makeup Department
Vered Hochman	....	hair stylist
Vered Hochman	....	makeup artist
Dee Mansano	....	hair styles supervisor
Dee Mansano	....	makeup supervisor
Ziggy	....	hair designer: Mr. Olmos

Production Management
Iya Labunka	....	production manager
Nancy Richardson	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Bodnarczuk	....	additional second assistant director
Julie Cypher	....	additional second assistant director
Elliot Lewis Rosenblatt	....	first assistant director (as Elliot Rosenblatt)
John Scherer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Julian Arellano	....	construction crew
Joseph Barbosa	....	construction crew
Alex Bodnarczuk	....	property assistant
Sean Carrillo	....	set dresser
Lisa De Alva	....	property master
Jonathan Flores	....	set dresser
John Galvan	....	construction crew
Enrique Guillen	....	construction crew
Fred Haft	....	set dressing coordinator
Patti Peck	....	set dresser
Jose Ramirez	....	construction crew
Richard Rodriguez	....	construction crew
Arlan Jay Vetter	....	assistant art director (as A. Jay Vetter)

Sound Department
Barry Bookin	....	boom operator
Duncan Burns	....	sound effects editor
Stuart Copely	....	dialogue editor (as Stuart Copley)
Michael Dressel	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Foster	....	adr editor
Stephen Halbert	....	sound mixer (as Steve Halbert)
Wayne Heitman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jane Lang	....	foley editor
Janelle Showalter	....	apprentice sound editor
Frank Smathers	....	dialogue editor
Frank Smathers	....	sound editor
Hamilton Sterling	....	supervising sound editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Perry Huseman	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Friedkin	....	still photographer
Amy C. Halpern	....	electrician (as Amy Halpern)
Chris Lombardi	....	first assistant camera (as Cris Lombardi)
Shaun Madigan	....	gaffer
Cesar Ramirez	....	best boy electric
Marc Reshovsky	....	additional camera operator
John St. John	....	best boy grip
Russ St. John	....	key grip
Rob Sweeney	....	second assistant camera
Michael R. Thorpe	....	electrician (as Michael Thorpe)
Jeff Tinnell	....	grip
Mitzi Trumbo	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Humberto Almeida	....	extras casting assistant
Ima Aparicio Watkins	....	extras casting
Steven Fertig	....	casting associate
Tamra Naggar	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Cervantes	....	costumer (as Yvonne M. Cervantes)
Zeca Seabra	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Elizabeth Castro	....	apprentice editor
Christi Moore	....	assistant editor
Barbara Riley	....	negative cutter
Paul M. Wagner	....	assistant editor (as Paul Wagner)

Music Department
Daniel J. Johnson	....	music editor
Ken Johnson	....	music editor
Gregg Karukas	....	music engineer
Steve Livingston	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Geno Hart	....	driver
James Reeves	....	transportation coordinator
Jon Reeves	....	driver
Chris Reiter	....	driver
Ron Whann	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
John Acevedo	....	craft service
Phillip Elizalde	....	production assistant
Ken Fox	....	production assistant
Sydney Gilner	....	script supervisor
Mario Z. Gonzalez	....	caterer (as Mario Gonzalez)
Jacinto Guevara	....	production associate
Sergio Hernández	....	chef
Bob Hoffman	....	unit publicist (as Robert Hoffman)
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Larry Litton	....	location manager
Kate Long	....	project consultant
Margi Newquist	....	assistant production coordinator
Ramon Ponce	....	location manager
Vicki Rocco	....	production accountant
Vicki Rocco	....	production coordinator
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Daniel Villarreal	....	production assistant

Thanks
Larry Bershon	....	special thanks
Chantico Camejo	....	dedicatee
Al Galvadon	....	special thanks
Phylis Geller	....	special thanks
Henry Gradillas	....	special thanks
Caren A. Grown	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Martin	....	special thanks
Martin Olvera	....	dedicatee
Steve Ostro	....	special thanks
Henry Ramos	....	special thanks
Ben Saiz	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• American Playhouse
• Olmos Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1989) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (f)

Filming Locations:

Garfield High School - 5101 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

Edward James Olmos went through a hair thinning process and gained an estimated 20 pounds for the role of Jaime Escalante.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The seals the students are shown breaking to begin the test are those placed on the multiple-choice booklets after the test to ensure they are not viewed again. AP tests are given to test takers sealed only in plastic wrap.

Quotes:

Jaime Escalante: Calculus was not made to be easy. It already is.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "South Park: Eek, a Penis! (#12.5)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Secret Society

Edward James Olmos delivers!

I know, there are a million movies made like this. The story about a teacher handling tough students has been told quite some times. "Dangerous Minds", To Sir, With Love", "The Substitute"-movies, "The Principal",... The stories often look a lot like each other and "Stand and Deliver" isn't any different, but that doesn't bother. This is a fine movie!

I don't know if Edward James Olmos' Academy Award nomination was a big surprise at the Oscars or if his performance was indeed one of the 5 best performances of 1988, but I can only confirm that he gave a great performance. Funny, smart and touching as well. I think all the students were great as well, even so I didn't knew any of them, except from Lou Diamond Philips of course.

"Stand and Deliver" might not be the most original movie ever made, but that doesn't change the fact that it's highly enjoyable to watch. The story is good and the performances are great. Nor melodramatic, neither comic, just excellent Saturday night entertainment without being cheap. Worth watching!

8/10