Stop Complaining About Turner Classic Movies

Yesterday Turner Classic Movies announced their 25th Anniversary Fan Contest on both Facebook and Twitter. In honour of their 25th anniversary in 2019, TCM is giving 25 fans the chance to introduce "a treasured film" with Ben Mankiewicz and dedicate it to a special person in their lives. Personally I think this is a very sweet gesture on the part of TCM towards its fans. More so than any other cable channel, TCM has always had a special connection with its fans and has always showed appreciation for those fans.

One can imagine my surprise,then,  when I looked at the comments on the Facebook regarding the 25th Anniversary Contest post and saw a number of people complaining about Turner Classic Movies. Here I must point out that I am accustomed to Twitter, where it seems to me the vast majority of people have only good things to say about TCM. Of course, in some ways this doesn't surprise me. Despite Twitter's reputation, I have always had much more in the way of bad experiences with other users on Facebook. It is why I am not active on many groups on Facebook and why I never post publicly. Regardless, as someone who loves TCM and has watched it from the very beginning, I thought I would address some of the complaints I saw on the post.

The first of these complaints I want to address were from people complaining that they don't want to see fans talking about their favourite films on TCM. Now I realise that everyone has their own tastes when it comes to what they want to see on TCM, but I have always enjoyed seeing other fans talk about their favourite films. Indeed, in April 2015 I had the honour of introducing A Hard Day's Night (1964) with Ben Mankiewicz as a Fan Favourite. I also had several friends who introduced films with Ben as Fan Favourites. I have also enjoyed watching the fan programmers from the various TCM Backlot contests. Many of the fans who have introduced films on TCM over the years actually have more knowledge of specific films than many of the better known experts, and I enjoy hearing how people discovered their favourite films. Here I must point out that I do sympathise with those who don't enjoy seeing fans introduce their favourite films. TCM has aired and probably will in the future air things that I don't particularly enjoy either. Personally, I would be happy if they never show another Barbara Streisand musical again (I love her as a dramatic actress, just not as a singer). That having been said, I really don't mind changing the channel if there is something on TCM I don't enjoy.

The second of these complaints were from people insisting that TCM go back to "the old format". Now maybe I am missing something, but I don't think TCM's format has changed since it debuted in 1994. It is true that for the first several years of its existence TCM had only one host, Robert Osborne. It was in 2003 that Ben Mankiewicz joined as a host. TCM has had guest programmers since 2005. Of course, since then Robert Osborne has died and TCM has added more hosts. Eddie Muller has hosted Noir Alley since 2017. Alicia Malone and Dave Karger were added as hosts earlier this year. Anyway, my point is that the format of TCM really hasn't changed. It is still a classic movie channel on which hosts introduce films. Now I realise that many people miss Robert Osborne. In fact, I can definitely say that the majority of TCM fans miss Robert Osborne. I myself miss seeing him introduce films on TCM terribly. Sadly, Robert died last year. No host on TCM is ever going to be able to replace Robert, let alone match him. While I can understand individuals having their own personal preferences regarding the hosts (personally I love them all), I don't think one can say the format of TCM has changed because Robert Osborne is no longer on the channel or because TCM now has four hosts instead of one.

The third of these complaints is one that has persisted over the years, probably since the day TCM launched in April 1994. Quite simply, there are people who complain that Turner Classic Movies should only show classics. There is a very small faction of TCM fans who honestly want the channel to only show films made before 1960. I have addressed this issue on this blog before. My own thought is that these fans are interpreting the word "classic" much too narrowly. They interpret the word as referring exclusively to a film that comes from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I won't go into many of the reasons that this definition is flawed, but I will point out that it does not fit the common usage of the word "classic". Most people, including many TCM fans, use the term "classic" of any film of a certain age that is regarded as being of high quality, whether it is from the Golden Age of Hollywood or not. In other words, Casablanca (1942) is a classic, but then so is Star Wars (1977).

That the "classic" in Turner Classic Movies was never meant to apply only to films made before 1960 can be borne out by the fact that the channel was never meant to air only films made before 1960. I remember watching both Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) on TCM within the first three years of the channel's existence. This is further borne out by promotional materials regarding TCM before it even launched. An article from The New York Times from April 11 1994 states, "AMC focuses almost exclusively on movies of the 1930's, 40's and 50's. But TCM plans to show films from the 60's, 70's and 80's as well." The TCM Launch Featurette that was included in the channel's Electronic Press Kit also makes reference to plans for TCM to show films from the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties.

Even given TCM was always meant to show films from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the fact is that the vast majority of movies shown on the channel come from the Thirties and Forties. Every month the esteemed Joel Williams issues a breakdown of how many films are being shown from each decade. This is from October 1 on his Twitter feed:

As you can see, the bulk of the movies being shown on TCM this month come from the Thirties and Forties. In fact, there are more films from these two decades than from the Fifties, Sixties, Seventies Eighties, Nineties, Naughts, and Teens combined. Given TCM already shows very little in the way of movies made after 1970, I really don't understand why people complain about it showing a lot of films made after 1970. The simple fact is that they don't.

Now I am not about to say that people don't have a right to complain. I know I have occasionally complained about programming on TCM in the past and I probably will in the future. And I have to say that those complaining are polite for the most part (which I rarely see in comments on Facebook posts on pages).  That having been said, when people are complaining on a post announcing a contest that most TCM fans will probably love, it makes me wonder if the complaints are not getting a bit out of hand. Part of the reason I very rarely complain about Turner Classic Movies is that I really think we should be thankful the channel exists at all. American Movie Classics abandoned showing classic movies long ago and now just goes by AMC. getTV also started out showing classic movies before shifting more towards classic television. After nearly 25 years TCM is still showing classic movies and there is no sign that they will ever stop. Honestly, I think we fans would be better off thinking about what we love about TCM than complaining when they do something we really don't like. I know that TCM is certainly grateful towards its fans and it would be nice for those fans to be grateful back.

Scott Wilson Passes On

Scott Wilson, who appeared in the films In the Heat of the Night (1967), In Cold Blood (1967),  and The Right Stuff (1983), as well as the TV shows CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and The Walking Dead, died on October 6 2018 at the age of 76. The cause was leukaemia.

Scott Wilson was born on March 29 1942 in Thomasville, Georgia. He made an impressive screen debut in 1967 in In the Heat of the Night, playing the murder suspect Harvey Oberst. For the remainder of the Sixties he appeared in such films as In Cold Blood (1967), Castle Keep (1969), and The Gypsy Moths (1969). In the Seventies he appeared in such films as The Grissom Gang (1971), The New Centurions (1972), The Great Gatsby (1974), The Passover Plot (1976), and The Ninth Configuration (1980).

In the Eighties Mr. Wilson appeared in such films as The Right Stuff (1983), On the Line (1984), The Aviator (1985), Blue City (1986), Malone (1987), Johnny Handsome (1989), Young Guns II (1990), and The Exorcist III: Legion (1990). He made his television debut in 1986 in an episode of the revival of The Twilight Zone.

In the Nineties Scott Wilson appeared in such films as Femme Fatale (1991), Pure Luck (1991), Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), Tall Tale (1993), Judge Dredd (1995), The Grass Harp (1995), Dead Man Walking (1995), G.I. Jane (1997), Clay Pigeons (1998), and The Way of the Gun (2000). He guest starred on the TV show The X-Files.

In the Naughts he appeared in such films as The Animal (2001), Pearl Harbour (2001), Don't Let Go (2002), Monster (2003), The Last Samurai (2003), Junebug (2005), Saving Shiloh (2006), The Heartbreak Kid (2007), and Radio Free Albemuth (2010). On television he had the recurring role of Sam Braun on the TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He guest starred on the shows Karen Sisco and Law & Order. In the Teens he played the regular role of Hershel Greene on the TV show The Walking Dead, the recurring role of Dr. Guyot on Bosch, the role of John Lyons on Damien, and Abel Johnson on The OA. He guest starred on the shows Justified, Five, and Enlightened. He appeared in the movies Dorfman (2011) and Hostiles (2017).

Scott Wilson was definitely a versatile actor, as shown by his work in television. On The Walking Dead he played  the upright, kind, but stubborn farmer Hershel Greene. On CSI: Crime Scene Investigation he played corrupt casino owner, and father of Catherine Willows, Sam Braun. On film he played everything from murderers to former astronauts to ministers. If his career was so long and Mr. Wilson was so prolific, it was because he was just that talented.

West Side Story (1961)

Dedicated to the memory of my darling Vanessa Marquez (it was her favourite musical besides The Wizard of Oz)

Among the most popular and critically acclaimed movie musicals to emerge from the Sixties is West Side Story (1961). Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, it made $44.1 million at the box office and won ten Academy Awards (including Best Picture). To this day it remains the musical to win the most Oscars.

For those unfamiliar with West Side Story, it was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It centres on  two warring gangs, the Jets (a gang composed of whites) and the Sharks (a gang composed of Puerto Ricans). Tony (played by Richard Beymer) is a former Jet who falls in love with Maria (played by Natalie Wood with her singing voice provided by Marni Nixon), the younger sister of the leader of the Sharks.

The book for the play West Side Story was written by Arthur Laurents, with the music written by famous conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim. It was in 1947 that choreographer Jerome Robbins approached Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents about a collaboration that would update Romeo and Juliet to modern times. Initially the conflict would have been between an Irish Catholic family and a Jewish family in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Arthur Laurents wrote his first draft of the script, which he titled East Side Story. It was afterwards that the three men realised that it would be little more than a musical exploration of themes that had been explored in countless plays before, most notably Abie's Irish Rose. The project was then shelved for years.

It was in the mid-Fifties that Arthur Laurents was hired to write a remake of The Painted Veil (1934). At the same time Leonard Bernstein was conducting at the Hollywood Bowl. The two men met at the Bevelry Hills Hotel. Their conversation eventually turned to the phenomenon  of juvenile youth gangs, then a popular topic in various news outlets. It was Leonard Bernstein who suggested that they rework East Side Story so that it was set in Los Angeles, with Chicano youth gangs at the centre of the conflict. Arthur Laurents felt he was more familiar with Puerto Ricans and Harlem, so the story would be set in New York City and would centre on a conflict between a white gang and a Puerto Rican gang. The two men contacted Jerome Robbins and what would soon become West Side Story was in development.

West Side Story opened on September 27 1957 at the Winter Garden Theatre. It received largely positive reviews. It also won the Tony Awards for Best Choreographer for Jerome Robbins and Best Scenic Designer for Oliver Smith. It was nominated for Best Musical, but lost to the juggernaut that was The Music Man.

Given the success of West Side Story, it was inevitable that it would be adapted as a motion picture. Robert Wise, the former film editor who had directed such films as The Body Snatcher (1945), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), and Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), was hired to direct the feature film adaptation. Robert Wise had no experience directing musicals, so Jerome Robbins was retained on the project to direct the musical sequences. The leads from the Broadway musical, Larry Kent and Carol Lawrence, were deemed by the producers to be too old to play teenagers, so they were not considered for the parts they had originated on stage. It was also decided to cast actors who were not well known, although there would be two exceptions. While Natalie Wood was initially not considered because she was too famous, she was cast in the role of Maria after Ina Balin and Barbara Luna had been considered. Rita Moreno, who was already somewhat familiar to movie audiences, was cast as Anita.

The rest of the major cast was made up of actors who were not yet well-known. Richard Beymer was cast as Tony. He had only made a few films prior to West Side Story, including The Diary of Anne Frank (1959). Russ Tamblyn was cast as Riff, leader of the Jets. He had been a child actor, but as an adult had played primarily supporting roles in films starring older actors. Mr. Tamblyn's singing voice was provided by Tucker Smith. George Chakris had played Riff in the London production of West Side Story, but for the film he was cast as Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

West Side Story proved to be smash hit at the box office. In fact, it was the no. 1 movie of the year in the United States. And as mentioned earlier, it won a number of Oscars. In addition to Best Picture, it also won Best Director for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, Best Supporting Actor for George Chakris, and Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno. Today it is considered a classic and has a 94% rating at the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

I believe I first saw West Side Story when I was in second grade, and I have loved the film ever since. That having been said, I do think it has some flaws. The one that sticks in my mind is the casting. Out of the major cast, only Rita Moreno is actually Puerto Rican. While I adore Natalie Wood and she does well as Maria, to a degree she seems incongruous with the role she is playing. Perhaps more so than any other actor in the cast, it is obvious that she is not a Latina. It was years ago that I developed my own backstory for Maria, in which she was left as an infant on the Nunez doorstep by a Russian family who could not afford to keep her...

Another problem I have with West Side Story is the song "America". Puerto Rico has been a United States territory since 1898. Since 1917 all Puerto Ricans born after April 25 1898 have had United States citizenship. It then seems odd for Puerto Ricans to be singing about America when they are part of the United States, even if Puerto Rico is a territory rather than a state. Beyond the fact that Puerto Rico is technically already part of America (at least if one is using "America" to refer to the United States), the lyrics to "America" seem to me to be somewhat insulting towards Puerto Rico. While I have never been to Puerto Rico, from what I have seen it is beautiful (at least before Hurricane Maria), so I don't think the lyric "Puerto Rico, you ugly island" really fits. Similarly, Puerto Rico has never been plagued by disease any more than most states in the U.S. have been. The lyric "Island of tropic diseases" also does not seem applicable. Oddly enough, as far as I know the song "America" has never been a source of controversy, although I find it a little offensive myself.

That having been said, the casting and the song "America" are the only real problems I have with West Side Story. The cast, whether they are Puerto Rican or not, give good performances over all. The standout for me has always been Rita Moreno as Anita. As played by Miss Moreno, Anita is strong-willed and takes nonsense from no one. She is also sexy and sultry (which explains why I have had a crush on Rita Moreno for most of my life...). Richard Beymer is also impressive as Tony, the Romeo in this variation of Romeo and Juliet, bringing out the character's idealism. George Chakris also gives a good performance as the hot-headed Bernardo, who seems to be the Tybalt of West Side Story.

West Side Story also benefits from good direction, particularly when it comes to its musical scenes. Jerome Robbins truly earned his Academy Award for Best Director (shared with Robert Wise). That having been said, the film would not be particularly easy for Jerome Robbins to make. He came into conflict with screenwriter Ernest Lehman over how the screenwriter had utilised the musical's songs,  moving them in their place in the plot and even putting some of them in different settings. Jerome Robbins did not particularly get along with some of his other co-workers either, wanting everything in the film exactly as it had been on stage.

Another asset of West Side Story is the cinematography of Daniel L. Fapp, for which he won an Oscar. Largely shot on location in New York City, West Side Story is an incredible looking film.

Both a box office hit and a critically acclaimed film upon its release, West Side Story has since become regarded as a classic. In 1997 it was selected for the National Film Registry. The American Film Institute ranked it at no. 2 in its list of AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals. The film remains wildly popular to this day, and there is little doubt to believe it won't continue to be so.

Google Kills Google+

It was this past Monday, October 8 2018, that Google announced it would be shutting down Google+. The service will continued to operate until August 2019 when it will close down. The reason that Google gave was a bug in one of Google+ People APIs that allowed apps access to information in users' profiles that the users had not marked as public. There was no evidence that any developers were even aware of the bug, let alone abused the API. As someone who has used Google+ from the beginning (I have been with it since the beta was only a few days old), I must say that I am sorely disappointed and I think Google is being very short-sighted.

Indeed, if Google+ has not been as successful as Google wished it had been, Google has no one to blame but themselves. The beta version of Google+ launched on June 28 2011 and proved to be very active. Indeed, to this day I have more followers on Google+ than any other social network (even Twitter). Google+ would continue to be a thriving social media platform for quite some time. Unfortunately, it seemed as if Google was intent on undermining the success of Google+.

Over time Google removed some very useful features from Google+. Ripples was a tool that allowed users to see how their posts had been reshared. It was quite useful for those concerned about the reach of their posts on Google+, and fun to play with for the rest of us. Hangouts on the Air was a live-streaming service. Unfortunately Google removed the feature from Google+ and gave it to YouTube. Even with these changes Google+ continued to be a very active and thriving social network.

Sadly, there would be changes in the management at Google+ and this would ultimately hurt G+ in the long run. Vic Gundotra, the executive who had been in charge of Google+ from its inception, left in 2014. It was on November 18 2015 that Google introduced "New Google+", which further deprived Google+ of much of its functionality. No longer did Google+ have an adequate means of curating one's own photos. I assume this was because Google wanted to force users to use Google Photos, which lacked many of the features Google+'s original photo management tools possessed. New Google+ also made it difficult to manage one's circles. For those who have never used Google+, circles are essentially lists into which users can organise people. Each circle has its own stream, making it easy to keep track of posts. Classic Google+ had a fairly efficient tool for organising circles, complete with a "drag-and-drop" interface. Sadly that sort of circle management was  missing from New Google+. Now Google+ continued to prosper as long as Classic Google+ was available. Unfortunately on January 24 2017 Google forced New Google+ on all its users, even though it was clear the majority of their users preferred Classic Google+.

I see New Google+ as the first nail in the coffin of Google+. Once New Google+ was forced upon users, many of them deserted the social network platform. Those of us who remained posted less often. Quite simply, New Google+ was so inferior to Classic Google+ that one has to wonder if Google wasn't intentionally trying to kill Google+ by that point.

While Google+ is not nearly as active as it once was, I still think Google is being short-sighted in killing it.Indeed, G+ could become much thriving and active if they simply restored much of Classic G+'s functionality. For that matter, I don't think they have thought out the impact it might have on their  other products. The only reason I ever used Google Photos was to post to Google+. Once Google+ goes dark I will no longer have any use for Google Photos. As a result, I will be uninstalling it from my phone. I have no reason to believe there aren't other users like me.

I will certainly miss Google+. Classic Google+ was my favourite social media platform. I enjoyed the conversations I had there, which were more sophisticated than most discussion on Twitter and especially on Facebook. I made many friends on G+, and many of them now number among the closest friends I have. What is more, my experience is not unique. I know of many G+ users who can say the same thing. To me that points to the possibility that Google+ could have been a real success if only Google had not constantly undermined its success.

Petition: Add Vanessa Marquez to the "In Memoriam" Segments of the SAG Awards And The Oscars Televised Shows

Yesterday the cast and crew of the classic film Stand and Deliver (1988) gathered at the Los Angeles Theatre Center for a celebration of the life of Vanessa Marquez, best known for playing Ana Delgado in Stand and Deliver and Nurse Wendy Goldman on the hit TV show ER. Most of the cast of Stand and Deliver were present. I would have liked to have been there myself, but I was unable to due to poverty and distance. That having been said, my heart was there. Indeed, Cheryl Hansen read the piece I wrote for Vanessa's memorial in South Pasadena last month.

In other news, someone has set up a petition to include Vanessa Marquez in the "In Memoriam" segments of the telecasts of the SAG Awards and the Oscars. I may be biased, but I believe that Vanessa is more than worthy of inclusion in both (as well as TCM Remembers, for that matter). Vanessa was an immensely talented actress who appeared in more than Stand and Deliver and ER. She appeared in several movies and several TV shows in the Nineties. At the time that she was playing Wendy on ER she was one of the few Latinas appearing regularly on American television. Because of her talent and her importance in the history of Latinos in film and television, I have to agree that Vanessa should be included in both the "In Memoriam" segments of the SAG Awards and the Academy Awards. You can sign the petition here.

As for myself, I am doing better than I was for much of September. That having been said, I still cry regularly, if not every day. And I sometimes feel overwhelmed by grief at having lost Vanessa and anger at what happened to her. I still miss Vanessa so terribly, but then I know that I will for the rest of my life. Our friends knew that we were very close, but I don't think many of them realised just how close. For my part, I loved Vanessa more than anyone else ever in my life, and I still do. I wanted so badly to move out there and be with her, but I never had the money. For the rest of my life, then, there will be this hole where she should be.

If you are one of Vanessa Marquez's many fans, then, please sign the petition for her to be included in the "In Memoriam" of the telecasts of the SAG Awards and the Oscars. Vanessa deserves to be remembered for her devotion to her art and for being the wonderful woman that she was. You would have my eternal gratitude.

The 80th Anniversary of The Lady Vanishes (1938)

It was eighty years ago today, on October 7 1938, that The Lady Vanishes released in the United Kingdom. The Lady Vanishes would prove significant for several reasons. First, it was the last film that Alfred Hitchcock would make in Britain until Under Capricorn in 1949. It is also numbered among by many as one of Hitchcock's best films. Second, it would mark the first appearance of Charters and Caldicott (played by Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford), two cricket-obsessed characters who would appear in several subsequent films, as well as radio shows. With different actors in the roles, they would also be featured in their own 1985 BBC TV series, Charters and Caldicott. Third, along with Bank Holiday (1938), the film in which she appeared immediately prior to The Lady Vanishes, The Lady Vanishes propelled Margaret Lockwood to stardom in the United Kingdom. Even Hollywood took notice of Miss Lockwood, although they wasted her on a Shirley Temple film Susannah of the Mounties (1939) and the movie Rulers of the Sea (1939).

I wrote a detailed post on The Lady Vanishes several years ago. Rather than revisit old ground, I then recommend that you read that post.

Stand and Deliver (1988) Turned 30

Dedicated to the memory of my dearest Vanessa Marquez

This past March 11 (coincidentally the day after my birthday) marked the thirtieth anniversary of the movie Stand and Deliver (1988). Stand and Deliver was a groundbreaking film in many ways. It was one of the earliest American films to be directed by a Latino (Ramón Menéndez), written by Latinos (Ramón Menéndez and Tom Musca), and to feature a primarily Latino cast. What is more, unlike many films made in the Eighties and earlier, Stand and Deliver did not rely on stereotypes.

Stand and Deliver was based on the true story of Jaime Escalante, a Bolivian immigrant who taught calculus at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, California from 1974 to 1991. Mr. Escalante had enormous success teaching calculus to his students. By the time of his last year teaching at Garfield High School, 570 students were taking calculus.

It was in 1984 that recent UCLA film school graduate Ramón Menéndez read an article on Jaime Escalante in the newspaper. He turned to his friend Tom Musca to serve as producer and co-writer on a film about Mr. Escalante. It would take the two of them six months to persuade Jaime Escalante to sell them to the rights to do a film about him. A number of different production companies turned down Messrs. Menéndez and Musca, seeing the film as not being commercial enough. The two men finally received a $12,0000 grant from the PBS anthology show American Playhouse.

With the script completed, Ramón Menéndez and Tom Musca were able to hire Edward James Olmost to play the role of Jaime Escalante. At the time he was playing  Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo on the TV show Miami Vice. They were also able to hire Lou Diamond Phillips who was fresh from playing Ritchie Valens in the 1987 film La Bamba. Andy Garcia, who had recently appeared in The Untouchables (1987), was hired to play the small role of Ramirez from the Educational Testing Service. The rest of the cast was largely filled by young unknown actors. At the point that the film was cast, it was still titled Walking on Water.

Initially meant for public television, Stand and Deliver was financed through a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation and the Atlantic-Richfield Corporation. It was after the film was shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival that Stand and Deliver became a theatrical release. Warner Bros. picked up distribution for the film and released it to theatres on March 11 1988.

Stand and Deliver received largely positive reviews from critics. It also received one Academy Award nomination. Edward James Olmos was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Stand and Deliver swept the Film Independent Awards, winning the awards for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Male Lead (for Edward James Olmos), Best Supporting Female (for Rosanna DeSoto), Best Supporting Male (Lou Diamond Phillips), and Best Screenplay. It won the Imagen Foundation Award for Best Film, and the Nosotros Golden Eagle Award for Best Film as well. At the Young Artists Awards the film's young cast won the Michael Landon Award. In 2011 Stand and Deliver was selected for for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Given that it was originally meant for public television, it should come as no surprise that Stand and Deliver made its television debut on the PBS series American Playhouse on March 15 1989.

Today Stand and Deliver is widely regarded as a classic and there should be little wonder. Ramón Menéndez and Tom Musca not only wrote an script that is free of ethnic stereotypes, but one that is also inspiring without being overly emotional or schmaltzy. The film also benefits from some impressive performances. It is little wonder that Edward James Olmos received an Oscar nomination for his role as Jaime Escalante. He fully committed himself to the role, even having his hair thinned and gaining 40 pounds to more resemble. Mr. Escalante. Lou Diamond Phillips also gave a good turn as Angel Guzman, the rebel who must balance his school studies with life on the streets.

The young cast, many of them newcomers to film, also gave solid performances. Ingrid Oliu did well as Lupe Escobar, who must help raise her siblings while trying to study calculus. Will Gotay is impressive as Pancho, a young mechanic who struggles with calculus more than some of the other students. Stand and Deliver marked the film debut of Vanessa Marquez, and it was an exceptional debut for the then 18 year old actress. Vanessa played Ana Delgado, the exceptionally bright, but shy student who wanted to go to medical school despite her father's insistence she work at his restaurant. In preparation for her role, Vanessa sat in on Jaime Escalante's class for several days.

In real life Jaime Escalante taught at Garfield High School until 1991. Afterwards he taught at Hiram W. Johnson High School in Sacramento, California. Sadly, in 2010 Mr. Escalante developed cancer. Vanessa Marquez, other cast members from Stand and Deliver, and former pupils helped lead fundraising efforts to help with his medical bills. He died on March 30 2010 at the age of 79.

Stand and Deliver was a pioneering film in many respects. It was one of several feature films made by Latinos in the late Eighties that defied stereotypes that had existed in Hollywood for decades. It was one of the earliest American films to be directed, written,, and produced by Latinos, and to feature a primarily Latino cast. It is also an excellent film with a great script and filled with great performances from its cast. It should be little wonder that Stand and Deliver is now regarded as a classic.