Stand and Deliver

1988 Drama

Edward James Olmos portrays the real-life Jaime Escalante, a no-nonsense mathematic teacher in a tough East LA high school. Handed a classroom full of "losers" and "unteachables," Escalante is determined to turn his young charges' lives around. Drawing from his own cultural heritage, Escalante forms a bond with his largely Hispanic student body, evoking the names of famous Spaniards and Latin Americans whose great accomplishments were predicated on their ability to learn. The students gradually come to realize that the only way they'll escape their own poverty-stricken barrio is to improve themselves intellectually. As a result, the class' academic achievements soar dramatically -- too dramatically for the Educational Testing Service, which is convinced that the class' high test scores are the results of cheating. The triumphant exoneration of Escalante's students provides Stand and Deliver with its rousingly upbeat conclusion. more..

Director: Ramón Menéndez

Starring: Edward James Olmos,Lou Diamond Phillips, Vanessa Marquez,Andy Garcia, Virginia Paris

Reviews

No reviews

Awards

  • Best Actor in a Leading Role

    Academy Awards (1989)

     
  • Best Film

    Christopher Awards (1989)

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

    Golden Globes (1989)

     
  • Best Film

    Imagen Foundation Awards (1989)

  • Best Director

    Independent Spirit Awards (1989)