Watch Up the Down Staircase

In this 1967 drama, first year teacher Sylvia Barrett tries to cope with the challenges of teaching English to inner city kids. The movie is based on a Bel Kaufman novel and stars an energetic Sandy Dennis in the title role. Her character attempts to meet every challenge with the optimistic view that anything is possible if you try. Her attitude is contagious as she attempts to change not only the lives of her troubled New York City students but also the strict rules they are expected to follow. The symbolism of the staircases labeled up and down is not lost as the characters desperately search for their destiny.