Movie

Up the Down Staircase

1967 · 124 min

A grounded, earnest classroom drama that immerses you in the daily struggles of a dedicated teacher, balancing frustration with quiet hope.

Tagline: Simple words that start a war: "Good morning. My name is Miss Barrett. I am your Home Room teacher..."
Overview: Sylvia, a novice schoolteacher, is hired to teach English in a high school, but she’s met with an apathetic faculty, a delinquent student body and an administration that drowns its staff in paperwork. The following days go from bad to worse as Sylvia struggles to reach her most troubled students.
How it feels: Earnest, melancholic, warm and tense. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Education, coming-of-age, class, isolation
Content: Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Add to a list: Up the Down Staircase

Stream in the US

More options Data from JustWatch

In your watch list

More like this

Like Up the Down Staircase, but

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: earneststrength 3 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: education
coming-of-age
class
isolation
healing
Places: big city
school
Era: contemporary
Audience: teen
Form: ensemble
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild