Lean on Me
The dedicated but tyrannical Joe Clark is appointed the principal of a decaying inner-city school he is determined to improve by any and all means.
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 1h 48m
- Released
- 1989
- Country
- United States
Details
Release year: 1989
Storyline
The dedicated but tyrannical Joe Clark is appointed the principal of a decaying inner-city school he is determined to improve by any and all means.
Top credits
Morgan Freeman — Principal Joe Clark
Beverly Todd — Ms. Levias
Robert Guillaume — Dr. Frank Napier
Alan North — Mayor Don Bottman
Did you know
• The real-life Joe Clark resigned as principal of Eastside High School shortly after the film was released. Around the time the film debuted, he was suspended by the school board for one week, after scheduling an assembly in which dancers stripped down to their G-strings. Clark said he hadn't known about it in advance. Ironically, the man who suspended him was Dr. Frank Napier. After Clark left Eastside, he became an author, and motivational speaker. In 1995, he was hired to run a juvenile detention center in Newark, New Jersey, a position he held until he resigned in 2002. During his time there, he once again came under fire for his controversial methods.
• Morgan Freeman spent time with the real-life Joe Clark to capture his mannerisms and sayings.
• Real-life students and teachers from Eastside High appeared as extras in this film.
Box Office
Gross (Domestic): $31,906,454
Opening Weekend (Domestic): $5,032,605 (1989-03-05)
User reviews
Despite a shaky script, Morgan Freeman gives a terrific performance in an intense, challenging role
the saga of Crazy Joe, and a superb lead performance
If Only The Rest of The Movie Could Keep Up With Morgan Freeman
Technical specs
- Sound mix
- Dolby Stereo
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
- Color
- Color