Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

George Wright To Sir with Love has one major asset and drawing card in the person of Sidney Poitier, acting icon of the 1960's. The way he walks into the classroom and uses his voice and mannerisms give him presence and authority. The movie did become known for the title song To Sir With Love. This movie and Up the Down Staircase were also movies of the 1960's when education reform aimed to make students the focus of a more stimulating learning environment. But without Sidney Poitier the movie would be long forgotten. Poitier takes a position as a teacher in the docklands of London, while applying to get work in his field of engineering. The work proves to be very unsettling because the challenge of teaching students who seem to have no manners or motivation is a huge hurtle. Only when he realizes that he needs to make a major change in his teaching style does he begin to win them over and make a difference. He asks them what they want to talk about; he gets permission to take his class to the Victoria and Albert Museum; he sets standards of dress and deportment that he says will give them more confidence. All this amounts to a major change in Poitier's students and in himself. The movie is still worth watching, mainly because of the leading character, as played by Sidney Poitier.

grantss Great movie. Interesting, thought-provoking and emotional plot. A bit idealistic though. Also has some dead end sub-plots. Ending is a bit abrupt and could have done with some polishing. Still the original teacher-gets- through-to-some-unteachable-kids movie though.Superb performance by Sidney Poitier in the lead role. Good support from a cast of mostly unknowns. The theme song (by Lulu, who also stars in the movie) is excellent too. (The cover version, live, by 10,000 Maniacs and Michael Stipe is even better)

FilmCriticLalitRao British film 'To Sir with love' is set in a poor school located in east London where a substitute teacher comes to replace his colleague who has left the school. The new teacher is absolutely determined to make some difference in the lives of school children. He is somewhat saddened to hear negative remarks about children from his school colleagues. Although he witnesses a lot of discipline related issues at the school, he is able to put some sense in the minds of students who end up becoming "responsible adults". While watching 'To Sir with love', viewers would clearly observe that the white kids from London's poor neighborhoods do not have any special problems in accepting a black person as their teacher. Hence the issue of racism does not arise. This film makes a sad commentary about the people who would like to choose teaching profession for all the wrong reasons in the world. One should not treat teaching profession as a temporary job which can be done while one's search for another lucrative position is under way. American actor sir Sidney Poitier dazzles as Mr. Thackeray- a teacher who is able to win students' love and affection by treating them as equal as well as respecting them. He does not favor them openly but he is aware of their importance too. The social relevance of this film continues to be felt as keenly as ever due to the fact that English schools are still extremely unruly where students make a lot of noise.

jc-osms There are so any things which date this film, you could lose count. Its outlook towards the generation gap, racism, sexism, music and more really do seem preserved in mid-60's aspic and while it has some vintage charm, it has many more embarrassing aspects of almost look-away gaucheness.In its favour are the exterior London locations, I suppose the feel-good nature of the plot and a mostly watchable star performance by Sidney Poitier as the "Sir" of the title. Supposedly the new teacher at a school for difficult near-adult pupils you too will be amazed at how he tames his class of young hooligans just by throwing away their text books and talking about life.Elsewhere clichés abound, from Poitier's encounters with the class rebel, who he eventually teaches a lesson in the boxing ring and the class beauty who eventually forms a crush on him, to the unconventional way he gives out lessons. Occasionally the film tries to grow up with some adult-banter on the bus at Poitier's expense or the strange ritual burning of a sanitary towel in class, but with its largely teenage cast and references to contemporary pop-culture, it seems definitely aimed at the younger movie-goer.Poitier is good right up until he does his silly one-on-one dance with the adoring Julie Christie lookalike Sally Geeson and you feel more could have been made of his relationship with Suzy Kendall as his white, female colleague who offers him support. The young cast of class pupils occasionally turn to wood but a very young Lulu does quite well in concealing her broad Scottish accent and singing the hit title tune.The direction tries to be hip too, never more so than with the photo-montage of the class trip to a museum, but the editing isn't always clear and you suspect many of the scenes are watered down for the benefit of the censor.Still it was nice to jump into my 60's time-machine and watch a reasonably entertaining film from that era