To Sir, with Love (1967)

i must have seen a different film!!

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

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

Sidney Poitier as we know is a legend, and he truly shows in this movie that why he's respected that way. Everything about this movie is superb, from the starting where the teacher enters the class and sees the plight of those unfortunate, undisciplined children to the way he transforms them to a fine, disciplined lot. Along the way, the teacher encounters many obstructions in fulfilling his objective but nonetheless he tries to learn from those obstructions and achieves it with flying colours!!... Actually this movie along with entertainment is a kind of educational movie too which shows that how important moral values actually are for the over all development of a society. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially children and teenagers!!...

To Sir, with Love was a so so to reasonable film, but nothing special.They seem to think it was special, with the photo collage ending and the music solo like it's James Bond or something. It ain't "From Russia with Love". So a class of punk kids, stop acting like punks because Mr. Thackeray gets rids of the books and starts preparing them for life. That's fine, but what's great about it? They all kind of gave in pretty easily, Thackeray wasn't tested much, whenever he said sit down, they did. It's not like they said, no make us. They were basically compliant. Sidney Poitier was solid in the lead, but this would have to be one of his lesser films. None of the other characters stood out to me. There was no tribulation at all. Where is the struggle? Give me something to care about. Everything ends on a happy note like it's some Christmas movie.

I'd never been a particular fan of Sydney Poitier - he always seem to play the same exemplary (black) character of such dignity, self-control and thoughtfulness, rarely if ever giving in to any temptation and then rapidly resolving to never repeat it. Never, as far as I'm aware, giving way to lust of any kind. He plays characters who if they had ever been considered for school head boy, would have been rejected for being over-qualified in all departments. And this film is no exception,.However I discovered that the character's back story of poverty in British West Indies then clawing his way upwards through education in America is actually Poitier's own life-story. Poitier always, it seems, plays versions of the real Poitier. Poitier's family came from the (formerly British) Bahamas so one assumes there was a particular poignancy for him playing this part as a teacher in a fairly tough London school.The film is a fairly light-weight vehicle for Poitier. It treads very lightly on the question of racism (racism the character experienced in the US gets no mention at all). The Poitier's character's perfection - of intelligence, courtesy, dress and quiet modesty causes a fellow teacher to remark that "he could have come out of a bandbox". He charms and disarms all the British that he meets - probably true to life.It would have made a much more interesting film to have had a more realistic less saintly central character. But for an early pioneering film of its kind, intended to encourage harmony perhaps it was better that it was how it was.

1967 Was Sidney Poitier's annus mirabilis. He starred in three remarkable films: "In the Heat of the Night", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", and this wonderful film, which became an unexpected hit based upon his popularity."To Sir, with Love" was released years after "Blackboard Jungle" and, though it falls within the same genre as various other films about teachers inspiring "hopeless" students, it is different from many of them due to Poitier's gentle demeanor. "Stand and Deliver" is similar in that way.There are many thankless teaching jobs and it is always inspiring to see a film that shows what a dedicated and caring teacher can accomplish. Mark Thackeray (Poitier) starts as a teaching neophyte whose plans are to get out of teaching as soon as he can locate an engineering job. After some misfires, he finds that he has some natural teaching talents.The music is current to 1967 as are the dancing styles. The film is shot on location in London's East End, lending authenticity. The other actors, especially the kids, do a great job. With an economy of film and story, TSWL takes the viewer on an enjoyable journey as the students learn lessons about life. Montage is used judiciously and effectively in two instances. I saw this film when it was released. I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it still.