Customer Reviews

To Sir, With Love

5 star:		(118)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sidney Poitier has the role of a new teacher in one of Britain's secondary schools. He is given a class of students who, with maybe one or two exceptions, have reached the end of the academic road and will be leaving school at the end of term. They have no academic future and their future outside of school is not to promising. Bike messengers and shop assistants if they're lucky is what awaits these 15 year olds. (Leaving age in the mid-60s was 15.) The kids can care less about school and are just watching the days roll down until they don't have to attend anymore.

Poitier's charecter quickly realizes that the best thing he can do is get these kids ready for the real world. He junks the syllabus and creates his own plan for these people to meet life with something like survival skills. Instead of maths, science and english, he teaches the world of cooking, politeness and proper grooming. These latter skills will help these kids far more than being able to diagram a sentence.

I first saw this film when it first came out. I think I had a better appreication of it, as an American, becuase I had jsut returned from living in the UK and attending a secondary school, which while not like North Quay, did introduce me to some of the characters portrayed. Guys I knew were facing school leaving with prospects of working as a green grocer's assistant or a boy soldier or seaman in the Forces. So on an intellectual level, I certainly understood what Poitier's character faced. These weren't juvenile delinquents but a real segment of British society that probably still exists today.

This film has just as much validity today as it did when it was first released. The cast is excellent from Poitier down to the kid with no lines but filling a desk. I found this to be a fine film at the time I first saw it and today when I saw it again after a period of several years between viewings. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys British films.

This is my all-time favorite movie. The story is of a Black engineer, born in British Guyana and educated in California, who takes a job teaching at a high school in a depressed area of London. He has no teaching experience, and so develops his teaching style from his own experience. Gradually the relationship between the teacher (Poitier) and his students evolves from suspicion, to respect, to love. There is the obligatory romantic attraction between Poitier and one of his students, Judy Geeson. (Geeson, who plays this part with endearing and convincing sweetness, grew up to become the supercilious and insufferable across-the-hall neighbor from Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt in the TV sitcom "Mad About You").

Everything is perfect in this movie. If you can watch the very last scene without tears, then you are stronger than I. In retrospect, I think this movie was one of the influences which caused me to become a teacher, 17 years after I first saw it. I hope it has done the same for some others, and that it will continue to do so in the future. See it!

1967 was an incredible year for Sidney Poitier. He starred in three magnificent films, the Academy Award winning films, In The Heat Of the Night & Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and this superb movie. Mr. Poitier stars as Mark Thackery who is an engineer, but in need of a job accepts a teaching position at a tough West End school. His class is made up of unruly ruffians and at first they rebel against him. It becomes obvious to Thackery that these kids don't have an interest in learning normal academics and that none of them will pursue higher education so he decides to prepare them for live by giving them lessons on how to cope in the real world. He gives cooking lessons, make up lessons for the girls, takes them to museums and they develop a respect and love for each other. Judy Geeson is fabulous as Pamela Dare, a blond beauty who develops a crush on Thackery. Christian Roberts is Devin the leader of the group. He is a thug not use to rules and is constantly testing Thackery. Lulu is Babs Pegg and she does a credible acting job and supplies the film with its famous theme song. Michael Des Barres has a minor part as one of the students and he would go on to minor rock career and marry one of the most famous of all rock groupies Pamela Des Barres. Mr. Poitier is the glue that holds the film together and he is equally forceful and compassionate in his performance. To sir With Love is dated in some ways with regards to the fashions and slang language, but it's story is timeless

Somehow I just missed this one when it came out during my youth. I recently caught it on Satellite and immediately ordered the DVD. This is a wonderful, powerful film featuring a fabulous performance by Sidney Portier. I have caught Portier in a few other films, and he was excellent in all of them, but his performance in this film is quite simply magnificent. His class, intense intelligence, and talent all shine through in this moving story of a teacher who touches a classroom full of lower-class Brits and leaves them the better for it.

The storyline is well-known, so I shan't dwell on it in this review. Who among us has not had the good fortune of encountering, in our young years, a particularly gifted teacher who perhaps sets us on the right course despite ourselves? That is what this story is about. Portier (playing Mr. Thackary, to be addressed as "Sir!") is assigned to teach a tough classroom of young working class Brits, who are about to graduate and enter the workforce. The pupils are poorly educated and thuggish. Thackary quickly realizes that their real problem is that they lack a moral and social compass, or any appreciation of the value of an education. He confronts the class, and inspires most of them to steer a more proper course in life. This is a fine story of teenage angst, growing up, and the important role that a gifted teacher can play in a young life. An underlying and inspiring theme, of course, is the fact that Portier plays a black man immersed in a nearly completely white school at a time when Western society had a long way to go as regards racial equality. He encounters prejudice, but transcends it by his talent, intelligence, and force of personality. Eventually the class comes to fully appreciate the extraordinary nature of their teacher. Similarly, Mr. Thackary, who originally had accepted the teaching post while searching for a job as an engineer, comes to know that his true calling and talent is teaching. It does not matter how hard-boiled the viewer, no one can fail to be touched by the ending of this superb film.

This is a stylish flick set more or less in the Beatles age of the 1960s. The British nature of the film, the British setting, etc. has a special fascination to the American viewer, and of course when this film was released, the British pop "invasion" was in full swing. This, combined with Portier's incomparable performance, the solid storyline of this film, and really good acting by an appealing British cast, made this low-budget film a smash hit. Of course, the theme song "To Sir With Love" by Lulu is a sentimental and touching component of the film, which became a top rock tune in the States.

I purchased my DVD in May 2005. Some reviewers apparently received copies that erroneously had a Japanese monster movie on Side B. My copy did not have this error, so the publisher has evidently corrected the problem. The sound and colors on my copy are excellent; the remastering was well-done

Too many films are rated 5 stars here on Amazon, but this is one for sure. One indicator of a truly fine film is how it stands the test of time, and whether the viewer returns to it repeatedly. This film passes these tests with flying colors (or should I say "colours"?).

Once again, Sidney Poitier transcends racial stereotypes, and provides us an important lesson in life. This time, he emerges as simply a good man who earns the love and respect of his students. 1967 was a memorable year for Poitier who starred in three, countem' three, box office hits. Perhaps the most penetrating line ever uttered in Poitier's distinguished career was in the same year: "They call me Mr. Tibbs!", he said, with a flare that is still haunting. "To Sir With Love" provides this truly sophisticated actor a much different setting to showcase his wisdom. Here, Poitier displays his natual gift for teaching as he politely but firmly tames a classroom full of London's most obnoxious bongholes. The situation intensifies when the quietly determined, novice school teacher insists that the potential hoodlums (who he is trying to rescue from the difficulties of being teenagers) change their self destructive behavior. Things get worse before they get better, and a powerful drama (and some fine acting) unfolds in the process. Audiences in 1967 gasped when Poitier showed up with his fiance at the dinner table of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Likewise, "To Sir With Love" audiences exhaled a collective sigh of relief when Poitier put aside his romantic interest in a favorite fair skinned pupil. Many of today's audiences are not enthusiastic about inter-racial dating and marriages either, but content of character (in such awkward situations) is certainly more of an overall consideration. Poitier's influence on American culture and its expanded capacity for tolerance cannot be underestimated. His presence on the big screen was the first time many people had experienced an Afro American who so modestly but effectively demanded treatment with dignity. Poitier has excellent command of the English language, and speaks his mind freely and fluently. It's a far cry from the typically demeaning and distasteful screen images of today, especially those with predominantly black casts. Afro Americans are often portrayed as deceitful, immoral, foul mouthed hoodlums who practically deserve whatever punk fate they get. If this trend is to be reversed, the very actors whose livlihoods are at stake must refuse to represent the Afro American community in this manner. Speaking the English language intelligently and tossing the expletive rap are big first steps!

Many have already praised the film itself and that is one of the major problems with Amazon - people talk about the film and rarely offer insight to the buyers who are here concerning the DVD quality itself.

I noted that some made mention of a 2-sided version with an error. These are most likely the earlier pressings that have the COLUMBIA CLASSICS banner. The newer pressings from 2004 have the 3-1/2 star rating at the top and only the widescreen version on the disc. In either case they are currently out of print due to poor sales. I can cite one reason and that is the poor quality print transfer. It is faded, washed out, grainy, and suffers from compression artifacting especially played on newer High Definition televisions that came out within the past couple years. The print used may have looked great on a standard 300 line tube set but not on a 1080 HD flat screen one. It missed Sony's re-mastering in High Definition and not quite sure why? And I don't see a re-release on the near horizon as Sony's management are not too keen on older catalog titles.

One hint for bargain hunters - I picked up a brand new factory sealed copy at a local Big Lots for $3. Get them while you can before the gougers make a profit from you because once they are gone, that is it - no more stock. They were available during the week of April 12, 2009.

Eric S. Huffstutler
Richmond, VA

Only Sidney Poitier & Lulu called have created such a tremendous movie, which shows the true way we lived our school days in rainy London in those swinging 60's, we were all young kids who fealt great freedom in living and in speech, pop music ruled our lives because at that time the only pop radio stations available to us, were beamed from ships in the north sea, we had the Beatles etc and we had love, we liked to outrage other people and every time I watch this movie it brings tears to my eyes, my youth, relived over again. The plot and acting is first class but then it should be because it is 100% how England used to be, if you never grew up in those days, well you missed a great adventure, so why not buy this movie and see real life.

Has there ever been actor who had a better year than Sir Sidney did in 1967? It's hard to believe that he wasn't even nominated for an Oscar that year. The man starred in three classic films - "In the Heat of the Night", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and of course this enjoyable, little gem - "To Sir With Love" all in 67.

"To Sir With Love" is one of those films that is almost impossible not to like. You may argue if it deserves the label of a true classic, but there's no denying how sweet and entertaining this fine film is. Based on the true story by E.R. Braithwaite (I highly recommend the book as well), Sidney Poitier absolutely shines in the role of Mark Thackeray (a.k.a. 'Sir'), a young man who after searching unsuccessfully for work as an engineer opts to take a job as a teacher at a rough, East End London high school. The rookie teacher immediately finds himself in a hornet's nest, as his poor, obnoxious students try their very best to break the man. However, Sir is not a man to be broken, and eventually he is able to transform the beastly brutes and tasteless tarts into real gentlemen and ladies. Poitier simply lights up the screen as 'Sir', a man who is able to teach these troubled, frustrated, angst-ridden youths what it means to be a dignified, respectful member of the human race.

I love this movie. Yes, it's a bit dated, and those churlish of critics might wish to scoff at it being too schmaltzy and saccharine for their tastes. However, even the most callous of critics agree that as overly sweet as this film is, it's still thoroughly enjoyable. On top of the great work of Sir Sidney, you've got the adorable Judy Geeson turning in a fine performance as Pamela Dare, the class beauty who can't help but fall head-over-heals for the sophisticated 'Sir'. Lulu may not be the greatest of actresses, but she sure can sing and who among us doesn't love that unforgettable title song. "Why is it Sir, that children grow up to be people one day..."

Just a side note, in the actual book by Braithwhite, Sir and Gillian Blanchard (played by the stunningly beautiful, Sharon Tate look-alike Suzy Kendall) fall in love and end up getting married. However, we all know that Sidney and Hollywood were already pushing the envelope that year with "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". So in this film, the two remain close friends, but there is unfortunately no romance. Alas, another sign of those turbulent times of the 60's...

This is a film that your whole family can watch and enjoy together. It's a shame they don't make 'sweet' movies like this anymore. Every once in a while, we disenchanted folk need upbeat, cheerful films like this to keep us sane and bring us a little good cheer. This one I can guaranty will put a smile on your face. And that is worthy of five stars alone!

I don't "LOVE" many movies. This one I do LOVE. Intelligent, warm, sassy, with fine acting from the young English cast. This movie just dosen't age. Same problems and teenage angst, nothing really changes, does it? Sidney is an Engineer by trade, can't seem to find a job in his choosen profession, so just for now he takes a teaching position in a low end neighborhood in London. At first the kids give him a rough time, until he realizes these kids need rules and respect for themselves. So he makes everyone in his class address each other with the suffix, Mr. or Miss, a small beginning, but it works. And little by little he grows to like the kids and they learn to respect him and themselves. So many "teenage" movies today are terrible, they don't show consequences for violence, consequences for teen murders, consequences for teen sex and pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Instead they glamorize things that shouldn't be thought of as hip and trendy. See it,let your children see it.

This is a fine classic movie: others have reviewed it more expertly than I could, so I will confine my remarks to the DVD I received through my Amazon order.
I did not view it for about two months after receiving it. When I did watch it, I found that Side A, the full screen version, played fine. Side B, which promised a widescreen version, instead contained an entirely different movie: a dubbed version of a Japanese film 'Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla.' I am completely at a loss.
So, buy the DVD, but check out Side B.