Watch To Sir, with Love For Free

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

In truth, any opportunity to see the film on the big screen is welcome.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

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!!...

Twelve years earlier, Sidney Poitier played one of a classroom full of rowdy kids in a poor school taught by do-good-er Glenn Ford in Blackboard Jungle. In 1967, Sidney grew up and played the role of the noble teacher in To Sir, with Love. Well, to be honest, it's not exactly a remake of the 1955 film, but the premises are so similar, and the casting is pretty ironic. This marked one of Sidney's most iconic films and roles, partially because it was fun to see him in the reverse role, and partially because of the title song that skyrocketed to the top of the charts.One major difference between the two films is the setting; To Sir, with Love takes place in England. Sidney deals with the rough students with their Cockney accents, but there's more social problems for him to deal with than violence, as was the case in Blackboard Jungle. There's a bit of a student-teacher romance for him to juggle, as well as a flirtatious rapport with a colleague, and audiences get to watch him dance the "in" dance moves of the 1960s. Besides the fun stuff, there are lots of great scenes about maturity and teaching life lessons as well as academics. It's a must-see for Sidney Poitier fans, as well as those who like classroom dramas.

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)

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