To Sir, with Love

Movie review by Randy White, Common Sense Media
To Sir, with Love Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Sidney Poitier at his best; teens and up.

NR 1967 105 minutes
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Parents say

age 11+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that To Sir, with Love is a 1960s English drama about a teacher named Mark Thackeray (Sidney Poitier). Viewers will see students behaving rudely toward their teacher, including a one-on-one boxing match where the teacher takes punches to the face and the student is incapacitated with a gut punch. A bloody cut on a hand is briefly seen, as is the suggestion of a naked woman on a magazine centerfold. A student crushes on a teacher, but the story is handled appropriately by filmmakers. Issues of racism and classism come up and are explored with sensitivity, if never directly challenged. The way women are portrayed and spoken about feels extremely outdated; when Thackeray's female students misbehave, he angrily chides, "No man likes a slut." Language also includes terms like "bastard," "damn," "moron," and "f--gots" (used to convey its original meaning, "a bundle" of something). Racist overtones are repeatedly found in conversation by another teacher, who's never held accountable. The film offers a window into London's East End and its working-class residents.

Community Reviews

MovieLover92
MovieLover92 Adult
April 29, 2013
age 12+

Wonderful Classic!

This is a film that people of all ages can enjoy. It is really one of those endearing films that really brings out the impact of what a teacher can do to make their students better people. Sydney Poitier does a wonderful job in this film and he is such an excellent role model. I wouldn't let real young children watch this film alone because it some have some issues in that they might question and not fully understand but other than that it is a wonderful classic film for the whole family.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
juzzz
juzzz Adult
October 29, 2011
age 7+

Rick Thackerey "Awesome Of All Teachers

manners

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In TO SIR, WITH LOVE, it's 1966 London, and Mark Thackeray (Sidney Poitier) has taken on a teaching position in a rough school where teachers are jaded and afraid. Thackeray initially makes no headway with his rude students and searches for a job as an engineer. But he decides to keep trying, enforcing a strict behavior code accompanied by frank conversations about "life, sex, rebellion, and marriage." Proper conduct is soon the fashion, and the students call Thackeray "Sir." A boy refuses to heed Sir's lessons, and they end up facing off during physical education in an impromptu boxing session. The students learn a lesson in doing what's right, despite a society that frowns upon racial integration.

Is It Any Good?

Poitier is reason enough to watch this film, and his charisma makes the changes he brings to the students' world seem entirely plausible. To Sir, with Love's production design is marvelous and, along with the fine cinematography shot on location, captures the texture of London's East End in the 1960s. The music is a hoot, with song choices that surprise you like charming relics from another era.

Watching this dialogue-heavy movie requires a bit of effort, and young viewers may find their attention drifting. Making out the language can be difficult for those not used to hearing London cockney. But in a world of spoon-fed plots and predictable three-act structures, the film's organic storytelling sets it apart from more standard fare.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's message. What do you think the filmmaker was trying to get across? Did you think the movie was effective in conveying that message?

  • Class differences come up when a student tells Thackeray he's "like a toff but not," while another adds, "You're like us, but you ain't like us." What traits are the teens using to consider Thackeray posh? And what traits make him "like them," or working class? Is it helpful to think in terms of class-based stereotypes like this?

  • Consider the legacy of WWII-era British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who's praised in To Sir, with Love. In what ways was the former PM successful? In what ways was he abhorrent? And how well does modern media balance that complexity in movies like The King's Speech and Darkest Hour or the TV show The Crown?

  • Do the filmmakers ever cross the line when portraying Pamela's crush on her teacher? What makes the depiction of a student-teacher crush inappropriate, and what can filmmakers do to ensure an appropriate depiction?

Movie Details

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