To Sir, with Love

To Sir, with Love

Synopsis

Sidney Poitier stars in this seminal, sentimental tale of an inspirational teacher in an inner city school.

About

Poitier gets a job in a failing school in inner-city London, and sets about scrapping the prescribed curriculum for his own brand of 'survival training'. The class includes Geeson - whose passion makes it to the title; Chirs Chittell, a yobbo just gagging to be reformed by Poitier's hard love; Roberts, the cocky classroom leader; and Lulu. Yes, Lulu - 30 years before she washed up on the TV lottery show, considered a serious contender. The film has gone in and out of fashion, but it's old enough now to return to it with a clear eye, and see the strength beneath the kooky sentimentality.

Cast & Connections

Actor: Judy Geeson, Lulu, Faith Brook, Suzy Kendall, Christian Roberts, Sidney Poitier
Director: James Clavell
Writer: James Clavell
Producer: James Clavell
Photographer: Paul Beeson

In a nutshell

Sentimental and unrealistic it may be but undeniably influential, and still worth a watch if only to see Lulu and Poitier in their heyday.

Latest from Film4...

Fast & Furious 6

Director Justin Lin takes the high-speed action franchise to London, with Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson along for the ride
Jonah

A Film4-backed short directed by Kibwe Tavares and starrnig Daniel Kaluuya

The Tourist on Film4

Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie star in Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's romantic action thriller
The Fighter on Film4

Watch David O Russell's Oscar-winning biographical boxing drama on Film4

Day 3: Like Father, Like Son

Film4.com editor Catherine Bray find a lot to like about Hirokazu Kore-eda's ninth feature Hirokazu Kore-eda's Like Father Like Son is, like Asghar Farhadi's The Past, a Competition film whose basic
Asghar Farhadi's The Past

Film4.com editor Catherine Bray gives her thoughts on Asghar Farhadi's The Past My third Competition film seems the most likely Palme d'Or contender so far: Iranian auteur Asghar Farhadi's The Past

Warp at 10 film posters

Artist Pete Mckee presents 10 special movie posters designed to celebrate Warp Films' 10th anniversary.
Top 50 Sci-Fi Movies

Future worlds, alien attacks, camp robots, stun guns and more

Film4 Recommends