Movies - To Sir, with Love

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	Movies - To Sir, with Love

To Sir, with Love (1967) is a British film which deals with social issues in an inner city school, written and directed by James Clavell and based on a novel of the same name by E.R. Braithwaite. Its title track sung by Lulu reached the pop charts.

Production

The film was shot in London.

Cultural impact

The film is very much in a now-established genre in which an idealistic teacher is confronted with a class of cynical teenagers, disengaged by conventional schooling. The first such film had been Blackboard Jungle
in 1955, a film in which, incidentally, Poitier played a disruptive pupil. The present film makes a departure in that it sets Poitier, a black teacher, in a predominantly white London school. The film touches on racial issues but concentrates on the usual tropes of teenage angst and inspirational leadership. The film portrays a sanitised and fictional Swinging London. Issues of sexual infatuation between a pupil and teacher were rather less sensitive in the 1960s than they were to become in the 21st century, as evidenced by the rather provocative strapline A story as fresh as the girls in their minis.

Subsequent films that exploited the inspirational teacher drama theme include: Stand and Deliver
(1988), Lean on Me
and Dead Poets Society
(both in 1989), and Dangerous Minds
(1995).

To Sir, with Love itself was followed by a television movie sequel, To Sir, with Love II
, in 1996.

Plot summary (Film)

Mark Thackeray (Poitier) is a Guyanese who has trained as an engineer and is seeking a job that will test his skill and learning. While engaged in search for an appointment, he takes a teaching job in a working-class East-End school and is appalled to find that his class is unenthusiastic about learning or achievement. He finds all his personal skills tested in engaging and inspiring the class while avoiding the sexual advances of one of the female pupils (Geeson). Ultimately, he has to decide whether engineering or teaching will provide the most rewarding test of his skill and abilities.

Plot summary (Book)

Ricardo Braithwaite, a British Guiana-born communications engineer, comes to Britain in 1939 for post-graduate studies, but enlists in the RAF. After being demob-ed from the service, he in unable to find work in his profession due to anti-black racism, and is advised to look at teaching as a career. He is accepted and assigned to a tough school in London's East End, where teachers come and go frequently and the pupils are mostly rebellious and unwilling to learn.

After several false starts, Braithwaite starts to gain the confidence of the pupils, as well as his fellow teachers. He is attracted to Gillian Blanchard, another new teacher, and by the end of term, they are deeply in love and plan to marry.

Quotes

Moira's mother: (gesturing at Thackeray) I wouldn't mind having this lot in my stocking for Christmas.

Pamela Dare: Do you two (sways hips suggestively) - Student's laughter. Pamela Dare: Do you two shake?

Pamela Dare: (after cleaning off Thackeray's desk) Don't worry about your desk. I'll clean it every day. Thackeray: No, it's no problem. Pamela Dare: It's all right. A woman's work is never done.

Theo Weston: Ah, so you're the new lamb for the slaughter - or should I say, black sheep?

Thackeray: I am tired of your impudence, rough behavior, and sluttish manner. There are certain things a decent woman keeps private. If you must play these disgusting games, DO THEM IN YOUR OWN HOME AND NOT IN MY CLASSROOM!!

Denham: Eh, Sir, would you mind boxing with me? Sapiano's wrenched his wrist and looked devilish. Thackeray: I think you'd better forget about that for today. Denham: I don't mind having a punch-out with you.

Ingram: Lucky punch yesterday. Denham (whirling, furiously): No it wasn't. He could have taken me down with one hand behind his back and you know it!

Denham: How many times did you hit me? Thackeray: Once. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I guess I just lost my temper. Denham: You could have taken me right there. I’ve had it in for you since the beginning of school. I was meaning to hurt you.

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