Film: To Sir, With Love – (Cert PG)

As a tribute to the late great Sidney Poitier we are proud to present one of his greatest starring roles.

Sidney Poitier stars as Mark Thackeray, a novice teacher at a tough school in London’s East End who faces a class of unruly working class kids who test him to his limits. But Thackeray, no stranger to hostility, meets the challenge by encouraging the students to rise above their ‘you’ll-never-do-anything’ mentality and by treating them as young adults who will soon enter a work force where they must stand or fall on their own.

Lulu (who also performed the soaring theme song which became an international hit) pops up acting tough with the classroom rebels and there’s plenty of teased hair, eyeliner, mini-skirts and other 60s gear on show. Poitier’s magnetic star power made it the decade’s third biggest British film at the US Box Office (behind two James Bond films, no less), and it remains a classic film that accurately reflected some of the problems and fears of teens back then – and indeed now.

Silver screening is only available for the 11am screening (it is not valid for the 7.30pm screening).

Organist on The Mighty Compton Organ: Mr Michael Holmes.