# "To Sir, With Love" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955 "2008-01-10T05:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/1 "2008-01-10T05:49:46Z")
I was just watching this movie and there’s a scene where some of the girls in the classroom are burning something on the stove while Mr. Thackeray (Poitier) is gone. He gets absolutely furious, expelling the boys from the room while he unleashes a torrent of anger upon the women for their “sluttish behavior” and mentions the “disgusting object” that was burned in the stove. All the searching I’ve done on the matter tells me that it was a tampon that they were burning. But there is absolutely no proof of this in the movie. Is it simply to be assumed by the viewers? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/2 "2008-01-10T05:52:08Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I was just watching this movie and there’s a scene where some of the girls in the classroom are burning something on the stove while Mr. Thackeray (Poitier) is gone. He gets absolutely furious, expelling the boys from the room while he unleashes a torrent of anger upon the women for their “sluttish behavior” and mentions the “disgusting object” that was burned in the stove. All the searching I’ve done on the matter tells me that it was a tampon that they were burning. But there is absolutely no proof of this in the movie. Is it simply to be assumed by the viewers? [/QUOTE] That’s what it was in the book. Or no–actually, I think it was a sanitary napkin (used) in the book. You probably couldn’t say that in the movies at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/3 "2008-01-10T06:00:38Z")
Was it customary to burn tampons at the time the book was written/movie was made? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/4 "2008-01-10T07:01:24Z")
The only time I saw the movie was on TV one afternoon in the late 70s. I assumed it was some sort of sanitary product or a pair of panties, but was edited out for broadcast TV. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/5 "2008-01-10T07:18:52Z")
Yes, it’s in the book, and no, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t customary to burn sanitary napkins, at least not in a stove. (Disposing them in a regular trash incinerator is no different from today, I suppose.) It was something disgusting that the girls did to piss off Thackery (or Braithwaite, as he was in the book – the story is something of an autobiography by author E.R. Braithwaite). Love this movie, in all its glorious hokiness. And the music is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/6 "2008-01-10T14:15:57Z")
[QUOTE=choie] Yes, it’s in the book, and no, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t customary to burn sanitary napkins, at least not in a stove. (Disposing them in a regular trash incinerator is no different from today, I suppose.) It was something disgusting that the girls did to piss off Thackery (or Braithwaite, as he was in the book – the story is something of an autobiography by author E.R. Braithwaite). Love this movie, in all its glorious hokiness. And the music is awesome. [/QUOTE] Yeah. Lulu’s da bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/7 "2008-01-10T14:21:36Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Yeah. Lulu’s da bomb. [/QUOTE] Great singer, not a great looker. Judy Geeson is the real eye candy in this one. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/8 "2008-01-10T16:08:48Z")
[QUOTE=Hilarity N. Suze] That’s what it was in the book. Or no–actually, I think it was a sanitary napkin (used) in the book. You probably couldn’t say that in the movies at the time. [/QUOTE] I’ve always concluded that it was a used tampon. But here’s the thing, perhaps by not being able to say such things in movies at the time, look at how that restriction added to Poitier’s brilliance - he’s able to convey just how revolting the object is (which many of us concluded to be as disgusting as a used tampon) without having to say it ! It’s like the shower scene in “Psycho” compared to the slasher films that would follow. You “got” the horror of Janet Leigh getting hacked up without a single shot of the knife entering flesh. Still far more effective than the “Friday the 13th” movies where you see machete’s cleaving into people’s skulls. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/9 "2008-01-10T16:26:42Z")
There is a scene before that incident that gives you the impression of what happened. Sir and the older female teacher are in the teacher’s lounge when she mentions something about having to talk with a girl who is sixteen and hopeless about female hygiene problems, or something to that effect. So I assume the girls in class did a Carrie number on the hopeless hygiene girl. The older teacher also warns Sir about Miss Dare, make no mistake she is a woman ;). ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/10 "2008-01-10T17:45:58Z")
I love Lulu. Her version of the title song is one of my all-time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/11 "2008-01-10T17:57:11Z")
Indeed, Sir is on my I-pod. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/12 "2008-01-10T17:59:59Z")
Anyone know if a version with the additional lyrics in the film not on the regular single was ever released? ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/13 "2008-01-10T22:35:14Z")
> [@](#): > > But here’s the thing, perhaps by not being able to say such things in movies at the time, look at how that restriction added to Poitier’s brilliance - he’s able to convey just how revolting the object is (which many of us concluded to be as disgusting as a used tampon) without having to say it ! Oh absolutely! I can remember that speech with every inflection, every music sting, burned into my brain. (I’ve seen the film a kabillion times since first watching it in my '80s senior high class!) “I am _sick_ of your foul language, your crude behavior and your sluttish manner. There are certain things a _decent_ woman keeps private, and only a _filthy slut_ would have done this. And those who stood by and encouraged her are just as bad! I don’t care who’s responsible … you’re all to blame! Now, I am going to leave this room for five minutes by which time that dis_gus_ting object had better be removed and the windows opened to clear away the stench.” “If you must play these filthy games, do them in your homes! And NOT. IN. MY. CLASSROOM! _(cue cool music as he stomps out)_” Sidney Poitier was all kinds of hot in this role. In my teen years I always hoped that Thackery and Pam (adorable Judy Geeson) would eventually wind up together after she graduates. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/14 "2008-01-10T22:50:29Z")
Odd that they could get away with slut but not sanitary napkin 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/15 "2008-01-10T22:52:24Z")
Just chipping in again to echo all the comments about Poitier. The film made me a fan of his, and I consider him to be a cinematic legend. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/16 "2008-01-10T23:04:15Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Odd that they could get away with slut but not sanitary napkin 😕 [/QUOTE] “Slut” did not always have the almost exclusively sexual connotation it has today. It originally meant a woman with low-class or slovenly habits, not necessarily one who was sexually indiscriminate. In the 1960s it probably still had enough of the older meaning left to pass muster. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-sir-with-love/432955/17 "2008-01-11T04:36:45Z")
I lurve Sidney Poitier, and continued to lurve him in _In the Heat of the Night_ **They call me Mr.Tibbs.** sigh. Sorry to hijack