I noted that IMDb has told us that James Hilton in writing Goodbye Mr. Chips modeled the character out of a former teacher he had at a British public school who had a similar lengthy term of service. It's nice to know that there are people like Chipping actually teaching our future generations out there.
Chips is the sort of role that fit Robert Donat and only Robert Donat. I cannot imagine any other actor playing the cerebral and shy schoolteacher. The film follows him for about sixty of the 83 years of his life.
He arrives at Brookfield School around 1870, a young idealistic graduate certain of the vocation he has chosen. He doesn't mix well and his pedantic ways don't make him a school favorite. Donat certainly changes when on holiday in Europe with Paul Henreid, the German teacher at Brookfield School, he meets and eventually weds Greer Garson.
Goodbye Mr. Chips was Greer Garson's first introduction to American audiences. When she emerges from that mist on the Alp both Donat and she are climbing, she was a star from then on. Her screen image was set as the wise, tactful, and patient wife who was normally partnered with Walter Pidgeon. But she and Donat have good chemistry also.
Paul Henreid also got his first exposure to American audiences as well. Interesting that in 1939 a German would be played so sympathetically. My feelings are that they wanted to show that the Allies had nothing against the German people only the terrible ideology that at that time held them in sway. Long after Henreid has had his last scene it is reported that he is killed in World War I, fighting for his country and against the country that gave him a living for many years. Good people can fight for the enemy also.
Chips is the kind of character that we admire because he's at a job he loves and does give the world that infinitesimal extra ounce of good in doing that job. He's not acclaimed, certainly his demise wouldn't rate banner headlines, but so few of us are lucky to be in jobs and professions we truly love and not do for just a paycheck.
In that great year of Gone With the Wind sweeping the Oscars that year, Robert Donat managed to beat out Clark Gable for the Best Actor Award. He had some other good competition that year with James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mickey Rooney in Babes in Arms, and Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights. The capstone of a great career.
We should all hold and treasure teachers like Mr. Chipping of Brookfield School and the films made of their lives.
Chips is the sort of role that fit Robert Donat and only Robert Donat. I cannot imagine any other actor playing the cerebral and shy schoolteacher. The film follows him for about sixty of the 83 years of his life.
He arrives at Brookfield School around 1870, a young idealistic graduate certain of the vocation he has chosen. He doesn't mix well and his pedantic ways don't make him a school favorite. Donat certainly changes when on holiday in Europe with Paul Henreid, the German teacher at Brookfield School, he meets and eventually weds Greer Garson.
Goodbye Mr. Chips was Greer Garson's first introduction to American audiences. When she emerges from that mist on the Alp both Donat and she are climbing, she was a star from then on. Her screen image was set as the wise, tactful, and patient wife who was normally partnered with Walter Pidgeon. But she and Donat have good chemistry also.
Paul Henreid also got his first exposure to American audiences as well. Interesting that in 1939 a German would be played so sympathetically. My feelings are that they wanted to show that the Allies had nothing against the German people only the terrible ideology that at that time held them in sway. Long after Henreid has had his last scene it is reported that he is killed in World War I, fighting for his country and against the country that gave him a living for many years. Good people can fight for the enemy also.
Chips is the kind of character that we admire because he's at a job he loves and does give the world that infinitesimal extra ounce of good in doing that job. He's not acclaimed, certainly his demise wouldn't rate banner headlines, but so few of us are lucky to be in jobs and professions we truly love and not do for just a paycheck.
In that great year of Gone With the Wind sweeping the Oscars that year, Robert Donat managed to beat out Clark Gable for the Best Actor Award. He had some other good competition that year with James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mickey Rooney in Babes in Arms, and Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights. The capstone of a great career.
We should all hold and treasure teachers like Mr. Chipping of Brookfield School and the films made of their lives.