This looked like a nice, simple and charming black-and-white film, it is critical acclaimed, and Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind lost out the Academy Award for Best Actor to this film's leading star, I had to see it, from Oscar nominated director Sam Wood (A Night at the Opera, The Pride of the Yankees, For Whom the Bell Tolls). Basically Charles Edward Chipping, fondly referred to as Mr. Chips (Oscar winning Robert Donat), in 1933 is a retired schoolteacher and former headmaster at the traditional Brookfield Boarding School, one of the oldest and most respected boys schools in England, the film goes into flashback as he recalls his life and teaching career. Chipping first arrived at Brookfield aged 25 as a Latin teacher in 1870, he becomes the target for many practical jokes, he reacts by imposing strict discipline, he is respected but disliked, as time passes however his relationship with his pupil improves, and he becomes senior master. Chipping is disappointed not to receive an appointment as the house master, but his despair is lifted when the German teacher Max Staefel (Paul Henreid) invites him for a walking holiday to his native Austria, while mountain climbing he encounters feisty English suffragette Kathy Ellis (Oscar nominated Greer Garson). Charles and Kathy meet again in Vienna and dance a waltz, he uses the music to declare his love for her, Kathy is considerably younger and livelier than Charles, but she shares affection for him and they get married, they return to England, Kathy finds a home in the school and charms everyone with her warmth. The marriage is tragically short however as Kathy dies during childbirth, along with the baby, but she brings Mr. Chips out of his shell and shows him how to be a better teacher, as the years pass Chips has become a much-loved institution to the school, developing a rapport with generations of pupils, teaching the sons and grandsons of many of his earlier pupils. In 1909 Chips is pressured to retire for a more "modern" headmaster, the boys and the board of governors take his side and want him to stay until he is 100, he does finally retire in 1914 at age 69, only to be summoned back as an interim headmaster during the time of the First World War, due to a shortage of teachers, he insists the boys continue translating Latin, even during a bombing attack occurring. Many names of former boys and teachers that have died are read aloud in the school's Roll of Honour every Sunday as the war continues, Chips finds out Max Staefel has died fighting on the German side, he also reads out his name in the chapel. Mr. Chips permanently retires in 1918, he is on his deathbed in 1933 and overhears his friends remarking that he never had children, Chips responds "But you're wrong. I have! Thousands of them, thousands of them – and all boys". Also starring Terry Kilburn as John Colley / Peter Colley I / Peter Colley II / Peter Colley III, John Mills as Peter Colley as a young man, Judith Furse as Flora, Lyn Harding as Dr. Wetherby, Milton Rosmer as Chatteris, Frederick Leister as Marsham and Louise Hampton as Mrs. Wickett. Donat, who I mainly knew for The 39 Steps, gives a superb performance as the kind-hearted Latin teacher and headmaster with a subtle and worldly-wise manner, and a large moustache, and Garson makes a great introductory performance as his beautiful love interest, there is a well-cast musical remake with Peter O'Toole, but this is indeed the definitive version, it is so simple, but so wonderfully moving, it proves that any nice man can be a great hero, a brilliant period drama. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Arthur Chipping was number 40 on 100 Years, 100 Heroes & Villains, and the film was number 46 on 100 Greatest Tearjerkers. Very good!
Review of Goodbye, Mr. Chips
