Watch Goodbye, Mr. Chips For Free

One of my all time favorites.

I'll tell you why so serious

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

A Sam Wood Production. Photographed at Denham Studios and on location at Ripton College. Copyright 19 June 1939 by Loew's Inc. Presented by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at the Astor, 15 May 1939. U.S. release: 28 July 1939. U.K. release: June 1939. Australian release: 3 August 1939. 12 reels. 114 minutes.NOTES: Prestigious Hollywood award, Best Actor, Robert Donat (defeating Clark Gable in Gone With The Wind, Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights, Mickey Rooney in Babes In Arms and James Stewart in Mr Smith Goes To Washington).Also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress (Greer Garson). Directing, Screenplay, Film Editing (all won by GWTW), and Sound Recording (When Tomorrow Comes). Best Picture of 1939 — Film Daily annual poll of U.S. film critics. Film debut of Greer Garson.COMMENT: Despite the stiff competition offered by Gable, Olivier and Stewart (who won the New York Film Critics' Award), it is hard to think of a Best Actor honor more justified than that received by Robert Donat for his memorable portrayal of Mr Chips. From youth to old age, Donat has not just relied upon the superb ministrations of the make-up man, but has really immersed himself in the character, changing his voice and gait to suit the years but never losing that glow of sincere enthusiasm and self-effacing dedication that illumines the master from within. It is undoubtedly the most memorable (and probably the second most popular, — eclipsed only by Gable's Rhett Butler) of all actors' performances in the movies.Although her role is smaller, Greer Garson also makes an extremely favorable impression. She had not yet acquired the eyebrow mannerisms and over-patronizing airs that made her such a pain later in her career. Other telling portrayals are provided by Terry Kilburn (who plays no less than four generations of Colley boys), Paul Henreid (a German master), and Lyn Harding (the headmaster). John Mills is effective in a brief appearance. In fact, the entire roster of the film's players contribute sketches that are at once wholly believable yet interestingly differentiated.MGM have spared no expense on production. The exterior school set is reputed to have been the largest constructed in England to that time. If largess in budget is not necessarily a guarantee of quality, here it certainly is. Junge is one of the most talented art directors working in British cinema, and Young is without question the country's foremost cinematographer. Their work on Mr. Chips must rank among their finest. And there is a marvelously evocative music score that cannot fail to stir the most moribund hearts! In all Mr Chips is perfection. Aside from a couple of strikingly effective editing montages (which were probably indicated in the script), Wood has directed in a disarmingly unobtrusive fashion, yet bringing each scene across (by co-ordinating his actors and technicians with such mastery) with maximum dramatic impact. Nostalgic, sentimental (but not synthetically or superficially so), Mr Chips entertains us with a moving and fascinating glimpse of a world (and a character — in this era of compulsory retirement) that has all but vanished.

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!

This is a nice and quiet movie. Nothing very exciting happens in it, but when it ends you still feel that you have experienced something important...The main character, Mr Chips, is very likable, and easy to identify with.The movie captures both the romance and the reality of the school world, I think. With romance I mean: the IDEA of all the generations of young people going through a school and out into the world, and the teachers' important work in both teaching them and moulding them, is very grand. Unfortunately, often one does not realize how important a teacher has been, until long afterwards - when it is too late to go back and tell him or her "thank you". Therefore, teaching might seem as an ungrateful job...The reality - and I know this, as I have dabbled in teaching as a sub - can be quite different though. And then it can be difficult to keep up that feeling of doing an important job for mankind. The job can seem repetitive, and also "flat" - there is not much of a career in it, and you can easily feel that you are stuck in a small world, and that your own development has come to an end. Because you are never going to be anything more than a stupid teacher in a stupid school... It is then you need these romantic school-stories! Children can also be very mean and unpleasant, both towards each other and towards adults. There is always a kind of battle going on between the class and the teacher. When you are new to the business it can be very difficult to know how to behave. Because you want the pupils to like you, not fear you or hate you - but on the other hand you cannot be too "kind" either, because then they take advantage of it. If you do not come to grips with this conflict and find your own way in dealing with the pupils, there is always the risk of total mayhem - exactly as it happened for Mr Chips the first time he stood in front of a class. That scene was very realistic.The short, tragic love-story is also very fine. One is so happy for the shy Mr Chips, when he gets to experience this with a nice and beautiful young woman - despite the bad odds!

1939 was truly a phenomenal year for movie lovers with such distinguished masterpieces as "Gone With the Wind", "The Wizard of Oz", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" to start with the most emblematic ones, and followed by the no less revered "Stagecoach", "Ninotchka" or "Young Mr. Lincoln" …Yet, despite its lower recognition, "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", also Best Picture nominee, is still likely to grab the attention of a movie fan because it features the performance that won the Oscar for Best Actor, which is saying a lot in 1939. No, it was not James Stewart who won for his outstanding emotional role as Jefferson Smith, neither did Clark Gable as the iconic Rhett Butler or Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff, no … fate decided that the prestigious award would go to a Robert Donat who played a shy and humble schoolmaster named Arthur Chipping aka 'Mr. Chips'. I admit that I was less eager to see the film than the performance that beat those stellar performances but the result was the same anyway. First, "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" is significant as a milestone for school movies. "Dead Poets Society", "To Sir, With Love", "Blackboard Jungle", they all owe something to "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", the inspirational story of a teacher who dedicated his whole life, 63 years, to his profession, to his boys. But don't expect the life-changing teacher, who'd open his pupils' eyes. Sam Wood's film is beyond the stereotypes it will later inspire. All we have is just a man who'll learn the most difficult job in the world and the noblest, something that demands courage, patience, understanding and a sincere enthusiasm. His authority is challenged in the beginning, making him question if he's fit to the job, but progressively, he'll try to learn to find the right balance. But it's only by meeting his future wife that his status in Brookfield will go from a good teacher to the living legend.Greer Garson, as Susan, was nominated for an Oscar in a leading role, and I can understand why it leaves some viewers perplexed. But I think she exemplifies the importance of a woman in man's life, and no man is shy enough to never find the true love, and certainly not a good man like Chips. Susan will lead the lead character, teaching him how to smile, how to overcome his own weaknesses, how to make a friend out of his kids, much more, she's the one who'll earn him his nickname. The film's second act entirely focuses on the relationship between Chips and Susan, their romantic waltz in Vienna, the Blue Danube music. And although it tragically ends with her precocious death by giving birth, we understand that she paved the way to Chips' popularity and helped him to become a living legend. I was also interested to see the film because Chips was listed in AFI's Top 50 Greatest heroes, and I wanted to know what was so inspiring about him. I think he's like Rocky Balboa, a sort of ideological hero who conveys positive values about life, about remaining true to a sort of a positive discipline. He's a man who faced war, the death of his wife, of colleagues, friend and of course pupils, and still he took the distance. Full of contradictions, he was capable of teaching during German bombings and yet delivers a eulogy to one of his German friends who taught at Brookfield. Chips valued life too much to get stuck in patriotic exaltations. He was a good man, eccentric, charismatic, funny, but a positive model.And if by no means, "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" is equal to "Gone With the Wind", in its own humbleness and simplicity, the film is capable to reach a superior emotionality that doesn't rely on epic moment or powerful dialog. It's just the sight of this humble man, going older and older, yet never letting his love toward his profession and pupils being altered by the passing of time. Robert Donat is magnificent as Mr. Chips, and I couldn't believe a 34-year old could play an old man in such a convincing way, in this cute way to stick his mouth to his mustache or to emphasizes the 'o'. Going from this mild-mannered playboy to a shy middle-aged man and then an old Einstein-looking elderly is indeed a performance that deserved an accolade. But Donat's performance and the impressive ways were not the only way to suggest the passing of time. When he comes in Brookfield to start as a teacher, kids talk about Prussians defeating the French, well the film demands a little knowledge, but we understand it's in 1870. Later, the year 1901 is indicated when a student comments about Queen Victoria's death and can't believe Britain will have a king. This summarizes what Chips incarnates: longevity. He's a 83 year old schoolmaster, a living legend, loved and admired, who's so old in his school that he taught three generations of boys, an element of his life cleverly highlighted by the three Colley's kids, all played by the same kid. Still, one of the most representative moments of the film is the many montages of pupils and students filing past and recalling their names. The flow of kids, of new faces, of children and young men, is like a metaphoric view of life as a river where it's never the same water that runs. And combined by with the ringing bells and the film's outstanding music in high volume, and Chips' deathbed words, it's impossible not to be touched by this film, and its lead character, a sympathetic character full of this same innocence that would be lost after 1939 and Hollywood would see the rise of more cynical and fatalistic genres, like the film-noir. Chips dies with his innocence, but his remembrance is eternal.