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Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, Paul Henreid ... see more see more... , Judith Furse , Lyn Harding , Milton Rosmer , Louise Hampton , Austin Trevor , David Tree , Edmund Breon , Jill Furse , Scott Sunderland , Simon Lack , Frederick Leister , John Longden , Patrick Ludlow , Guy Middleton , Cyril Raymond , Nigel Stock , Ronald Ward , Caven Watson

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, based on James Hilton's novel, is a melodrama about a shy British teacher named Mr. Chipping (Robert Donat) who devotes his life to teaching "his boys" after the death of his lovel... read more read more...y, energetic American wife Katherine (Greer Garson). Told via flashbacks, the film features an aged Mr. Chipping looking back nostalgically at his long career, taking note of the people who've touched his life over the years. Donat was the recipient of a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the title character, and the film features the debut performance of a young Garson. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

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16 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Sam Wood

Release Date: July 28, 1939

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DVD Release Date: February 3, 2004

Stats: 313 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (313)

  • bottcorecords1
    November 28, 2011
    bottcorecords1
    Good old Mr. Chips has been teaching at the Brookfield public school for several hundred years, or so the boys say. In "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", we're taken on a journey back through those several hundred years. Actually, Mr. Chips was the latin teacher from 1870 to 1918, with seve... read moreral extra years tacked on for good measure. The film begins in 1933, with the elderly Chippings reminscing about his first day at Brookfield. From there, we go through the next several decades, learning of Chips' life, love, and marriage to Katherine (Greer Garson). Much like for Chips himself, the film shows years as they begin to fly by in a blur, as new boys replace old boys, and new faces look the same as their fathers and grandfathers before them, in particular, little Colley, as played by Terry Kilburn (John Colley, Peter Colley, Peter Colley II, Peter Colley III). Yes, apparently Mr. Chips taught four generations of Colleys. Goodbye, Mr. Chips wants to say something profound about the past, about the futility of war and the precious briefness of life, and sometimes succeeds in doing so quite admirably. But it's Robert Donat's through-the-years portrayal of Mr. Chips that truly makes the film stand out (in fact, Donat won the oscar that year, beating out such other noteables as Gone With The Wind's Clark Gable and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington's Jimmy Stewart). Mr. Chips might have been a rather one-dimensional character without the warmth Donat brought to his performance. While the plot itself is fairly predictable, and certain stretches of time are given short change compared to others, the film still manages to the heart after all these years.
  • smith44
    December 29, 2008
    smith44
    Arthur Chipping is certianly one of the greatest heros ever to grace the screen, played by Robert Donat in his Oscar winning perfromance. Goodbye Mr. Chips is an unsung classic, a golden tearjerker, a deeply affecting movie. One of my new favourities.
  • chaleins
    October 21, 2010
    chaleins
    School shapes and defines both student and teacher, and we get a nice example of this in the 1939 version of Goodbye Mr. Chips. This classic tale of the mild-mannered schoolteacher learning to adapt in his profession has that certain timeless quality. This film version hones muc... read moreh more closely to the story from which it was adapted, and this includes the curious cultural themes of the time. The social structures of later Victorian England are interesting, and provide a nice backdrop for this story. The days of all-boy schools in England aren't completely behind us, but playing pranks is familiar to any school landscape. Harry Potter fans will recognize the environment instantly in this film, and there are some interesting similarities in narrative structure. (The themes about new students, a special train, etc.)

    Robert Donat as Professor Chipping, gives an impressive, multi-decade performance. His character evolves from a relatively ineffectual teacher to one that is widely loved and respected, and Donat makes it look easy. The film style is typical of the 1930's: It's a little overacted and talky, but still intelligent. Greer Garson makes a charming companion to the professor, and although her time with him is short, she changes him for the better. They have some genuinely likeable dialogue that seems very realistic because it's just two people that complement each other. Their first meeting scene is nicely balanced and evolves because of the 'lost' situation they are in. It's interesting in that she's the dominant partner in the romance instead of the male-dominated romances of the time. This kind of character rapport seems very modern in some ways, and the charisma of the two stars certainly helped. The story also provides little cameos of the students re-encountering their old Professor as adults. There's genuine warmth being played on the screen, and it reminded me of times I've gone back and visited teachers of my own. One of the best scenes is a short one, where zeppelins are bombing in the area, (World War I era) and Chips uses humor to keep the boys of his class calm. These kinds of small scenes are well done and help propel the story forward, building on the reputation of Chips as odd or different from the norm of Headmasters at Brookfield. The film was made in 1939, on the eve of another World War, and there's a distinct anti-war sentiment to some of the scenes that probably reflected the opinion that the War to End All wars wasn't going to be allowed to happen. Viewing these scenes now is interesting, especially Chips sentiments about a German teacher, who was his friend.

    The ending is the weakest part, and is over the top, but that was the style of the time.

    This theme about the school teacher who changes and is changed by his students has been done many times, but Mr. Chips stands out because of its honesty. It doesn't feel contrived or manipulative because it eschews the usual school crisis scenes, and instead allows us to get to know the parade of characters slowly. I'll bet you can pick out the types of students and teachers from your own university experience, even if you didn't go to a British school.

    The film somewhat disappeared under the shadow of Gone With The Wind, which accounts for its anonymity today. Although Peter Donat won for Best Actor, the film lost to Selznick's epic in most other categories.

    Modern audiences will relate more to the Peter O'Toole version (even with the 1969 penchant for actors trying to sing).

    However, this Chips is a nice, gentle ride back to a period long-lost in movie history, when stories didn't have to be great bombastic ones in order to explore the human condition in all its wonder and frailty.
  • HenrikSchunk
    April 9, 2010
    HenrikSchunk
    Goodbye Mr.Chips has one of those classic premises of a school teacher and trials and errors he faces while on the job. From his young years as a freshman to his last steps through the halls, Goodbye Mr.Chips is movie of rather epic scope, covering love, friendship and the war al... read moreong its way. Robert Donat does a great job (so did the makeup department) in his portrayal of the shy and witty Mr. Chips. The movie takes a good 25 minutes to find its rhythm and in the end it has a tendecy to be melodramatic but overall it is a beautiful movie. Like so many other "teacher" movies, Goodbye Mr.Chips is a very morally tale and given the fact that it is (partially) set during wartime the overall feel is very melancholic and the movie is definetly a tear-jerker. Cute.

    Henrik
  • DrLappos
    March 14, 2008
    DrLappos
    Actually a really good movie by todays standards.....
  • SunilJawahir
    September 11, 2007
    SunilJawahir
    Not bad really but I didn't really care for the book and I didn't care for the film either.
  • bottcorecords
    November 28, 2011
    bottcorecords
    Good old Mr. Chips has been teaching at the Brookfield public school for several hundred years, or so the boys say. In "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", we're taken on a journey back through those several hundred years. Actually, Mr. Chips was the latin teacher from 1870 to 1918, with seve... read moreral extra years tacked on for good measure. The film begins in 1933, with the elderly Chippings reminscing about his first day at Brookfield. From there, we go through the next several decades, learning of Chips' life, love, and marriage to Katherine (Greer Garson). Much like for Chips himself, the film shows years as they begin to fly by in a blur, as new boys replace old boys, and new faces look the same as their fathers and grandfathers before them, in particular, little Colley, as played by Terry Kilburn (John Colley, Peter Colley, Peter Colley II, Peter Colley III). Yes, apparently Mr. Chips taught four generations of Colleys. Goodbye, Mr. Chips wants to say something profound about the past, about the futility of war and the precious briefness of life, and sometimes succeeds in doing so quite admirably. But it's Robert Donat's through-the-years portrayal of Mr. Chips that truly makes the film stand out (in fact, Donat won the oscar that year, beating out such other noteables as Gone With The Wind's Clark Gable and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington's Jimmy Stewart). Mr. Chips might have been a rather one-dimensional character without the warmth Donat brought to his performance. While the plot itself is fairly predictable, and certain stretches of time are given short change compared to others, the film still manages to the heart after all these years.
  • catbox9
    June 16, 2008
    catbox9
    This movie tells the story of a retired schoolteacher. The movie is a flashback of his life as a teacher. The teacher, Mr. Chipping (Mr. Chips) is played by Robert Donat who ages 63 years over the course of the flashbacks. The plot wasn't all that quickly-moving and didn't have m... read moreuch happen, but it was a rather touching story I suppose. It was nothing great but good enough to keep you watching even if you don't get to sentimental about these kinds of things.

    The movie has several reasonably famous actors and they're all at least adequate, but the only one that really matters is Robert Donat. Other than the first five minutes or so of the film there's never more than 30 seconds or so where he was not on screen. Donat won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film which is quite remarkable seeing as it was made in 1939. His competition that year included Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind (a film which won 10 Oscars), James Steward in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights and Mickey Rooney in Babes in Arms. I haven't seen the last two films mentioned but the first two have outstanding acting by their leads and Laurence Olivier is generally regarded as an outstanding actor in his own right. While Donat's performance here is good, I cannot believe he won the award over Gable and Stewart. Gable was very good and his movie won just about every award and Stewart was brilliant. Sure, Donat was good, but the best actor that year? I beg to differ.

    Anyways, this isn't a bad film and it does make you think back on former teachers. I don't think I've ever had one quite like Mr. Chips although a few were pretty good.

    74/100
    C

    UP NEXT: Probably Touch of Evil.
  • x0hn0th3r4nc0rx
    April 28, 2008
    x0hn0th3r4nc0rx
    In this heartwarming story, a shy teacher (Robert Donat) learns to connect with his students after falling in love with a beautiful young woman (Greer Garson). A touching classic!
  • mkatchan
    April 11, 2008
    mkatchan
    So good! Donat's performance (and gradual transformation) is incredible. My only qualm...not enough Greeg Garson! :)

View All Goodbye, Mr. Chips Reviews

Critic Reviews

Tim Brayton
May 24, 2009
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

Robert Donat at the peak of his skills... as moving today as it was upon its premiere. Full Review

Steve Crum
February 20, 2007
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Inspirational, touching, classic work with Robert Donat's Oscar winning performance.

Emanuel Levy
July 3, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Robert Donat gives a strong performance as a legendary school teacher in this sentimental tribute, which introduced to American audiences British actress Greer Garson. Full Review

Jamie Gillies
August 23, 2004
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide

A standard story delivered well with not many stylistic discretions, which gives it a timeless quality. Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus
March 26, 2004
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide

The original inspirational-teacher story, and a beloved valentine to classical education, tradition, and the English public boarding schools of a bygone era. Full Review

John J. Puccio
January 20, 2004
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...should continue to provide pleasure for as long as people value characterization and heart above plot contrivances and technical effects. Full Review

Christopher Null
January 3, 2004
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Start with It's a Wonderful Life and take away Christmas and all the bad stuff that happens, and you've got this movie. Full Review

Nick Davis
August 16, 2003
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Not as cloying as you might think; Donat is engaging, and Greer Garson is simply luminous.

Ken Hanke
August 21, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A fine central performance from Robert Donat

Andrew Howe
April 2, 2001
Andrew Howe, Film Written Magazine

Robert Donat is deeply affecting as the title character. Full Review

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Goodbye, Mr. Chips Trivia

  • Who took home the Best Actor Oscar in 1939, and for what film?  Answer »
  • Oscar winner for Best Actor of 1939 (all were nominated):  Answer »
  • Goodbye, Mr. Chips upset Gone with the Wind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in what Academy Award category in 1939?  Answer »
  • ****BRITISH ACTOR ROBERT DONAT WON THE 1939 BEST ACTOR OSCAR FOR WHAT FILM****  Answer »
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