GOODBYE, MR CHIPS

US, 1939, 114 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, Paul Henreid.
Directed by Sam Wood.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips has become a classic M.G.M. film of the 30s. James Hilton was a popular novelist at the time, eg. 'Lost Horizon'. M.G.M. wanted to do their best by his story of the crusty old teacher who marries, softens, rises to authority in the school and is beloved by all. Robert Donat, a master actor of the 30s in such films as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Citadel won an Oscar for his performance - in the year of Gone With the Wind. Greer Garson in her first Hollywood role made a very strong impression as Chips' wife and went on to a very successful career. The film captures the atmosphere of England, the pathos of war, the crustiness of a bachelor and the wonderful mellowing through his experience of marriage. The scenes of Donat and Garson are superb. The sequences of Mrs. Chip's death are also most moving. All in all, Goodbye Mr. Chips is excellent film-making and human drama. There was a musical adaptation made in colour and wide-screen by choreographer-director Herbert Ross, 1969. Peter O'Toole is excellent in this type of role and Petula Clark is very attractive as his wife.

1. Why is the film considered a classic? Its total impact? Its story, feeling, history, characterizations? The acting and the personalities of the stars? Comment on its use of 30s cinema techniques.

2. How important was the theme of emotions, feelings and the transformation of a man's feelings by a woman? So that he can have some achievement in life? Was this the main them? What were the major themes?

3. How accurate was the portrait offered of a man? Mr. Chips as a human being, limited yet moving to a greatness? What were the qualities that Chips had? The amount of time he took to gain them? His initial mistakes, the lost time, the transformation by Catherine, the learning of love, the learning of responsibility?

4. What was the achievement of Mr. Chips? His death bed words and the thousands of boys that he trained? The achievement of the man himself as an example and an inspiration for all the boys, the masters, headmasters? What attitude towards this achievement did the film take?

5. Comment on the use of the flash back structure: the initial ageing of Mr. Chips, the memories, a genial Mr. Chips, the fifty-eight years of service, the chat with the boy at the locked door, How did this create an atmosphere?

6. The presentation of the school and the atmosphere of education: the school song and spirit., the buildings, the tradition, the atmosphere, the staff, the school talk amongst the masters etc.? The presentation of English education from 1870 to 1930? The boys the same at all times - their rowdiness, so wearing on the masters, their baiting of the masters, the school spirit amongst them, sport, response to kindliness? Was this an interesting picture of English education? What values lay behind English education according to the film?

7. Response to the young Mr. Chips (as contrast to the older Ran) his tentativeness, on the station and being baited in the train. his initial class supervision and being baited? His strictness and the effect that this had on him for twenty years?

8. How convincingly did the film show the passing of time - the boys announcing their names, the chatter about history and historical reference, the change in Chip's appearance?

9. The kindliness of Max and the change that it wrought in Chips?

10. The impact of Austria - the mountains and Chip's reservation about people, and yet his response to Catherine's call? Their meeting in the mist, the sandwiches, the coat, the small talk? His shyness at the party? The impact that Catherine made? What was so attractive about her character - modern, common-sensed, kind? (The joke of the mistaken bicycles and ladies). The impressions of Vienna - the Blue Danube, the dancing, the proposal of marriage?

11. How convincing did the film show a marriage as transforming a man? The difference in Chip's appearance and style? Catherine's kindness around the place, the response of the masters, the boys? Her ambitions for Chips and her goading him on to appropriate ambitions?

12. The film's reticence about her death? The sentiment and the impact of this?

13. Catherine's death forgotten as Chips lived on for many decades? His moving to retirement? The Headmaster's hasty decision to retire him? The change in his life and his attitudes? His holding on to traditions and wanting to face so many of the changes of ideas? e.g. Latin pronunciation?

14. The impact of the first world war and the boys going to war? His response to Peter Colley and Colley's wife?

15. The achievement of being headmaster, even in war time? The impact on Chips, his conduct in the school, his kindness and his discipline? Colley's death?

16. How moving was the whole film? Why? The importance of the scene of Chip's dying and his comments And the film ending with the school itself?

17. Robert Donat's performance is considered a masterpiece of acting. Why?