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Customer Reviews of Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Things go from bad to worse for poor Mr Chips
Robert Donat turns in a masterly performance as a nineteenth century English schoolmaster. Murphy's law rules the day - anything that can go wrong for Mr Chipping does go wrong. He begins his teaching career as an incredibly shy and nervous young man, and threatens to wind up a lonely bachelor until the beautiful Greer Garson bumps into him atop a Swiss mountain and it is love at first sight for the unlikely pairing. Things turn sour, however, as they seem to at almost every turn in poor Chips' life. However, when all else is said and done, Chips can look with a sense of pride and achievement upon his teaching career, spanning over sixty something years, during which time he has touched myriads of young boy's lives with his cheery character and wisdom.

So, Chip's deathbed speech really puts everything into perspective - this is a somewhat melancholy film with only short-lived moments of 'feel-good' until the very end when the value and purpose of Chip's life all makes sense and we see that, despite all his misfortune, he had accomplished much in a pre-George Bailey sort of way. This is Capra without the corn.

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Teachers Do Make a Difference
Robert Donat gives an excellent, heartfelt performance as a reserved, unsure school master who makes an impact on the lives of his students in small and big ways throughout a career that spans over sixty years. Mr. Chipping may not be the most exciting or charismatic teacher, but he earns the respect and admiration of those around him. Greer Garson gives a warm, appealing performance as the lady who steals Donat's heart, showing him how to enjoy life and to open up. All of their scenes together are terrific, although my favourite scene is of Donat trying to teach during an air raid. Having read the book as well, I can say this film captures the story well and extends it, and this movie is in a different league then the ill-conceived musical version of the sixties. As a teacher, I find a lot of truth in this story, and it's the kind of film that teachers should watch at those times when they need to feel good about what they are doing and re-discover the important role they play in children's lives.

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Pacifism, 1939
I'm surprised that most of the reviews don't mention the pacifist theme of the film. The film is well done and quite watchable on its own terms. But those terms are so tragically wrong -- pacifism in 1939 -- that it's tough to get past the unintended sadness and irony. For a movie that's aged better, see Mrs. Miniver.