Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Sam Wood

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 lovely, 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. (allmovie.com by Matthew Tobey)

Review:
Goodbye, Mr. Chips is another classic from 1939, featuring a performance by Robert Donat that is one of the most fondly remembered in 20th century filmmaking. A crisp and intelligent film in all aspects, it avoids the maudlin sentimentality that often hinders films of this sort. It has held a continuing influence on filmmakers – for example, both Dead Poets Society (1989) by Peter Weir and Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) by Stephen Herek would seem to be direct spiritual descendants. The film is at its most powerful when evoking an appealing view of the past, when manners and honor were primary values, and when spending one's life in service to others was a noble art. While its two remakes have substantial merit, the original version remains the best. It may, however, be too old-fashioned to appeal to some of today's moviegoers. (allmovie.com by Richard Gilliam)

Awards:
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards for Outstanding Production, Best Director, Actor, Actress, Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound. It was up against Gone with the Wind (1939) by Victor Fleming in all seven categories; Robert Donat won for Best Actor, beating out Clark Gable, but Goodbye, Mr. Chips lost to Gone With the Wind in five of the six remaining categories. (Best Sound went to the otherwise undistinguished When Tomorrow Comes).