Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Jodi Douglas

In 1939, MGM released the film version of the popular novel, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, by James Hilton. The film was produced by Victor Saville and directed by Sam Wood at MGM’s Deham Studios outside London to meet Great Britain’s requirement quota for foreign film companies (Balio, 199). The film stars Robert Donat as Arthur Chipping and the new-to-film Greer Garson as Katherine, Chipping’s love interest.

Newly hired to teach at Brookfield Boarding school, Mr. Chipping is first seen boarding the train with a group of boys who are to be his students. Before Chipping enters the classroom his first day, the boys have united with one another to make their new teacher’s life a living hell. Upon the headmaster’s threats of firing him before he actually gets his feet wet in the teaching profession, Chipping punishes his students by making them miss the most important cricket match of the season. This decision tarnishes his reputation with the boys and many of his colleagues.

When Chipping is passed over for the promotion to “housemaster,” despite his seniority, he agrees to take a walking tour of Austria with his friend Straefel. It is on this holiday that Chipping meets the beautiful Katherine Ellis. Their admiration for one another is quickly evident; he thinks she’s beautiful and she loves his “old-fashioned” ways. When the couple part ways, Katherine kisses “Chips” (her nickname for him) and he runs alongside the train yelling, “You have to marry me now.” Katherine accepts and the two return to Brookfield, married. Expecting Chipping’s new wife to be as dull as he is, Chip’s colleagues are shocked by her beauty and exuberance. Katherine’s arrival transforms Mr. Chips in the boys’ eyes, as well as his own. Mr. Chips begins to shine, finally becoming the man and teacher he has dreamed of being. The audience knows the transformation of Chips is complete when he remains the loveable teacher after Katherine dies in childbirth. Having retired after 50+ years of teaching, Chips is asked to return as headmaster (fulfilling his and Katherine’s dream) while many of the teachers are off fighting in Germany. It is his grace and composure that later maintains order amongst the student during an air raid.

In addition to a wonderful performance by Donat (1940 Oscar win over Clark Gable), the production team’s ability to transform Chips from a young man to an eighty-six year old is quite impressive. As an elderly Chips sleeps in his reading chair, memories of his former students are projected over his image. Conversations about world events also help to establish the passage of time (and life) throughout the movie. No matter the conflict portrayed in the film, whether between the boys, fighting nations in WWI, or his own struggles with headmasters, Chips continually stresses the importance of education, compassion, sense of humor, and forgiveness. Though we say goodbye to Mr. Chips at the end of the film, we leave enlightened and feeling good about humanity.