IMDb > Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
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Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   4,352 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sam Wood
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Writers:
R.C. Sherriff (screenplay) and
Claudine West (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Goodbye, Mr. Chips on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 July 1939 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
At The Top Of The Year's "Ten Best" - The picture that earns for 1939 a proud place in motion-picture history! more
Plot:
An aged teacher and former headmaster of a boarding school recalls his career and his personal life over the decades. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 7 nominations more
User Comments:
Children of privilege more (68 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Goodbye Mr. Chips! (USA) (alternative title)
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Runtime:
114 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #5086) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al.

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Greer Garson was initially offered a contract for MGM in 1937, but refused all the minor parts she was offered until she got the role of Kathy Ellis in this film. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: In a scene where Mr. Chips is climbing a mountain in his attempt to "rescue" Kathy, he passes by a cross marking the spot where someone died that is written in English. He is in the Alps of Austria, however, so the sign should be in German. more
Quotes:
Katherine: I'm sorry, I wasn't in any danger. more
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in At the Circus (1939) more

FAQ

What is the timeline sequence in the film?
What does "haec olim meminisse juvabit" mean?
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25 out of 26 people found the following comment useful.
Children of privilege, 9 May 2004
8/10
Author: jotix100 from New York

The children attending the Brookfield school are no ordinary English boys; they are the the children of the upper classes of society, who for generations have learned from institutions such as the school represented here. They are molded at places like this fictional one to be leaders of their country. Mr. Chipping is a teacher who gives his life to Brookfield, only to be bypassed when promotions are handed out. His love for the profession and his dedication to the formation of these children are his reasons for living. Most of his own life is spent at the school. Only in times of crisis is Mr. Chipps recognized. Mr. Chipps knows happiness only too briefly. He is extremely lucky when he finds Katherine. One can see the rapport in her, although we never see it explicitly on Chipping's face, maybe because a stiff upper lip that doesn't let him express his true feelings to a woman who adored him from their first encounter. Mr. Chipps lives long enough to learn about the death of his beloved students in several world conflicts. As a father figure, his life is full because the love and admiration the young boys feel for him. The film made Robert Donat a favorite of the movie going public. Mr. Donat goes from being a taciturn person into a jolly old man living on his own because Katherine dies young. The film improves tremendously when Greer Garson appears. Her luminous presence changes the tone of the movie because of her incredible charm. Paul Henreid makes a short appearance as Staefel, the fellow teacher who invites Mr. Chipps to accompany on a vacation trip to Austria. Sam Wood direction pays a close look to detail. The film is a classic and will live forever.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Dull, over the top, silly AtArmslength
The timing just doesn't add up.... Pengo13
Simplicity, Honesty and Grace rosyrnrn
What kind of insult is Town Cheese anyway? riverstyxdriad
The real downer in the movie nelson95
How does she die? chicken_cacciatore
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