Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writers:

James Hilton (novel)
Terence Rattigan (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 December 1969 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

He is a shy schoolmaster. She is a music hall star. They marry and immediately have 283 children...all boys!

Plot:

A shy, withdrawn English schoolteacher falls for a flashy showgirl.

Plot Keywords:

Schoolteacher | Love | Death Of Wife | Dedicated Teacher | School

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Arthur Chipping
Petula Clark	...	Katherine Bridges
Michael Redgrave	...	The Headmaster
Alison Leggatt	...	Headmaster's Wife
Siân Phillips	...	Ursula Mossbank
Michael Bryant	...	Max Staefel
George Baker	...	Lord Sutterwick
Jenny Runacre
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Audreson
Leo Britt	...	Elder Master
Barbara Couper	...	Mrs. Paunceforth
Michael Culver	...	Johnny Longbridge
Elspet Gray	...	Lady Sutterwick
Clinton Greyn	...	Bill Calbury
John Gugolka	...	Sutterwick Jr.
Patricia Hayes	...	Miss Honeybun
Jack Hedley	...	William Baxter
Barbara Knox
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Johnson
Mario Maranzana	...	Pompeii Guide
Elspeth March	...	Mrs. Summersthwaite
Craig Marriott	...	New Boy
Jack May	...	Price
Clive Morton	...	General Paunceforth
Tom Owen	...	Farley
Michael Ridgeway	...	David
Sheila Steafel	...	Tilly
Ronnie Stevens	...	Algie
Royston Tickner	...	Policeman

Runtime:

USA:155 min | 152 min (original version) | 148 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:PG (video rating) | UK:U (original rating) | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G

Filming Locations:

59 Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick, London, England, UK

Company:

APJAC Productions

Trivia:

Originally cast in the lead roles were Rex Harrison and Samantha Eggar, who were replaced by Richard Burton and Lee Remick. When MGM opted to replace Remick with Petula Clark, based on her reviews and Golden Globe nomination for Finian's Rainbow (1968), Burton balked at playing opposite a "singer" rather than an "actress", so Peter O'Toole was cast instead.

Quotes:

Chips: Did you not hear Miss Bridges ask you to go?
Calbury: Who are you?
Chips: It doesn't matter who I am. It only matters that Miss Bridges wishes you to leave her house, and you are, therefore, leaving it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ancient Evil 2: Guardian of the Underworld (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

London Is London

High quality and very entertaining, a true "love story".

I enjoyed the movie and the story immensely! I have seen the original(1939 I believe) and enjoyed them both. To really appreciate the story one must be familiar with English culture and customs. The prof.(Peter O'Toole) was dedicated to his school and "the boys" in that school. It was an English "public" school, which we in the U.S. refer to as a private school (E.G. Andover). He is a very ascetic person and, on the surface, gives the appearance of being stiff, stuffy, uncaring, and weak to the point of being effeminate. He is strict in his educational standards because he DOES care for "his lads", i.e., he doesn't want them to get a cheap or weak education. He meets(through introduction) a "dance hall girl"(Petula Clark) and is totally smitten. In England at the time, the reference to "dance hall" carried the connotation of extreme sexual promiscuity and was definitely "lower class". We find that the Prof. is in fact a very tough and courageous person as well as loyal to people and institutions that he loves and/or respects. Clark becomes more than a lover and wife...she "leavens" his personality and allows him to grow as a man and a person, much to the benefit of his beloved school and his own happiness. The first movie was set BEFORE WW II, this one goes through WW II, also, it is 1969( we've had the "British Invasion"...Beetles, etc. Clark had hits and was very popular then...still is to me), the music is great, color and photography excellent. I think O'Toole played the character perfectly! There ARE dedicated people like "Chips"...all around us but many do not receive the recognition. Very enjoyable movie and story!