Goodbye, Mr. Chips • Rebroadcast • The Next Reel

Aug 7, 2023

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

"Give a boy a sense of humor and a sense of proportion and he’ll stand up to anything."

REBROADCAST

Learning Lessons That Last a Lifetime With Mr. Chips

Robert Donat defied the odds and beat both Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart for the Best Actor Oscar in the 1940 Academy Awards with his portrayal of Mr. Chips in Sam Wood’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips. It’s a movie that celebrates school heroes everyone had (or should’ve) and connects in its ability to reflect back on the nostalgia of one’s life. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our series on films from 1939 with Wood’s film.

Here’s What We Chat About

We talk about how we felt about the film and, despite any issues we had, still found it affecting. We chat about Robert Donat and Greer Garson, both of whom really give touching and honest performances. We touch on Wood as the director and what he brings to the table. We discuss the story and why stories about teachers can work so well, and why they work on us in particular. And we look at the magnificent work Jack Dawn did with the hair and makeup to bring Mr. Chips to life over the course of his 60+ years, from new hire to headmaster.

It’s a touching film that works to connect us with this character and reminds us what we love about the best ‘great teacher’ movies. Check it out!

Film Sundries

Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:

Become a member for just $5/month or $55/year
Join our Discord community of movie lovers

The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:

Connect With Us:

Main Site: Web
Movie Platforms: Letterboxd | Flickchart
Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | Pinterest
Your Hosts: Andy | Pete

Shop & Stream:

Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & more
Watch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussed
Originals: Source material from our episodes
Special offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible