Mandwa to screen ‘Goodbye, Mr Chips’

Islamabad

MGM Production

Director: Sam Wood

Cast: Robert Donat, Greer Garson

Lok Virsa is screening 1939 British classic ‘Goodbye, Mr. Chips’ at its Film Club Mandwa on Saturday December 3 at 3pm.

‘Goodbye, Mr. Chips’ is based on 1934 novel by James Hilton. The film revolves around the memories of an aged shy schoolteacher in England who has been teaching Latin at the Brookfield Public School. Here he recalls his career and his past over the several years-a leisurely sentimental and emotional ride through down-memory-lane.

The teacher has devoted his entire life to teach his boys Latin language and more. The life continues even after the death of his American wife. The film is narrated beautifully in crisp Black and white images through flashbacks as we nostalgically visit his past and meet people who came into his life and career, spanning sixty long years.

Critics and film goers have rated actor Robert Donat at the peak of his acting career here with remarkable touching classic performance. Seen here as legendary teacher, you see in him a timeless quality. The British academic traditions in a boarding public school are knitted into the body of the film and it becomes integral part of what we watch on the screen.

In several ways, ‘Goodbye, Mr. Chips’ then and now, has been ahead of its time in several ways. Made in 1938-39 on the eve of WWII, it takes us back to WWI, making a series comment in a subtle way that when it comes to war, victims are everywhere, even on the other side (Read: Germany). Many of us would weep through this romantic tragedy. Call it a tearjerker about a shy man who worked behind the limelights — the unsung hero. At one point in the film somebody says that he did not have any children. That is incorrect. He had thousands of them whom he raised, trained and polished. He guided generations of them in sixty years.

The film remains one of the most distinguished films. It won Best Actor Academy Award for Robert Donat. It also won seven Academy nominations for Outstanding Production (which today is Best Film), Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Sound. It was up against Gone With The Wind in all seven Oscar categories.

Goodbye, Chips has been made four times. The big budget musical in 1969 by Herbert Ross with Peter o'Toole in 1984, BBC TV mini-series and as made for TV movie in 2002.

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