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Goodbye Mr. Chips (1969)
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Editorial Reviews:
Robert Donat won an Oscar for his portrayal of the humble British don in the 1939 film Goodbye, Mr. Chips--and Peter O'Toole was nominated for his version of the role in this lackluster musical (he, along with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight of Midnight Cowboy, lost to John Wayne in True Grit). O'Toole is affecting as the shy English schoolteacher at a private boys' school who is brought out of his shell by the love of a good woman, then goes on to become a teaching legend after her tragic death. But the idea of turning this touching tale into a musical (with totally forgettable songs by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse) was almost as wrong-headed as having O'Toole do his own singing--or as casting singer Petula Clark as his wife. --Marshall Fine
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Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Comment: That this is not available in DVD is incomprehensible. Who still has a VHS??? The last time I saw this I cryed, grown up man that I am and was ,next to my date at a retro movie house. "A" performances by all, music is a embellishment to the story, not a distraction. and makes you wish Petulia Clark made more movies, sad I can't see it again till they make the DVD....
Customer Rating:
Summary: This needs to be on DVD NOW
Comment: This movie definitely needs to be on DVD. Considering what junk is being put out on DVD, it is a shame that one with the music and a story line like this hasn't been done. It doesn't cost that much to put it on DVD, so just do it and let all of us buy it and enjoy the movie and music!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Goodbye,great plot
Comment: This musical could be better termed "Great Actor Meets Famous Singer With Help of Disastrous Script." Pair Peter O'Toole of Lawrence of Arabia fame with Petula "Downtown" Clark,and use a ludicrous script loosely based on the Robert Donat classic. Add music and stir.
In this version,Mr.Chips is an uptight,prudish,dowdy schoolteacher who encounters a dancehall girl when vacationing in the Mediterranean. The dancehall girl is pretty desperate,since she hits on the dowdy teacher,saying,"Let's make whoopee!" One can understand her American Pie-style desperation to lose her virginity,but to him??? As a dancehall girl,didn't she have her pick of guys? Or maybe she's a gold-digger. It has the steaminess of the first encounter between the late Anna Nicole Smith and her late elderly billionaire husband-to-be in the strip club. The paternal Mr.Chips obliges. He gets a trophy wife&becomes a happy,easygoing person. In the original,Mr.Chips' young wife dies in childbirth. This movie throws in WWII and the young wife dies during the Blitz.
"Goodbye Mr.Chips" has some good acting (Sian Philips is a hammy vamp),but it fails as a remake,a musical,and a WWII movie.This musical is blitzed by a bad script,and cheesy songs.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Such Wonderful Music!
Comment: When will this film be released on DVD? One of the most beautifully photographed films I have ever seen! The music is so beautiful and the performances are great! Release it in its original roadshow presentation! I really feel that this film is so underated! Its time is now!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Absolutely good for the soul
Comment: The best line in the movie is spoken by Petula Clark, "On his knees, is he? And so he should be, to my husband." A gentler time on the edge of changing events, this movie captures honor and dignity, love and fidelity like no other. The youthfulness of school boy pranks, awed by the real example of genuine love played out between Clark and O'Toole against the backdrop as Englands struggles with war and Hitler. Bring tissues and someone to share them with.
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