Product Details

• Actors: Martha Scott, William Gargan, Edmund Gwenn, Sterling Holloway, Dorothy Peterson
• Directors: Tay Garnett
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, HiFi Sound, NTSC, Surround Sound, THX, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A2ZCDS.com
• DVD Release Date: April 14, 2005
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009F4YZ8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,986 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Review

These are bitter times, when looking backward is much more pleasant for a lot of people than looking ahead. And that is why a goodly number will probably find much comfort and delight in Richard Rowland's sentimental survey of a simple and homely life well-spent a little picture called "Cheers for Miss Bishop," which opened yesterday at the Music Hall. For there is nothing about this Miss Bishop and the even and ordered world in which she lived to disturb or upset the thoughts of any one in this hectic day. In fact, there is little about her to disturb anything, save perhaps a random tear. "Cheers for Miss Bishop" is decidedly a lavendered and lace-adorned memorial to a sweet and tender way of life now spent.

The story is taken from the novel by Bess Streeter Aldrich and prepared by a group of capable writers who might have done better with it. For actually they have made it nothing more than a sixty-year-long account of the career of a noble little lady who teaches at a Midwestern school. There are the usual and expected little crises the meeting with her first class, that young and disappointing love, the adoption of her cousin's baby girl, a second and more sedate affair of heart, her eventual retirement from teaching and that final testimonial from all her pupils who have become great successes in life. But that's all. There is no excitement, no experience much more violent than that of sipping tea before a cozy fire in grandmother's sitting room on a Winter afternoon.

Like "Good-bye, Mr. Chips," which it very suspiciously resembles in every way but one, "Cheers for Miss Bishop" makes much of nostalgic recollections and the gracefulness of growing old. But it often makes too much of them, and tends uncomfortably toward the quaint or laboriously cute. There is a slightly spurious ring to many of its little touches; antiquity is made a repeated joke. A gasoline buggy, after all, is not so tremendously funny. And there is nothing original about old age. People are growing old every day.

But that is the one accomplishment with which every one connected with the making of the picture seems to have been most impressed. Martha Scott, who plays the title role, is charming as a young woman but very feeble when bowed down with years. William Gargan, as her life-long suitor who never gets beyond a forehead kiss, is the same: he bubbles and glows as a young fellow and behaves like a mausoleum as an old man. It goes for all the others, too, for practically every one in the film is a victim of gathering years and the make-up man's artistry. And Tay Garnett's slow and obvious direction has not helped any of them very much.

True sentiment is a rare thing, and we wouldn't make light of it. But the sentiment in this picture is heavily overdone. Some one was saying that Miss Bishop is the feminine Mr. Chips. With all due respect to her gender, we definitely say she is not. --The New York Times

Product Description

Ella Bishop is an inhibited girl whose frustrations grow as she approaches womanhood. As a women, her ambitions to teach cause her to lose her only opportunity for true love. Ella's life becomes one of missed chances and wrong choices. As she reaches old age, she reflects back and realizes she allowed the years to go by without achieving what she believes to be her true fulfillment. However, her years have not been without glory, and her moment of triumph arrives when her numerous now-famous students from over the years, return to honor their beloved Miss Bishop. Written by Marc Andreu {[e-mail]}

Dedicated Midwestern teacher Ella Bishop is distressed when her fiancé runs off with her vixenish cousin Amy. After Amy dies in childbirth, Ella is left to care for Amy's daughter Hope. Written by Daniel Bubbeo {[e-mail]}

In old age, Miss Bishop reminisces about her life. A dedicated teacher, she spent her whole life teaching at Midwestern College. She never married when her first love married her cousin and another could not get a divorce from his wife. When her cousin dies giving birth, she raises the girl as if she were her own daughter and names her Hope. Throughout her life, she proved to be an inspiration to many students, many of whom move on to great things. On her retirement, many of her students return to say farewell. Written by garykmcd

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cheers for Martha Scott, May 18, 2005

By 

Bobby Underwood "starlighthotel" (Manly NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheers for Miss Bishop [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Martha Scott is barely remembered today and even more rarely mentioned when movie buffs talk about their favorite classic film stars. She was something quite special, however, and in this adaption of Bess Streeter Aldrich's novel "Miss Bishop" she had her shining moment. Tay Garnett was the helmsman for this wonderful film full of warmth and sentiment, spanning decades in the life of a small town teacher. Despite its scope, there is an intimate feel because of Scott's beautiful restrained performance as the pretty Miss Bishop.

Martha Scott is unforgettable as the young Ella Bishop, full of dreams and enthusiasm for learning. She is the prettiest girl in the new college, Midwestern, and could easily marry the one constant in her life, Sam (William Gargan), if she did not love him so as a friend. When she is part of the first graduating class at Midwestern she sends out many enthusiastic teaching inquiries so she can leave Old River and see life.

But when no responses are forthcoming, she is offered a job teaching freshman english by Professor Corcoran (Edmund Gwenn) at her beloved Midwestern. Ella is young and filled with joy at the prospect of teaching at the very school she has so much affection for, and knows she has many years to marry and see the world. She goes to bat for her students like no other teacher and impacts their lives in a way she will only discover decades later.

Sam remains a constant in her life but she is swept off her feet by someone else and prepares for her wedding with glee, as everything begins to fall into place as it should. But her younger sister Amy is brash and jealous of her beau and sets out to steal him. He is weak and ends up going away with Amy instead but will leave her because there is no real love there. Amy returns home in shame and about to give birth seeking her sister's forgiveness.

Though it is not the family she had dreamed of, Ella raises Amy's baby as her own child when Amy dies giving birth to the baby girl Ella will name Hope. Ella meets and has a romance with the true love of her life, Professor Stevens, as she becomes more and more involved with her teaching. Ella becomes as much a part of Midwestern as the ground it is built on. Their love is real but he is married and his wife refuses to divorce him.

Their deep love is put to the test when he asks Ella to go with him to romantic Italy. Ella knows there can be no family in such an illicit affair and does not want to sully the memory of their love with it. Only many years later will her heart truly be broken when the slim hope of their love is permanently crushed by tragedy.

Lovely Marsha Hunt is Ella's girl Hope. She is the one who will wear the wedding dress meant for Ella in a touching moment. Years later Ella will advise Hope's daughter Gretchen when she has the same choice to make as Ella had concerning a married man. Thanks to Ella, Gretchen will make the right decision and find a true love meant for her as Ella could not.

Ella weathers the changes in her beloved Midwestern and the world itself over the years as she sees WWI and the horseless carriage come to pass. There is love of friends and family but still the bittersweet knowledge of a hope chest full but never used in this warm and wonderful film.

Martha Scott is this entire film, and the sweet and sentimental atmosphere flourishes due to her underplayed performance. I suspect every teacher will love this film, especially those involved with a school which is more than just a building.

The quality of the print used for this Alpha video is very good. The Oscar nominated score from Edward Ward, however, does not sound as good but will do so you can see this heartwarming film at an inexpensive price.

Martha Scott may not be spoken of much today, but will always be remebered by you once you see Cheers for Miss Bishop.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Martha Scott's best performance as dedicated teacher., July 29, 1999

By 

A. Andersen (Bellows Falls, VT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheers for Miss Bishop [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The film belongs to Martha Scott who gives her best screen performance as Miss Bishop, a dedicated teacher, whose personal life is constantly being put on hold as she ministers to the needs of her pupils. Scott ages from a schoolgirl to an octogenarian and does a lovely, memorable job. The sentimental score is a plus. Oscar nom for Original Score.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great, Heartwarming Story, August 29, 1999

By 

sherebiah (Santa Ana, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cheers for Miss Bishop [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Cheers For Miss Bishop" is one of those undiscovered classics that have virtually been ignored. This film has much of the sentimental flavor of Frank Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life"--which was also ignored for decades before another generation came along and "discovered" it.Martha Scott's portrayal of Miss Ella Bishop, the spinster college professor who's eternally unlucky at love, is a thoroughly convincing performance. She is surrounded by a great cast of character actors. The ending is a bit schmaltsy, but satisfying nonetheless. See this film and return back to a time when you could count on having friends for a lifetime.