| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Special Features
- Trailers for the 1935 and 1969 films
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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
Product Description
Remake of an older film where an elder teacher and former boarding school headmaster looks back upon his career and personal life over the decades.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
121 of 124 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark shine in this vastly underrated 1969 musical adaptation of James Hilton's classic novel. Beautifully directed by Herbert Ross, this film deserves to be restored to its 70MM / 6 track stereophonic glory and released in theaters and on widescreen DVD.
This is a heart-warming film for the entire family. Some would argue the acting isn't great, O'Toole can't sing and Robert Donat was better in the 1939 original. They miss the point. This film has a soul. It has grace, charm, warmth, music and is in a class of its own. I didn't expect to like this film and its songs -- but I do. Leslie Bricusse and John Williams won the Oscar for Best Music, Score of a Musical Picture (Original or Adaptation) and picked up the Golden Globe as well. O'Toole was nominated for, but did not win, the Oscar that year. However he did win the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy and the NBR Best Actor Award for this film. And Petula Clark sings beautifully!
Please, whoever holds the film rights (MGM or Warner), give us O'Toole and Clark in this wonderful, heart-warming film, both on DVD and CD. Delightful film. Highly recommended!
January 27, 2009 UPDATE:
See: ASIN: B00005JO3W. The restored film was released on DVD in its original widescreen format and 5.1 surround sound. Yes!
This is a heart-warming film for the entire family. Some would argue the acting isn't great, O'Toole can't sing and Robert Donat was better in the 1939 original. They miss the point. This film has a soul. It has grace, charm, warmth, music and is in a class of its own. I didn't expect to like this film and its songs -- but I do. Leslie Bricusse and John Williams won the Oscar for Best Music, Score of a Musical Picture (Original or Adaptation) and picked up the Golden Globe as well. O'Toole was nominated for, but did not win, the Oscar that year. However he did win the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy and the NBR Best Actor Award for this film. And Petula Clark sings beautifully!
Please, whoever holds the film rights (MGM or Warner), give us O'Toole and Clark in this wonderful, heart-warming film, both on DVD and CD. Delightful film. Highly recommended!
January 27, 2009 UPDATE:
See: ASIN: B00005JO3W. The restored film was released on DVD in its original widescreen format and 5.1 surround sound. Yes!
57 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Goodbye, Mr. Chips" was a huge surprise to me when I first saw it in 1969. I had read the reviews (but most critics panned musicals no matter how much they really enjoyed them). I hadn't read anything that credited the tremendous quality lavished on every component of the film. Peter O'Toole, whose performance was singled out by most critics, is startlingly wonderful as the shy, yet intensely interesting Mr. Chippings. Petula Clark is totally luminous as Katherine. It was a wonderful follow-up role to her stunning debut in "Finian's Rainbow". We are most unfortunate that we never got more of her musical talents on film.
The music is stunning. You just don't hear music arranged/orchestrated like this any more. Most of the lyrics are simplistic, and often quite funny, but I think they all are endearing and enduring. I have friends who love this film as much as I. Whenever one of us is ready for another look (via the widescreen MGM laserdisc...not YET available on DVD, drat it!) we usually let the others know by quoting the lyrics to "London is London" (can there be any doubt about it?).
This film stands up much better than most film musicals of the era. For sheer entertainment value and an emotional wallop, it's nearly in a class by itself. O'Toole's then-wife, Sian Phillips, has one of the most delicious turns in film musical history as a man-mad (and man-eating) vamp.
Anyone who loves musicals will find this among the best they've ever seen.
John Williams adapted and conducted the score. Songs were written by Leslie Bricusse. Williams' adaptation efforts were to take Bricusse's songs and create an underscore that seamlessly blended with the songs and action on the film. He accomplished this with a brilliance we have since become accustomed to.... Read more ›
The music is stunning. You just don't hear music arranged/orchestrated like this any more. Most of the lyrics are simplistic, and often quite funny, but I think they all are endearing and enduring. I have friends who love this film as much as I. Whenever one of us is ready for another look (via the widescreen MGM laserdisc...not YET available on DVD, drat it!) we usually let the others know by quoting the lyrics to "London is London" (can there be any doubt about it?).
This film stands up much better than most film musicals of the era. For sheer entertainment value and an emotional wallop, it's nearly in a class by itself. O'Toole's then-wife, Sian Phillips, has one of the most delicious turns in film musical history as a man-mad (and man-eating) vamp.
Anyone who loves musicals will find this among the best they've ever seen.
John Williams adapted and conducted the score. Songs were written by Leslie Bricusse. Williams' adaptation efforts were to take Bricusse's songs and create an underscore that seamlessly blended with the songs and action on the film. He accomplished this with a brilliance we have since become accustomed to.... Read more ›
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
With all the films going on DVD, there is no reason why this musical version of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" should be released immediately. There has never been a more sensitive, completely vulnerable performance than that of Peter O'Toole--with a devastating long close-up shot as he says goodbye to his school as he retires. And, I'm sorry, but Petula Clark has just the right theatricality for her role as a West End musical comedy star. Her performance rings much truer than Julie Andrews pale rendering of Gertrude Lawrence in "Star." Finally there's the score which is the epitome of a movie musical score, with "Walk Through the World With Me", "You and I", "What a Bunch of Flowers" and "London" as great examples of cinematic musical numbers. There's even an added treat in the comic turn of Siann Phillips as Tallulah Bankhead wanna be Ursula. How many five star reviews does it take to get MGM to put this "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" on DVD?
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
It has always been a mystery to me as to the reasons behind the fashionable distaste for the musical version of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips." I've never been able to solve the mystery, but it is merely fashionability. The score is one of the most beautiful ever written -- I've listened to it across the span of my entire life from the time it was released in 1969 and have yet to find it anything but extraordinary. The film is a moving depiction of what love is really about and never fails to move me. The performances by both Peter O'Toole (why has Hollywood thought it useful to cheat this great actor of his due with a "real" Oscar -- sheer jealousy?) and Petula Clark are extraordinary. Yet, a strange, and, to me, bizarre cult of disparagement has risen about this film. Don't be fooled by fools who wish to belittle real talent. This is one of the all-time great musicals. Don't miss it.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Terry Foster
Format:VHS Tape
So - the CD soundtrack to this wonderful movie has finally been released. Don't delay, FSM are only producing a few copies of it (and I have one of them!). FSM are to be congratulated on a beautifully produced set of three CDs. Pure magic!
But what about the movie? How many Amazonians have got to write 5-star reviews before the people at MGM, Warner, Turner...or whoever it is...get the message? This film has been the subject of a vitriolic and totally undeserved onslaught from the critics from when it opened. It is, in fact, a beautifully crafted story with performances you only dream about; a tremendous score, breathtakingly arranged and conducted by John Williams and a visually compelling movie.
For goodness sake, get on with it.
We need a decent DVD taken from a restored print. No cuts (we fans know how you have hacked it about in the past) - and please include the overture, entr'acte and exit music. And, while you're about it, a properly restored 70mm theatrical release print...lots of them, please (I live in the UK and am fed up of getting cast offs from the USA).
But what about the movie? How many Amazonians have got to write 5-star reviews before the people at MGM, Warner, Turner...or whoever it is...get the message? This film has been the subject of a vitriolic and totally undeserved onslaught from the critics from when it opened. It is, in fact, a beautifully crafted story with performances you only dream about; a tremendous score, breathtakingly arranged and conducted by John Williams and a visually compelling movie.
For goodness sake, get on with it.
We need a decent DVD taken from a restored print. No cuts (we fans know how you have hacked it about in the past) - and please include the overture, entr'acte and exit music. And, while you're about it, a properly restored 70mm theatrical release print...lots of them, please (I live in the UK and am fed up of getting cast offs from the USA).
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
blu ray ?
Goodbye MR Chips exceptional all round superlative filmmaking and songs.
This really needs a blu Ray release! Come on MGM...
This really needs a blu Ray release! Come on MGM...
Published 1 month ago by B. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars
CLASSIC
This is an exceptional movie. It has a very warm and touching story making it difficult to keep dry eyes.
Published 2 months ago by Dale Eavenson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good story, enjoyable music.
I saw Petula Clark on a PBS fund raiser recently and that brought back the fond memory I had of this film. I was inspired to watch it again. Very enjoyable.
Published 2 months ago by Robert J. Knight
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Peter O'Toole... A lovely, melancholy story
I saw this movie decades ago...and was happy to find it to add to my personal library. It's actually much more of a musical than I remembered -- but hearing each sweet song only... Read more
Published 2 months ago by suzysarah
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great Classic that everyone should see.
I knew the story before I saw this movie. I love the beautiful music. It is a beautiful story of a professor at a Boys School.
Published 2 months ago by daphne payne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real Actors and Real Feeling
A marvelous rendering of the attitude of a professor in the good old days!!! Expertly acted by Peter O'Toole ... what else is new!
Published 3 months ago by Simona M. Howe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Goodbye Mr. Chips
This was a really good movie which I wanted to have for my collection. I think the musical version did justice to the original film.
Published 3 months ago by E. Browning
4.0 out of 5 stars
Old movie Love Affair
Bought as gift. Watched DVD and was great copy of musical. Reminded me a little of Mr. Holland's Opus. Makes me want to watch more older movies.
Published 4 months ago by S. Kerr
4.0 out of 5 stars
Memories
This is a film I remember seeing a long time ago and I really enjoyed watching it again. Very good.
Published 4 months ago by Linda Thomsen
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Adore This Movie!!!!!
At the same time life affirming and heart breaking! This is how love should be, and shows how a great woman can make all the difference in a man's life, and how a man should follow... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richard O. Williams III
