DVD Movie Guide @ dvdmg.com Awards & Recommendations at Amazon.com.
.
Review Archive:  # | A-C | D-F | G-I | J-L | M-O | P-R | S-U | V-Z | Viewer Ratings | Main
WARNER

MOVIE INFO

Director:
Sam Wood
Cast:
Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn
Writing Credits:
RC Sherriff, Claudine West, Eric Maschwitz

Synopsis:
An aged teacher and former headmaster of a boarding school recalls his career and his personal life over the decades.

MPAA:
Rated NR.

DISC DETAILS
Presentation:
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio:
English DTS-HD MA Monaural
Subtitles:
English
Closed-captioned
Supplements Subtitles:
None

Runtime: 115 min.
Price: $21.99
Release Date: 1/24/2023

Bonus:
• Trailer


PURCHASE @ AMAZON.COM

EQUIPMENT
-LG OLED65C6P 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV
-Marantz SR7010 9.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Surround Receiver
-Panasonic DMP-BDT220P Blu-Ray Player
-Chane A2.4 Speakers
-SVS SB12-NSD 12" 400-watt Sealed Box Subwoofer


RELATED REVIEWS


Goodbye, Mr. Chips [Blu-Ray] (1939)

Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (February 14, 2023)

1939 remains known as Hollywood’s greatest year ever, with classics like Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz and Stagecoach. For another one of the year’s 10 Best Picture nominees, we go to Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

As his career in education winds to a close, 83-year-old Charles Edward Chipping (Robert Donat) – known as “Mr. Chips” – reflects on his 58 years at Brookfield, an English school. Charles started there as a 25-year-old rookie, one who encountered a mix of challenges.

Wet behind the ears as a teacher, Charles initially struggled with his students, but he eventually earned their respect. The film follows his career and its evolution.

Going into Chips, I expected an “inspirational teacher” tale ala To Sir, with Love or Dead Poets Society. That holds true much less than expected.

Indeed, Chips often avoids the school entirely, as its second act moves the movie more toward romance. On a vacation, Charles meets Kathy Ellis (Greer Garson) and falls in love.

This leads the plot away from the classroom for an extended period and shifts the focus from the anticipated bond between Charles and his students.

Should I fault the movie because it goes in a direction I didn’t anticipate? Probably not, but I think this means Chips comes with an awkward narrative.

And one often free of drama or much to make it compelling. We do get events in Charles’ life that add some disruption, but much of the movie just coasts along without a lot of impact.

Yes, we do get a tragic sequence around the end of the second act. However, it passes quickly and then the movie returns to its even, drama-free path.

I think the problem stems from the choice to depict the entirety of Charles’ career. I get that this intends to show his establishment as a steady presence, but the breadth of the tale means the film lacks depth.

We get to know none of the students well, and others don’t seem fleshed-out either. Even Charles never feels like more than a likable but personality-free character.

This means sections that should pack a punch don’t. For instance, when the movie hits World War I, it covers deaths of Brookfield attendees, but because the film barely introduces them first, we don’t experience any real sense of loss.

Donat fills the role well, especially as he makes Charles’ changes over the decades convincing. He benefits from surprisingly strong makeup that allows him to come across as a believable elderly man.

Too bad the movie itself seems so free from real investment or drama. Chips seems beloved, and I find it tough to locate anything objectionable here, but the end result just feels too devoid of development or impact to succeed.


The Disc Grades: Picture B+/ Audio B-/ Bonus D-

Goodbye, Mr. Chips appears in an aspect ratio of 1.37:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This was largely a strong presentation.

In general, sharpness satisfied, as the movie usually appeared well-defined. Some softness popped up for the occasional shot but the majority of the flick boasted nice delineation.

Shimmering and jaggies remained absent, and edge haloes also failed to appear. The movie’s grain structure felt natural, and print flaws didn’t mar the proceedings.

Blacks appeared deep and dark, and contrast came across well. Shadows generally held up nicely, though a few shots felt a little too dense. Given its age, the image worked well.

Similar thoughts greeted the sturdy DTS-HD MA monaural soundtrack of Chips, as it held up nicely over the decades. Speech could seem a bit brittle at times, but lines were intelligible and concise enough.

Music and effects displayed the expected restricted dynamic range, but they showed acceptable clarity and didn’t suffer from significant distortion. Some hiss appeared at times, but the mix lacked pops, clicks, hum, or other defects. This was a more than competent track for a movie from 1938.

The disc includes the movie’s trailer but it lacks any other extras. At least we find a long trailer at four minutes, five seconds, and one that takes an unusual approach.

A good-natured story of an educator, Goodbye, Mr. Chips keeps its heart in the right place. Unfortunately, it never seems like more than an amiable tale, one that lacks drama or much to make it compelling. The Blu-ray comes with very good picture and appropriate audio but it lacks bonus materials. Expect a watchable but somewhat dull tale.

Viewer Film Ratings: 3.5 Stars Number of Votes: 2
15:
04:
0 3:
12:
01:
View Averages for all rated titles.

.
Review Archive:  # | A-C | D-F | G-I | J-L | M-O | P-R | S-U | V-Z | Viewer Ratings | Main