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Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 2/16

MrChip
2/16: Imagine my skepticism when I learned a long ago that Robert Donat won the Oscar for Best Actor in Goodbye, Mr. Chips over Clark Gable's timeless performance of Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind.

I hadn't come around to seeing the film for years until now. I'll concede Robert Donat is outstanding, but that's the only good part which is based on James Hilton's novella that I didn't really like. As great as Robert Donat's performance is, Jack Dawn's makeup job on him is even more impressive with nothing phony. Also, kudos to Freddie Young for his photography work. He'll do the same for Lawrence of Arabia.

However, let's talk about making a permanent impression. Robert Donat's character fails to achieve it for Mr. Chipping. Clark Gable will always be Rhett Butler. The way he played the role is exactly as envisioned in Margaret Mitchell's book. Hence, Clark Gable is whom I imagined Rhett Butler to be. When I think of great performances in the annals of cinema, Clark Gable's for Gone with the Wind is among them. As a result, he should've won the Oscar.

All in all, full of sentimental drivel, Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a deservingly forgotten movie.