Goodbye, Mr. Chips [Region 2]
James Hilton's beloved novel is tenderly remade here with a British cast for ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre. British television actor Martin Clunes plays the schoolteacher over a 50-year period, from his first day as a novice Latin instructor until his death at 83 as retired Headmaster. The world and Mr. Chipping change dramatically over the decades. He marries a proto-feminist (British stage actress Victoria Hamilton) who nicknames him "Chips" and gives him courage to test his humanitarian impulses. World War I hits home in many ways, as a long roster of the school's graduates die or are maimed, and Chips struggles with the discriminatory exile of his best friend, the German teacher. Despite obvious breaks for commercials, this film has a graceful honesty that transcends the sometimes sentimental storyline. The casual cruelty at the all-boys school may make parents flinch more than their children, rendering this a safe choice for family viewing.--Kimberly Heinrichs