Goodbye, Mr. Chips ★★ 1969 Ross debuted as director with this big-budget (but inferior musical re-make) of the classic James Hilton novel about a gentle teacher at an English all-boys private school and the woman who helps him demonstrate his compassion and overcome his shyness. O'Toole, although excellent, is categorically a non-singer, while Clark, a popular singer at the time ("Downtown"), musters very little talent in front of the camera. The plot is altered unnecessarily and updated to the WWII era for little reason; the music is thoroughly forgettable. ♫Fill The World With Love; Where Did My Childhood Go; London is London; And the Sky Smiled; When I Am Older; Walk Through the World; What Shall I Do with Today?; What a Lot of Flowers; Schooldays. 151m/C VHS, DVD, Wide. Peter O'Toole, Petula Clark, Michael Redgrave, George Baker, Sian Phillips, Michael Bryant, Jack Hedley, Elspeth March, Herbert Ross;
Director:
Herbert Ross;
Writer:
Oswald Morris;
Cameo:
Leslie Bricusse, John Williams. Golden Globes '70: Actor—Mus./Comedy (O'Toole); Natl. Bd. of Review '69: Actor (O'Toole); Natl. Soc. Film Critics '69: Support. Actress (Phillips).
