I had seen at least one version of this novel adapted for film, but I have always liked Martin Clunes so I wanted to watch this one. He does his usual stellar performance in the title role, and Victoria Hamilton, who stood out in Lwrk Rise to Candleford, is vivacious and perfect here as Kathie.

The movie is perfectly fine, though I can’t say I will be drawn to watch it again in the future. As with To Serve Thel All my Days, the story follows a long-serving school teacher who watches not only their graduates dying in a world war, but they both having their wives dying young. This movie comes off sad to me, even with his small victories in school policy and student progress, a feeling which might have been mitigated if he had been allowed to be married more than a couple of years.

I suppose in most movies the hero triumphs over evil or danger; Mr. Chips settles for triumphing over boredom and sadness.