Wood’s romantic picnic on a mountain in Goodbye, Mr. Chips is his idea. James Hilton’s Charles Chipping and Katherine Ellis meet while hiking in the Lake District, fall “head over heels in love,” and marry soon after. Wood sets the mountain hiking in the Austrian Tyrol and expands the chance meeting into a picnic during which Chips and Katherine chatter over a ham sandwich. “Won’t you have a sandwich? I’ve got loads here,” Katherine asks, “This one is ham.” “Thank you.” Chips replies, “I ate mine early. I am rather hungry.”
Sam Wood. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1839). Ham sandwiches begin a romance.
There are several deep suds adaptations of Hilton’s novel Herbert Ross. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969). Written by Terrence Rattigan. Music by Leslie Bricusse and John Williams; Gareth Davies (1984). Screenplay by Alexander Baron and Martin Orme. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (2002). Screenplay by Frank Delaney. Also, two BBC productions of Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1984) and (2002) with a picnic and (1984) without a picnic.
Featured Image: Robert Donat as Mr. Chips and Greer Garson as Katherine Ellis
See James Hilton. Goodbye, Mr. Chips! London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1934. Illustrated by Ethel “Bip” Pares; Sam Wood. Goodbye, Mr. Chips! (1939). Screenplay by R.C. Sherriff, Claudine West, and Eric Maschwitz based on James Hilton’s novel (1934)