Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941)

A wonderful film, entirely a flashback of a female teacher in the late 1800's. Horse buggies deliver groceries, streets are unpaved. Warm film, it has to do something to you. A thoughtful film all around. Miss Ella Bishop is a teacher at a small town Midwestern college. The story is told in flashback and takes place over many years, from the 1880s to the 1930s, showing her from her freshman year to her retirement as an senior citizen. However, the years have not been without glory; and her moment of triumph arrives when her numerous now-famous students from over the years return to a testimonial dinner at the school to honour their beloved Miss Bishop. In old age, Miss Bishop reminisces about her life. A dedicated teacher, she spent her whole life teaching at Midwestern College. She never married when her first love married her cousin and another could not get a divorce from his wife. When her cousin dies giving birth, she raises the girl as if she were her own daughter and names her Hope. Throughout her life, she proved to be an inspiration to many students, many of whom move on to great things. You can't find this stuff made anymore, as sentimental as it is. These are emotion packed human interest stories that happen all the time, but get little notice. Wonderful title, Cheers for Miss Bishop was in the same vein as Mr. Holland's Opus made years later. To Sir With Love, a sixties "classic" of sorts, had the same emotion packed treatment of teachers dispised and then ultimately, loved. Not for action lovers, slasher types, war buffs, or sci-fi fans. Rewards of the profession of teaching are highlighted but all the same, it's a mentally tough way to make a living. If you want to take a break from all the sensational, over hyped eye candy of today, step back to a day when things were slower, things thoughtfully presented. SEE the film here: http://www.archive.org/details/cheers_for_miss_bishop REVIEWS: 1 Heartwarming drama, well written and acted. 2 A warm, reassuring film in the tradition of movies like Miss Dove and Goodbye, Mr. Chips. 3 70% A charming classic, with a fine and beautiful performance from Martha Scott. This is sort of a female version of Goodbye Mr. Chips. Very well done ... 4 "Cheers for Miss Bishop" is decidedly a lavendered and lace-adorned memorial to a sweet and tender way of life now spent.... True sentiment is a rare thing, and we wouldn't make light of it. But the sentiment in this picture is heavily overdone. Some one was saying that Miss Bishop is the feminine Mr. Chips. With all due respect to her gender, we definitely say she is not. --The New York Times NOTES: 1 Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941) is a film based on the novel Miss Bishop by Bess Streeter Aldrich. Directed by Tay Garnett Produced by Richard A. Rowland Written by Bess Streeter Aldrich (novel) Stephen Vincent Benet Sheridan Gibney Adelaide Heilbron Starring Martha Scott William Gargan Edmund Gwenn (He went on to make Mircle of 34th Street as Santa) Marsha Hunt Rosemary DeCamp Music by Edward Ward Cinematography Hal Mohr Editing by William F. Claxton Distributed by United Artists Release date(s) February 21, 1941 (1941-02-21) Running time 95 minutes, b&w