IMDb > Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
Mr. Holland's Opus
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Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) More at IMDbPro »

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Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) -- A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   16,508 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 33% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Stephen Herek
Writer (WGA):
Patrick Sheane Duncan (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Mr. Holland's Opus on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 January 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Music more
Tagline:
We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life. more
Plot:
A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations more
User Comments:
Oh for the love of crumbcake... more (133 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Richard Dreyfuss ... Glenn Holland

Glenne Headly ... Iris Holland

Jay Thomas ... Bill Meister

Olympia Dukakis ... Principal Jacobs

William H. Macy ... Vice Principal Wolters (as W.H. Macy)

Alicia Witt ... Gertrude Lang

Terrence Howard ... Louis Russ
Damon Whitaker ... Bobby Tidd

Jean Louisa Kelly ... Rowena Morgan

Alexandra Boyd ... Sarah Olmstead
Nicholas John Renner ... Cole at 6 Years Old
Joseph Anderson ... Cole at 15 Years Old
Anthony Natale ... Cole at 28 Years Old

Joanna Gleason ... Adult Gertrude
Beth Maitland ... Deaf School Principal
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG for mild language.
Runtime:
143 min
Country:
USA
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The song young Gertrude Lang learns on the clarinet is "Stranger on the Shore" by Acker Bilk. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: During the 1964-1965 school year, Mr. Holland helps his class appreciate Bach by showing the connection between a Bach composition and "A Lover's Concerto" by the Toys. The record came out in fall 1965, during the next school year. more
Quotes:
Glenn Holland: [leaving his office hears that Gertrude is still practicing next door] Give it up miss Lang!
Gertrude Lang: [stops playing and begins to cry]
Glenn Holland: I meant for today...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
43 out of 49 people found the following comment useful.
Oh for the love of crumbcake..., 6 December 2001
Author: Rilchiam-1 from United States

So many people have complained about the Gertrude Lang character (Alicia Witt), Holland's interaction with her, and the purpose of the character, and I am simply amazed at the hostility.

1) "Playing the sunset" was Holland's way of getting Gertrude to relax so she could play the notes fluidly. They both knew that she didn't sound professional, and wasn't going to. The idea was to get her just above the level of making a fool of herself as she did the first time he called on her in class. Then she could, and did, perform in the band without dragging down the whole ensemble.

2) Her goal was not to be a professional musician. Did no one else hear her speech about "I just wanted to be good at *something*"? She listed all the fabulous achievements of her parents and siblings, and concluded, "I'm the only one who's..." The missing word would have been "useless" or "worthless". Or "a failure". Thirty years later she's the governor (not the mayor!), because in 1966, Holland helped her gain confidence for the first time.

3) She wasn't "wasting" Holland's efforts by going into politics. Art, music and theater education don't exist solely to create professional artists, musicians and actors. They also exist to give young people an opportunity for change and growth, even if they never use a paintbrush again.

I liked that plot twist. Almost every high school has an alumnus who has achieved something in art or entertainment, but a lot of people sell one painting or appear in one film and become a hero to their home town. But there are only fifty states, and it takes an extraordinary amount of drive to become governor of one of them. It's unlikely that she would have taken that first step towards empowerment without Holland.

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