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Music of the Heart (1999)

 -  Drama | Music  -  29 October 1999 (USA)
6.5
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Ratings: 6.5/10 from 7,403 users   Metascore: 54/100
Reviews: 114 user | 77 critic | 33 from Metacritic.com

Story of a schoolteacher's struggle to teach violin to inner-city Harlem kids.

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Title: Music of the Heart (1999)

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Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Henry Dinhofer ...
Lexi at 5
...
Nick at 7
Robert Ari ...
Supervisor
...
Brian Turner
...
Taxi Driver
...
Principal Janet Williams
...
Dennis Rausch
Barbara Gonzalez ...
Janet's Secretary
Jade Yorker ...
DeSean at 11
Victoria Gómez ...
Lucy at 10 (as Victoria Gomez)
...
Bongo Kid
Justin 'DJ' Spaulding ...
Naeem Adisa at 9 (as Justin Spaulding)
Zoe Sternbach-Taubman ...
Guadalupe at 9
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Storyline

The true story of a young teacher who fights against the board of education in her bid to teach underprivileged kids in a Harlem school the beauty of music through the violin. In her struggle she loses everything as the system comes down on her with all their might but her determination for the kids happiness helps her to battle back with wonderfully inspirational results. Written by Kryp <capthowdee@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

violin | teacher | school | ghetto | yelling | See more »

Taglines:

She gave them a gift they could never imagine. They gave the system a fight it would never forget.

Genres:

Drama | Music

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language and sensuality | See all certifications »
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Details

Official Sites:

|

Country:

Language:

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Release Date:

29 October 1999 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

50 Violins  »

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,653,281 (USA) (29 October 1999)

Gross:

$14,849,583 (USA) (14 January 2000)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Meryl Streep learned to play the violin, by practicing six hours a day for four weeks. See more »

Goofs

In the very opening sequence, Roberts picks up a picture with her right hand, and holds the picture in the middle of the edge. In the next cut, her fingers have move from the top corner to the middle. Then when she goes to tear it, she moves her right hand first, but in the next cut, her left hand is at the top of the photo. See more »

Quotes

Nick at 17: [after looking at many letters answering a fake singles add they secretly put in the paper for their mom] Come on, Mom, obviously a lot of guys are interested in dating you.
Roberta Guaspari: No, a lot of guys are interested in dating *you*! And Lexi!... What did you say about me, anyways?
See more »

Crazy Credits

Please support arts and music education. See more »

Connections

Remake of Small Wonders (1995) See more »

Soundtracks

"Allegro"
Performed by Young Musicians Foundation
Arranged by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki
Courtesy of Warner Chappell Music Inc.
By Arrangement with Summy-Birchard, a division of Warner Bros. Publications
See more »

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User Reviews

An adequate "feel-good" movie.
1 November 1999 | by (Chicago, USA) – See all my reviews

This film is based on the true story of Roberta Guaspari, a music teacher in New York. When the movie opens, she has recently moved herself and her two sons in with her mother, after her marriage fails. Roberta (Meryl Streep) takes her limited teaching experience and pitches a violin class to a skeptical principal (Angela Bassett). After proving how well she's taught her young sons the instrument, Roberta is given a chance. It is slow going at first, as Roberta has to deal with inattentive students, and disapproving parents and fellow teachers. One African-American parent snaps that her son has better things to do than learn "dead white men's music", even though her son lights up while he's taking his music lessons. The violin program grows so much in popularity that kids have to enter a lottery to get a chance to get into it. When the program is cut due to the insensitive school system, Roberta fights back. Film hits the message home that music education is important, but it keeps repeating it over and over. The audience got the point, already! Streep does portray a likeable underdog, though, and the love she has for the students is always apparent, even when she's snapping at them. The kids are adorable. Don't be fooled, however, by how the trailers build up Gloria Estefan's participation in the movie. She's okay, but her role is very small. Angela Bassett is effective, as usual.


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