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The Emperor's Club (2002)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
22 November 2002 (USA)
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Tagline:
In everyone's life there's that one person who makes all the difference.
Plot:
An idealistic prep school teacher attempts to redeem an incorrigable student. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Interview: Emile Hirsch on Milk, San Francisco, and More!
(From FirstShowing.net. 27 November 2008, 8:20 AM, PST)
In Battle of the British Heroes, the Older Guy Wins
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 26 November 2002)
(From FirstShowing.net. 27 November 2008, 8:20 AM, PST)
In Battle of the British Heroes, the Older Guy Wins
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 26 November 2002)
User Comments:
A truly great idea in mediocre clothing
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Kevin Kline | ... | William Hundert | |
| Emile Hirsch | ... | Sedgewick Bell | |
| Embeth Davidtz | ... | Elizabeth | |
| Rob Morrow | ... | James Ellerby | |
| Edward Herrmann | ... | Headmaster Woodbridge | |
| Harris Yulin | ... | Senator Bell | |
| Paul Dano | ... | Martin Blythe | |
| Rishi Mehta | ... | Deepak Mehta | |
| Jesse Eisenberg | ... | Louis Masoudi | |
| Gabriel Millman | ... | Robert Brewster (as Gabe Millman) | |
| Chris Morales | ... | Eugene Field | |
| Luca Bigini | ... | Copeland Gray | |
| Michael Coppola | ... | Russell Hall | |
| Sean Fredricks | ... | Mr. Harris | |
| Katherine O'Sullivan | ... | The Nun |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Palace Thief (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
Argentina:108 min | Canada:109 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:PG |
USA:PG-13 (certificate #39170) |
Iceland:L |
Malaysia:U |
South Korea:12 |
Argentina:Atp |
Denmark:A |
Finland:K-7 |
France:U |
Germany:o.Al. |
Netherlands:AL |
Peru:PT |
Philippines:PG-13 |
Singapore:PG (cut) |
Spain:T |
Sweden:Btl |
UK:PG |
Portugal:M/12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Sedgewick playing catch against the wall of his dorm room is a reference to The Great Escape (1963)
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Goofs:
Anachronisms: The beginning of the movie is set in 1970s, but there are '80s-model cars in the background.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
William Hundert: As I've gotten older, I realize I'm certain of only two things. Days that begin with rowing on a lake are better than days that do not. Second, a man's character is his fate.
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William Hundert: As I've gotten older, I realize I'm certain of only two things. Days that begin with rowing on a lake are better than days that do not. Second, a man's character is his fate.
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Movie Connections:
References The Great Escape (1963)
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Soundtrack:
Funk 49
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (129 total)
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I can see exactly why comparisons to Dead Poets' Society abound. Having attended boarding school and developed an irrational attachment to that film at the time, I have since discarded it like an overworn leisure suit, and tried to move on to more interesting fare. But honestly, this film made me think -- in all the ways that school should have, and the DPSociety didn't even try to.
Robin Williams has never starred in a thinking man's film, which is why, in the end, the comparison between the two movies doesn't hold up. To get The Emperor's Club, you have to actually grasp why someone might be inspired by history -- by a time when men could truly fail, or conquer, or establish a foothold in eternity. The fact that we know Socrates existed is astounding. It is luck. If James Carville goes down in history it will be an accident, if a likely one. The point of this film is that difference -- the difference between men whose character demands to be remembered, and men whose character demands to be forgotten. It is also the story of two systems of reward and recognition -- one that produced Plato and one that produced Jerry Springer. That is why we study history, as the movie says. To learn from and be inspired by the great leaders who came before us, and to overcome the moral mediocrity of the modern world.
But, as the film concludes, great men are no longer chosen to lead. The Emperor's Club, while cloaked in the guise of a charming elitist flick, is actually a tale of profound disappointment and disillusionment regarding human society. The few great men who are left exist in the shadows, while the ignorant grandstanders wield political power. We elect them; we are in their hands. And it is all because of a lack of awareness, a lack of knowledge, and a lack of history. People don't vote for principle -- they vote for rhetoric. And it shows.
I was not expecting too much from this movie, other than the always pleasurable experience of watching Kevin Kline. But, wrapped up in the sentimental moralizing, there was the story of a great man doing the only great thing left: trying to bring others out the darkness. His success or failure is as immaterial as the execution of Socrates -- it really is the thought that counts.