A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 5 wins & 5 nominations total
- Vice Principal Wolters
- (as W.H. Macy)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEvery person in the film that portrayed a deaf person is deaf in real life.
- GoofsIf Mr. Holland is 60 in 1995, he would be 30 in 1965, when he tells Iris how he fell in love with John Coltrane's music in 1950, when he was 15. Coltrane's first session as a leader was on 31 May 1957, so he couldn't have had a John Coltrane record then.
- Quotes
Adult Gertrude Lang: Mr. Holland had a profound influence on my life and on a lot of lives I know. But I have a feeling that he considers a great part of his own life misspent. Rumor had it he was always working on this symphony of his. And this was going to make him famous, rich, probably both. But Mr. Holland isn't rich and he isn't famous, at least not outside of our little town. So it might be easy for him to think himself a failure. But he would be wrong, because I think that he's achieved a success far beyond riches and fame. Look around you. There is not a life in this room that you have not touched, and each of us is a better person because of you. We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life.
- Crazy creditsThanks to The Seattle Symphony Orchestra
- SoundtracksOne, Two, Three
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland (as Edward Holland), John Madara, Dave White, and Len Barry (as Leonard Borisoff)
Performed by Len Barry
Courtesy of MCA Records
Although this had `sentimental life lesson film' written all over it, I still wanted to give it a go and strangely still enjoyed it. The film is very much a bit of praise for all those who are unsung heroes in there lives and it had the potential to be really sickly sentimental. Happily a good script manages to avoid this for the majority of the time.
The weakness of the film is the fact it that it does try to cover a lifetime and occasionally there isn't enough plot to do that well. I know it would have been difficult but I do feel that the film could have been either a little tighter or filled to overflowing with plot to make it feel shorter. As it is it is still enjoyable but it does feel a little wandering at times but I guess that's like life in a way. When the climax comes though it is hard not to be a little moved by the lesson that the film is teaching us.
However, the reason for the success of the film is also the reason for it's Oscar nomination Richard Dreyfuss on good form. He kept me watching even when the material was stretched. He is totally believable in the role for a microcosm of his performance watch his face when the announcement is made about the surprise they have prepared for him his emotion got me right away! He deserved his nomination for this as he is captivating over the whole film. He even ages very convincingly and make up should be congratulated. However while makeup were concentrating on Dreyfuss they totally forgot about Headly who doesn't age a bit until the final time period (apart from looking a bit tired). She is badly miscast and she doesn't fit the role at all. Thomas, Macy, Dukakis and Anderson (as the teenage Cole) all do well in support but this is Dreyfuss' movie.
Overall I enjoyed this. I usually struggle with things like this because they pile the sentiment on thick like a daytime TVM. Happily this script avoids that are the majority of the flaws are compensated for by a strong performance from Dreyfuss.
- bob the moo
- May 11, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Nhạc Phẩm Của Thầy Holland
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $23,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $82,569,971
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,466
- Jan 1, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $106,269,971
- Runtime2 hours 23 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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