History Film / MrHollandsOpus

* DisabledCharacterDisabledActor: Joseph Anderson and Anthony Natale, who play Cole at 15 and 28 years old, are both deaf.

* BittersweetEnding: Due to budget cuts, Mr. Holland is laid off after 30 years as a music teacher However, on his last day, he is given a surprise concert in his honor, where he finally makes his initial dream come true and is given a giant roar of applause once it's over.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Coltraine "Cole" Holland.
* NoEnding: None of the real issues are resolved at the end... [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped and that may be the point.]]

* TheReveal: Iris realizes Cole is deaf when all the other kids at a parade jump at the fire truck siren while Cole remains in an undisturbed sleep.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Rowena, Mr. Holland's extremely talented student singer, decides to more or less run away to New York to try and make it on Broadway. Though they share a touching farewell at the bus stop, she is never heard from again.

Instead, he finds many of his former students have returned to help him complete his MagnumOpus and perform it for the first time, pointing out that their lives were made better because of him, and they repay the favor. The film ends with his family sitting among [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments an entire auditorium of his students]], both past and present, who have gathered to witness the aging Mr. Holland [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic conduct his masterpiece]].

* ExtremelyLengthyCreation: InUniverse. [[spoiler:Mr. Holland begins working on his opus in 1965, and takes a temp job teaching music to support this. It still isn't done 30 years later when his position is terminated. That doesn't stop his [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments former students from coming together to perform it]] at his [[ReluctantRetiree retirement]] party]], though.

Instead, he finds many of his former students have returned to help him complete his MagnumOpus and perform it for the first time, pointing out that their lives were made better because of him. It was time to repay the favor. The film ends with his family along with [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments an entire auditorium of his students]], both past and present, who have gathered to witness the aging Mr. Holland [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic conduct his masterpiece]].

The film earned Dreyfuss an Oscar nomination for the Best Actor and a Golden Globe award. It was also a considerable box office hit, earning $106,269,971 in the international market. With almost $83 million from the United States market, it was the 12th most successful film of its year. Music/MichaelKamen, who wrote some of the original music of the film, went on to found "The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation" devoted to "enabling more students to participate and experience a quality music education."

* AuthorAppeal: Done InUniverse when Holland stages a concert designed specifically for the hearing impaired, including lights timed with the music, inviting the deaf community to sit close so they can feel the beat and ending with Holland singing a song alongside sign language.
* BittersweetEnding: Mr. Holland gets laid off as a music teacher after 30 years of being a inspiration to many kids to budget cuts but he is given a surprise concert on his last day where he can finally make his initial dream come true and is given a giant roar of applause once it's over.
* BookDumb: Louis Russ didn't seem to be stupid but is simply not good with grades. It's repeated by everyone that he tries hard and is an excellent athlete. As band is based largely on effort that's why Meister requested Mr. Holland take him in and improve his grades so he can go out for football and wrestling.

* CallBack: During the Lou Russ segment, one boy in the band empties his spit valve on the shoe of the girl next to him, which Mr. Holland calls him out on. At the final Orchestra, now as an adult, he repeats this.

** The beginning has Mr. Holland going into teaching kicking and screaming. At the end, when fired, he leaves the system fighting as much as he can.
** Mr. Holland finally connects with his students by showing them the influences of classical music on modern music. When Wolters complains Glenn is using ''rock and roll'' to teach music, Glenn is passionate in his defense.

** The first student he really helped, shy, meek Gertrude gained enough self-confidence and courage and fortitude to [[spoiler:become governor of their state]].

* ExtremelyLengthyCreation: InUniverse. [[spoiler:Mr. Holland begins working on his opus in 1965, and takes a temp job teaching music to support this. It still isn't done 30 years later when his position is terminated. That doesn't stop his [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments former students from coming together to perform it]] at his [[ReluctantRetiree retirement]] party]].

* GilliganCut: Several, one with regards to Louis getting excited over playing the drums (probably expecting something more glamorous like the snares) and cutting to him playing the bass drum. Another happens with Principal Jacobs asking Mr. Holland what he knew about marching bands and his OhCrap look jumps to him out on the field with the band.

* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: The auditions for the musical are classic.

* CallBack: During the Lou Russ segment, one boy in the band empties his spit valve on the shoe of the girl next to him. At the final Orchestra, he repeats this.

--->'''Glenn:''' I will do anything I have to, use any method I can come up with, to teach a student to love music.
--->'''Helen:''' Well, I think that is an answer I can pass along.

->'''Iris Holland:''' ''Why is everyone else's child more important than yours?''

* BittersweetEnding: Mr. Holland gets laid off as a music teacher after 30 years of being a inspiration to many kids to budget cuts but he is given a surprise concert on his last day where he can finally make his initial dream come true and is given a giant roar of applause once its over.

Instead, he finds many of his former students have returned to help him complete his MagnumOpus and perform it for the first time, pointing out that their lives were made better because of him. It was time to repay the favor. The film ends with his family along with [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming an entire auditorium of his students]], both past and present, who have gathered to witness the aging Mr. Holland [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome conduct his masterpiece]].

* ExtremelyLengthyCreation: InUniverse. [[spoiler:Mr. Holland begins working on his opus in 1965, and takes a temp job teaching music to support this. It still isn't done 30 years later when his position is terminated. That doesn't stop his [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming former students from coming together to perform it]] at his [[ReluctantRetiree retirement]] party]].

By 1995, Holland has spend most of his last three decades devoted to his students, at the cost of his personal life. His musical work is still incomplete and by now unlikely to ever see release. Even if completed, he is too old to re-establish his career. Then his life turns for the worst. New principal Gene Wolters (Creator/WilliamHMacy), who never cared for Holland anyway, decides to make necessary budget cuts. Among the first things to go are the music classes, leaving 60-year-old Holland unemployed. Holland fears he has wasted his life, and resigns himself to the fate of being forgotten by all those students he helped over the years.

The film earned Dreyfuss an Oscar nomination for the Best Actor and a Golden Globe award. It was also a considerable box office hit, earning $106,269,971 in the international market. With almost $83 million from the United States market, it was the 12th most successful film of its year. Music/MichaelKamen, who wrote some of the original music of the film, went on to found "The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation" devoted to "enabling more students to participate and experience a quality music education".

* TookALevelInBadass: Creator/RogerEbert remarked that the band at the beginning started playing [[Creator/LudwigVanBeethoven Beethoven's]] Eighth Symphony and you could barely recognize it. By the climax Mr. Holland had a band formed from his students that would rival any orchestra.

''Mr. Holland's Opus'' is a 1995 drama film, directed by Stephen Herek. It was partly intended as a remake of a previous film, ''[[Film/FollowMeBoys Follow Me, Boys!]]'' (1966), but ended up very different. Among the most significant changes was the historical era covered. The original film was set in the 1930s and 1940s, this one covers a period of thirty years (1965-1995).

The film then follows his life with a specific segment devoted to each decade and different trials he has to go through. His domestic problems include his only son Cole being effectively deaf and unable to understand his father's work. Iris forms a strong bond with the boy and learns sign language to better communicate. Glenn, however, can't bring himself to do it and ends up somewhat estranged from his own family. Meanwhile, his school life includes more than teaching music. He inspires troubled students to make something of themselves, change their lives for the better.

The film earned Dreyfuss an Oscar nomination for the Best Actor and a Golden Globe award. It was also a considerable box office hit, earning $106,269,971 in the international market. With almost 83 million from the United States market, it was the 12th most successful film of its year. Music/MichaelKamen who wrote some of the original music of the film went on to found "The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation" devoted to "enabling more students to participate and experience a quality music education".

* BookDumb: Louis Russ didn't seem to be stupid but is simply not good with grades, its repeated by everyone that he tries hard and is an excellent athlete. As band is based largely on effort that's why Meiser requested Mr. Holland take him in and improve his grades so he can go out for football and wrestling.

* DancingBear: Invoked. To get people to come to the musical, Coach Meister suggests that they use the high school football team as the dancers. People will come to watch them make fools of themselves, but Meister who minored in modern dance, teaches them to dance well.

* TheMuse: Mr. Holland is inspired by student Rowena Morgan (JeanLouisaKelly) and begins writing music again.

** AllIsWellThatEndsWell -- [[spoiler:by the end of the movie she is Governor of the state, complete with an ''entourage''.]]

-->'''Glenn:''' What does this ''(makes ASL sign)'' mean?
-->'''Iris:''' It means asshole.
* PresentDayPast: In the 1980 segment, Cole has a [[Music/{{Nirvana}} Kurt Cobain]] haircut, giving us a very clear reminder that the movie is from the mid-90's.

--->'''Glenn:''' ''(looking at Helen's portrait)'' Jacobs would have fought this.

* TakeOurWordForIt: The "symphony" at the end of the film is okay, but really nothing to write home about - but then if the composer really wrote something as wonderful as it was supposed to be, he would have published it on his own.

* TookALevelInBadass: Creator/RogerEbert remarked that the band at the beginning started playing Beethovens Eighth symphony and you could barely recognize it. By the climax Mr. Holland had a band formed from his students that would rival any orchestra.

* TheVietnamWar: It is in the background of the eras and [[spoiler:where Louis Russ, the black student who drums, died]]. The StockFootage used implies that his death was a HeroicSacrifice.

The film earned Dreyfuss an Oscar nomination for the Best Actor and a Golden Globe award. It was also a considerable box office hit, earning $106,269,971 in the international market. With almost 83 million from the United States market, it was the 12th most successful film of its year. MichaelKamen who wrote some of the original music of the film went on to found "The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation" devoted to "enabling more students to participate and experience a quality music education".

--->'''Glenn:''' ''(looking at Helen's portrait)'' She would have fought this.

--->'''Glenn:''' Perhaps, but ''she would have fought it''.

The film opens in 1965 with Glenn Holland (Creator/RichardDreyfuss) as a professional musical performer who wants to turn his efforts to composing a piece of orchestral music, something he intends as his {{magnum opus}}. Needing a job that pays enough to support himself and his wife Iris (Glenne Headly), yet leaves enough free time to compose music, Holland accepts a position as a high school music teacher. He soon discovers the position leaves him firmly at the bottom of the hierarchy of teachers. And as his apathy for the job starts to become apparent, Principal Jacobs (Olympia Dukakis) starts demanding more actual effort from him.

Instead, he finds many of his former students have returned to help him complete his magnum opus and perform it for the first time, pointing out that their lives were made better because of him. It was time to repay the favor. The film ends with his family along with [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming an entire auditorium of his students]], both past and present, who have gathered to witness the aging Mr. Holland [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome conduct his masterpiece]].

'''''Mr. Holland's Opus''''' is a 1995 drama film, directed by Stephen Herek. It was partly intended as a remake of a previous film, ''[[Film/FollowMeBoys Follow Me, Boys!]]'' (1966), but ended up very different. Among the most significant changes was the historical era covered. The original film was set in the 1930s and 1940s, this one covers a period of thirty years (1965-1995).

The film opens in 1965 with Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) as a professional musical performer who wants to turn his efforts to composing a piece of orchestral music, something he intends as his {{magnum opus}}. Needing a job that pays enough to support himself and his wife Iris (Glenne Headly), yet leaves enough free time to compose music, Holland accepts a position as a high school music teacher. He soon discovers the position leaves him firmly at the bottom of the hierarchy of teachers. And as his apathy for the job starts to become apparent, Principal Jacobs (Olympia Dukakis) starts demanding more actual effort from him.

->''"Mr. Holland had a profound influence on my life and on a lot of lives I know. [[IgnorantOfTheCall 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.''
-->-- '''[[spoiler: Governor]] Gertrude Lang''' (Joanna Gleason)