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
Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl, The Competition, The American President) was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for this role, which is my view one of his best performances. He is good in all stages of the different seasons of the life of Mr. Holland. I seldom cry while watching a movie, but when Mr. Holland enters the school auditorium with grey hair and the entire school is applauding when he retires, it makes me cry. I cry every time I watch it, and I can also cry every time I bring it to mind. If I ever get a part where I have to cry all I have to do is to bring back that memory back! That moment is a combination of my mother a music teacher and my dad aging. There is no greater love than to lay your life for another... When I graduated from college I wrote a letter thanking my parents for the rainy days they had to go to work, and for all the sacrifices they made for me and left it on top of the dining room table so they could find when I was not around. Needless to say that the entire family cried. That is what that scene means to me. I do not see Mr. Holland as a frustrated composer, he was just frustrated because he had other commitments that did not give him the time to compose. Glenne Headly did a great job playing Iris Holland. She has appeared in ER recently. Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias) plays Principal Jacobs. It is beautiful when close to her retirement she gives Mr. Holland a gift. Jean Louisa Kell (The Day Lincoln Was Shot) is Rowena Morgan who steals the show because she sings beautifully. William H. Macy, (Fargo) plays Vice Principal Wolters who goes insane when he listens popular music coming from Mr. Holland's classroom. Poor Gertrude Lang, Alicia Witt ("Cybill") is trying so hard to get the technique that she forgets about her feelings. I love when she finally gets to feel the piece and lets herself go.Then when she comes back as grown up is very touching. A music teacher having a deaf child is ironic. Mr. Holland teaching the kids about Beethoven is marvelous! I love when Cole (Anthony Natale (II)), comes back as an adult and participates in the celebration of his dad's retirement, and also because he himself is going to teach at the school for the deaf in Washington DC. This movie struck a cord with me because of the music and because of all the elements that were brought into movie and story. I would give it a10 + if I could. It is one of my favorite dramas! I am not much of a drama person, I prefer comedy, but this is a very special drama.
- How long is Mr. Holland's Opus?Powered by Alexa
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 24 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1