Bill Meister(crying over the grave of Louis Russ, a former student killed in Vietnam): We know too many of these kids!
Glenn Holland
Richard Dreyfuss · 14 quotes
Iris Holland
Glenne Headly · 4 quotes
Principal Jacobs
Olympia Dukakis · 1 quote
Most scenes together: Glenn Holland & Iris Holland (3)
Mr. Holland's Opus quotes
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Gertrude Lang [as an adult]
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.
Why is everyone else's child more important than yours?
[playing Beethoven's Seventh Symphony for his class]
He couldn't hear. Of all people. Not a thing. And because Beethoven couldn't hear, the thought of him conducting, let alone composing, was pathetic to most people. And so to answer them, he composed and conducted the seventh symphony. Just try to imagine; Beethoven standing on that podium, holding his baton, his hands waving gracefully through the air. The orchestra in his mind is playing perfectly, and the orchestra in front of him, trying desperately just to keep up. There is a story, that in order to write his music, Beethoven literally sawed the legs off of his piano, so that the body would lay flat on the floor. And he would lie down next the piano with his ear pressed to the floor, and he would hit the keys with his fingers in order to hear his music through the vibrations of the floor.
Student
Mister Holland? If he couldn't hear, how would he even know what the notes were? Like, if he never heard a "C", how did he know that's what he wanted to play?
Let me ask you a question. When you look in the mirror, what do you like best about yourself?
Gertrude Lang My hair.
Why?
Gertrude Lang Well, my father always says that it reminds him of the sunset.
Play the sunset. Close your eyes. One, two, three, four.
Well, congratulations, Gene. You've been looking for a way to get rid of me for 30 years, and they finally gave you an excuse.
Vice Principal Wolters
You know, I'm not as popular as you. I'm not anybody's favorite anything.
That's because you're the enemy, Gene. You just don't know it.
Which instrument do you think you'd like to play?
Louis Russ Well, I was kinda thinkin' like... How about electric guitar?
Well, this is a marching band. The extension cord will kill us.
[translating Cole's signing for Glenn]
Why do you assume that John Lennon's death would mean nothing to me? Do you think I'm stupid? I know who John Lennon is.
You must think so. If you think I don't know who The Beatles are or any music at all. You think I don't care about what it is you do or what you love? You're my father. I know what music is. You could help me to know it better, but - no. You care more about teaching other people than you do about me.
That means "asshole".
When you were in high school, did you ever wonder if your teachers went home and got it on at night?
When I was in high school, my teachers were all priests and nuns.
I had such a crush on Mr. Griffith, he could've taken me home any time.
Really?
Mhm.
And who was this Mr. Griffith?
Oh, he was my music teacher.
I care about these kids just as much as you do. And if I'm forced to choose between Mozart and reading and writing and long division, I choose long division.
Well, I guess you can cut the arts as much as you want, Gene. Sooner or later, these kids aren't going to have anything to read or write about.
Vice Principal Wolters
Have you been to any of the football games this season, Mr. Holland?
I can't say that I have, no.
Vice Principal Wolters
Well, Mrs. Jacobs and I feel that there's something missing.
Touchdowns?
[Glenn and Iris are discussing the possibility of sending Cole to a special school]
The doctor said that gestures meant...
It's way more than gestures.
That gestures meant that Cole would never learn how to lip read or to talk!
He can barely talk now, he can't say two or three words!
The guy is a specialist, Iris!
Ohhh, he's a specialist who thinks that deaf people are **** and he is not ****, he is...
What does he...? Give him what he wants!
I don't know what he wants, I don't understand what he's trying to say. Don't you get it? You walk to school every day with all these children who are normal. I can't talk to my son! I don't know what he wants or what he thinks or what he feels. I can't tell him that I love him, I can't tell him who I am. I want to talk to my son! I don't care what it costs, I don't care what the stupid doctor says it's right or wrong. I want to talk to my son! [Starts sobbing and hugging Cole]
A teacher has two jobs; fill young minds with knowledge, yes, but more important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn't go to waste.
It's almost funny. I got dragged into this gig kicking and screaming, and now it's the only thing I want to do.
Playing music is supposed to be fun. It's about heart, it's about feelings, moving people, and something beautiful, and it's not about notes on a page. I can teach you notes on a page, I can't teach you that other stuff.