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["Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving a Legacy, Citation: Mr. Holland’s Opus, (Hollywood Pictures, 1995), rated PG, written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, directed by Stephen Herek; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois]
Mr. Holland’s Opus is a movie about a frustrated composer in Portland, Oregon, who takes a job as a high school band teacher in the 1960s.
Although diverted from his lifelong goal of achieving critical fame as a classical musician, Glenn Holland (played by Richard Dreyfuss) believes his school job is only temporary.

At first he maintains his determination to write an opus or a concerto by composing at his piano after putting in a full day with his students.
But, as family demands increase (including discovery that his infant son is deaf) and the pressures of his job multiply, Mr. Holland recognizes that his dream of leaving a lasting musical legacy is merely a dream.

At the end of the movie we find an aged Mr. Holland fighting in vain to keep his job.
The board has decided to reduce the operating budget by cutting the music and drama program.
No longer a reluctant band teacher, Mr. Holland believes in what he does and passionately defends the role of the arts in public education.
What began as a career detour became a 35-year mission, pouring his heart into the lives of young people.
Mr. Holland returns to his classroom to retrieve his belongings a few days after school has let out for summer vacation.
He has taught his final class.
With regret and sorrow, he fills a box with artifacts that represent the tools of his trade and memories of many meaningful classes.
His wife and son arrive to give him a hand.

As they leave the room and walk down the hall, Mr. Holland hears some noise in the auditorium.
Because school is out, he opens the door to see what the commotion is.
To his amazement he sees a capacity audience of former students and teaching colleagues and a banner that reads "Goodbye, Mr. Holland."
Those in attendance greet Mr. Holland with a standing ovation while a band (consisting of past and present members) plays songs they learned at his hand.

His wife, who was in on the surprise reception, approaches the podium and makes small talk until the master of ceremonies, the governor of Oregon, arrives.
The governor is none other than a student Mr. Holland helped to believe in herself his first year of teaching.
As she addresses the room of well-wishers, she speaks for the hundreds who fill the auditorium:

"Mr. Holland had a profound influence in my life (on a lot of lives, I know), and yet I get the feeling that he considers a great part of his life misspent.
Rumor had it he was always working on this symphony of his, and this was going to make him famous and rich (probably both).
But Mr. Holland isn’t rich and he isn’t famous.
At least not outside our little town.
So it might be easy for him to think himself a failure, but he’d be wrong.
Because I think he’s achieved a success far beyond riches and fame."

Looking at her former teacher the governor gestures with a sweeping hand and continues, "Look around you.
There is not a life in this room that you have not touched, and each one 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.
And we are the music of your life."

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Antwone Fisher: "Who Will Cry for the Little Boy"

Based on a true story, the film Antwone Fisher tells of a young man who grew up in an abusive foster home. Over the years, Antwone grew bitter towards his natural family for giving him up. By the time he enlisted in the Navy, his anger got him into so many fist fights that he was sent to Navy psychologist Jerome Davenport (played by Denzel Washington), who becomes a father figure to Antwone.

After they have built trust with each other, Antwone shares a powerful poem with Davenport. At this critical juncture, his counselor raises the key issue that Antwone must deal with to find healing.

The conversation takes place just after the Thanksgiving meal at his counselor’s house. Antwone gives Davenport a folded piece of paper, and Davenport reads it aloud thoughtfully.

Who will cry for the little boy
Lost and all alone?
Who will cry for the little boy
Abandoned without his own?
Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy
Who never had for keeps?
Who will cry for the little boy
Who walked the burning sand?
Who will cry for the little boy
The boy inside the man?
Who will cry for the little boy
Who knew well hurt and pain?
Who will cry for the little boy
Who died and died again?
Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be.
Who will cry for the little boy
Who cries inside of me?

Davenport says, "Who will cry?"

Antwone responds, "I will. I always do."

To which Davenport replies, "This is excellent, Antwone. You’re good because you’re honest. You are more honest than most people. Even in your anger—-the only thing you’re not honest with yourself about is your need to find your own family; your natural family. You’re upset with them because you feel they didn’t come to your rescue. Maybe they didn’t know."

Antwone replies bitterly, "How could they not have known?"

Davenport says, "That’s the question you need to ask. 'Regard without ill will despite an offense'... That’s Webster’s definition of forgiveness."

Antwone says, "Why do I have to forgive?"

Davenport answers, "To free yourself, so you can get on with your life."

[Content: PG-13 for violence, language, and mature themes involving child abuse. Elapsed Time: 01:11:10 to 01:13:45 (DVD Scene 20)].

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THE PINK BUNNY SUIT

"Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word."

There's a memorable scene in A Christmas Story, in which Ralphie, who longs for a BB gun for Christmas, opens a parcel from his dotty maiden aunt. The aunt makes clothing for Christmas presents, and is under the delusion that Ralphie is a girl, and remains about three years old. When the lad comes downstairs in the garb, we see that it is a pink rabbit sleeper with floppy ears. The dad says he looks like a demented Easter bunny. The critical line is from mom--"You'll only wear it when she visits."

The constant temptation to the individual and to the Church, when we are under such pressure by the secular culture, is to think of the Church as our dotty maiden aunt, and her interpretation of the Gospel, and the law of Christ, as a pink bunny suit we don't want to wear. Let us wear what we want, we plead in our disobedient spirit. Those who tell us to accept some meretricious compromise with evil are like the mom telling us we only have to obey when the maiden aunt visits--give lip service to the law of Christ when Rome is watching, but do what we want or what the culture wants the rest of the time. Now we must pray, and pray constantly, that our church leaders understand how they are being coopted by modern Pharisees both inside and outside the Christian community, and pray that they stand firm for the Truth of the Gospel of Life.