HOLLAND'S DREAM
Iris: So, it wasn't a good day. How were the kids?
Holland: Dolts.
I: At least your kids don't pee on you. Of course, it's only your first day.
H: Thanks a whole lot. It's a job. That's what it is, a job.
I: Well, it's only for two years. Then you can take a year off and write your little old heart out. After that, the New York Philharmonic and the world debut of Glenn Holland's "American Opus". Then a command performance for the president, the queen of England ... Then, someday, after all those years of struggle, if you're really lucky, you'll be able to hear your own music on an elevator or in a dentist's office.
H: With motivation like that how can I fail.
TEACHING IS MORE THAN A JOB:
Principal Jacobs: I've been watching you, Mr. Holland. It's my job to keep an eye on my teachers. I've never seen a teacher who ran out of here after the last period with the enthusiasm of one of our students. I wish I could observe some of that enthusiasm in your classroom work.
H: Mrs. Jacobs, I write at night —compose. I'm writing a symphony. I'm here on time in the morning and I do my job.
J: Teaching is a twenty-four hour job, Mr. Holland.
H: Not unless you pay me for it, Mrs. Jacobs. Good night.
J: Mr. Holland! You haven't been excused yet.
H: Am I being made to stay after school?
J: I was wrong about this being a job— teaching is more. These young people, your students, are at a crossroad in their lives. Confused, hormones going berserk, faced with monumental decisions that will change their lives forever. And we try to pump them full of data, that have little to do with real life. (beat)
But it all adds up ... to a human being with wants, needs, ideals, and hopes. You have two jobs. Pump them full of data, music data in your case, and give them a compass. Point them in the right direction so it doesn't all go to waste. You manage to do that and they will remember you for the rest of their lives. I don't know how you're doing with the data input, but as a compass, you're useless.
I'VE GOT TO LEARN SOMETHING
Gertrude: I'm terrible, everybody says so. I just wanted you to know I am giving up the clarinet ...
Holland: Well, if that's what you want to do ...
G: Oh, Mr. Holland, what can I do? I've got to learn something.
H: It's not such a bad thing, just because you can't play the clarinet. Lots of people can't play any instrument.
G: You don't understand, you don't know my family. My sister dances, she has a ballet scholarship to Juilliard. My brother is the top-seeded tennis player in the state, sixth in the country. My mother has won the blue ribbon for watercolors at the State Fair so many times they've retired the category. My father sings tenor in the church choir and has sung the National Anthem at Tiger Stadium four times.
MUSIC IS MORE THAN NOTES ON A PAGE
H: Well, keep at the clarinet. You'll get there.
Gertrude: But all I make is noise. I do scales, I practice until my lips swell up, but it still doesn't sound like anything.
H: I've heard you play—you're right, Gertrude. But ... well ... one of your problems is that you only play the notes on the page.
G: What else am I supposed to play?
H: There's more to music than the notes on the paper. Gertrude, you go home and pick up your clarinet and play from here (pointing to his own heart). And who cares if it's not perfect? You'll move someone. 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.
G: Thanks, Mr. Holland.
YOU'VE LEARNED A NEW LANGUAGE
H: All right, all right! I don't see any notation calling for improvisation, Mr. Rus.
Rus: I did it! Wow! Hey, Mr. Holland I can play this shit! Sorry, play this drum.
H: Yes, Mr. Rus. You can. Maybe you don't know it, but you have also learned a new language. A whole new language.
R: Wow! I did it. I have done it.
I HEAR THINGS DIFFERENT NOW
Rowena: I love the way you teach music. I mean, you have this ... thing, this aura that you give off ... like, I don't know, like this energy field. You love music and you make us love it with you. I have different ears because of you.
Holland: I'm not a plastic surgeon.
R: Don't make fun of me. I hear things different now, that's special.
WE ARE YOUR MUSIC
Mrs. Kiernan: When the word got out that the Music Program was cut, and about the subsequent retirement of our Mr. Holland ... well, I have never seen such a response from this community—never. So we put together a little send-off.
We were going to buy you something, Glenn, a watch, or whatever ... We asked your wife Iris what you might want or need, she was no help at all. (a beat)
The one thing she did mention was your writing. And I remember all those school board meetings, faculty meetings, and so on. I always saw you scribbling away, what I thought were pertinent notes, but I looked over your shoulder once and discovered it was quarter-notes and flats. I was so glad when you finished the damned thing so you could concentrate on your teaching again.
(There was good－natured laughter from the audience.)
K: Seriously, though, I don't think I have ever come across a more dedicated, selfless teacher. The only way we can ever pay you back is to perform, for the first time, “The American Opus”, by Glen Holland.
（She hands him the baton． He turns to the orchestra． Then there was a stir in the audience． In came a middle aged－woman accompanied by several men.）
Mrs. K: Ladies and gentlemen, may I present our governor ... and former Kennedy High School alumna, the Most Honorable Gertrude Van Lente.
Gertrude: Thank you, Principal. I'm sorry I arrived late and spoiled the music, but we'll get right back to it. I came here today to say my thanks to Mr. Glen Holland. I remember him well ... He had a great influence on my life, I know. And I have the feeling that Mr. Holland considers a great part of his life was misspent. He wrote this symphony of his to be performed, possibly to make him famous or rich, probably both. That is the American dream ... that is how we measure success, by being rich and famous. On that scale, Mr. Holland is a failure—but I think he has achieved a success beyond riches and fame. Look around, Mr. Holland. There is not a life in this room that you have not touched. And each one is a better person for meeting you, or being your student. This is your symphony, Mr. Holland. We are the notes and melodies of your opus. And this is the music of your life.
（The audience gives Holland a standing ovation． He looks out at the audience, each face a memory, a moment of his life．）
G: One last thing, Mr. Holland. As long as I am governor of this state, there will always be a Music Program in the High Schools. Let's get back to the music. Mr. Holland...
霍兰德的梦想
爱丽丝：这么说，今天过得不顺？孩子们怎么样？
霍兰德：一群笨蛋。
爱：至少你的学生们没有朝你身上撒尿。当然，这是你的头一天嘛。
霍：谢天谢地，这只是一份工作，不过如此，一个饭碗。
爱：是啊，你只需要委屈两年。然后你就可以给自己放一年假，再把你心里的那些乐章全都写出来。然后，就是纽约的爱乐乐团和格兰·霍兰德的“美国交响曲”首次世界公演。然后自任指挥为美国总统、为英国女王演出……然后，有朝一日，在经历了多年的奋斗之后，如果你真正幸运的话，你就能够听见自己的音乐作品在电梯和在牙医诊所里播放。
霍：有了这样的动力，我怎么可能失败！
教学不仅仅是一份工作
女校长雅各布：我一直在观察你，霍兰德先生。督察教师是我的职责，我还从未见过一个教师在最后一节课下课时象某些学生一样兴高采烈地离开学校。我希望能看到你在教学工作上也能拿出一点这样的劲头来。
霍：校长大人，我晚上要写作——作曲。我正在写一首交响乐。我每天上午准时来这里，我尽责了。
雅：可教师是一份全天候的工作，霍兰德先生。
霍：除非你付我钱要我这样做，校长大人。晚安。
雅：霍兰德先生，我还没有让你走呢。
霍：我这是被留校了吗？
雅：我刚才关于教师“工作”的措辞不对，教师不仅仅是一份工作。这些年轻人，你的学生们，正处在自己人生的十字路口。他们困惑，身上的荷尔蒙狂燥不安，面临着从此永远改变他们人生的重大抉择。而我们要尽量给他们的头脑里灌输知识，而这些东西同现实生活几乎无关——（停顿）。
可是这一切积累起来，就能把他们培养成有欲求、有理想、有希望的人。你有两项职责。一项是给他们灌输知识，按你的工作具体来讲就是音乐知识；另一项是给他们一个罗盘。给他们指出正确的人生方向，这样他们所学的知识才不会浪费。如果你做到了这两条，他们终生都会记得你。我不知道你的知识教得如何，但是作为一个罗盘，你没有起到作用。
我必须学会一技之长
杰楚德：我吹得真糟糕，每一个人都这样说。我只是想让您知道我要放弃单簧管……
霍兰德：好吧，如果你真的想要这样做……
杰：可是，霍兰德先生，我能学什么呢？我必须学会一技之长。
霍：这并非那么糟糕——仅仅因为你不会吹奏单簧管。很多人什么乐器也不会。
杰：您不明白，您不知道我的家庭。我姐姐学舞蹈，她获得了茱莉亚大学的芭蕾舞奖学金。我哥哥是全州网球比赛的头号种子选手，在全国排名第六。我妈妈在州博览会上多次获得水粉画蓝带奖，因为次数太多，他们竟然取消了该奖项。我爸爸在教堂唱诗班唱男高音，还曾四次在老虎露天体育场唱国歌。
音乐不仅仅是写在纸上的音符
霍兰德：好啦，继续练你的单簧管吧。你一定能练成的。
杰楚德：可是我吹出来的全都是噪音呀！我练音阶，我练得嘴唇都肿了，可是吹出来的仍然什么也不像。
霍：我听过你吹奏。你说得不错，杰楚德。可是……这么说吧……你的问题之一就是你只是在吹奏纸上的音符。
杰：我还应该吹什么别的吗？
霍：音乐不仅仅是写在纸上的音符。杰楚德，你回家去拿起你的单簧管，从这儿吹奏（他指着自己的心）。谁在乎你吹得完不完美呢？你一定能感动某些人的。演奏音乐应该是件有乐趣的事情。它关乎心，关乎情感，是要用来感动人的，它是一种美的东西，而不是写在纸上的符号。我可以教会你纸上的音符，而那另外一种东西，我却不能教会你。
杰：谢谢，霍兰德先生。
你学会了一种新的语言
霍兰德：好了，好了！我看不出还有哪个音符需要再练。拉斯先生。
拉斯：我做到了，哇！嘿，霍兰德先生，我能演奏这个狗屁乐器了，对不起，能演奏这个鼓了！
霍：是的，拉斯先生。你能。也许你还不知道，可是你同时也学会了一种新的语言，一种全新的语言。
拉：哇，我做到了，我成功了！
现在我的听觉完全不同了
露云娜：我喜欢你教音乐的方式。我意思是说，您身上有这种……东西，你身上散发出一种气息，就像，我不知道它是什么，就像能量场。您热爱音乐，也使我们跟您一起爱上了音乐。因为你，我的耳朵跟从前完全不同了。
霍：我可不是整形外科医生。
露：别取笑我了。我现在听觉完全不同了。这很特别。
我们就是你的音乐
（新校长）基尔南女土：当传出音乐课要取消，以及接踵而来的霍兰德先生退休的消息时……说真的，我从未见过本社区有过如此强烈的反应，从来没有。所以我们准备了一个小小的欢送仪式。
我们原打算给你买一份礼物，格兰，一只手表，或别的什么……。我们请教了您妻子爱丽丝，你可能想要或需要什么，她也帮不上忙。（停顿）
她的确提到一件东西，那就是您的创作。于是，我回忆起了每一次在学校董事会开会和教师开会时，你总是在不停地写写划划，我以为您是在做会议笔记呢，可是有一回我却从你背后看见那是四分音符和降音符号，当你完成那该死的乐谱时，我真高兴，这样你就可以全身心投入你的教学工作了。
（观众发出了善意的笑声）
基：不过，说真的，我还从未见过一位像您这样敬业、这样无私的老师。我们能够报答您的唯一的方式就是有史以来第一次演奏由您，格兰·霍兰德作曲的“美国交响曲”。
（她把指挥棒交给他。他转向乐队。这时观众中骚动起来。一位中年女士在几位男士的陪伴下走入会场。）
校长：女士们先生们，请允许我介绍我们的州长……肯尼迪高中的校友，最最值得尊敬的杰楚德·凡·兰特。
杰楚德：谢谢您，校长。真抱歉我迟到了，搅了音乐的演奏。不过我们马上就可以重新开始。我今天是特地赶来向恩师格兰·霍兰德先生道谢的。我永远记得他……因为我知道，他对我的人生影响太大了。可是我又感到霍兰德先生认为自己人生的一大半都浪费了。他写下了这首交响乐，想让它演奏出来，也许可以使他成名，也许发财，也可能名利双收。这正是美国梦呀……这也是我们的衡量成功的标准：财富和名声。按照这个标准，霍兰德先生失败了——可是我却认为他取得了一种超越财富和声名的成功。看看您周围吧，霍兰德先生，在这个大厅里没有一个人不曾受到您的感动。每一个人都因为认识了你，或者做过您的学生而变得更好。这就是您的交响乐，霍兰德先生，我们就是您乐章里的音符和旋律，这就是您人生的乐章。
（观众们起立为霍兰德喝彩，他看着观众，那每一张都是一份回忆，都是他人生的一个瞬间。）
杰：还有最后一件事情，霍兰德先生，只要我还是本州的州长，所有高中的音乐课程就会一直开下去。现在让我们重新开始演奏吧，霍兰德先生……