One of the most powerful scenes on film has to be where Principal Jacobs takes Mr. Holland aside and tells him that she is retiring. She then hands him, as a momento, a compass symbolizing that he had found his direction as a teacher. Mr. Holland is moved and Jackson Brown's the Pretender seemed to underscore the emotion of the scene. Images of events in the 1970s then follow representing the passage of time. Very moving. What say you?
shareYes I remember that scene very moving very genuine. Mr Holland had to make a choice and he chose a career that fell short of his professional goal. It is one of Dreyfuss's best roles. The movie has become a classic.
shareNot to split hairs, but the compass didn't represent that he found direction as a teacher. If the beginning of his career, Jacobs tells Holland that they have two jobs as educators: fill young minds with knowledge, and give them direction in life, which she said is more important (it's been awhile since I have seen it, but that is the overall idea). She then said they needed a compass, representing of course the direction he was supposed to give.
So, giving him the compass showed him that he had indeed fulfilled what she thought was the most important of their job: he became a great compass for the kids.
Incidentally, I've been a teacher for 11 years now, and the president of the Community College I first attended handed me a compass along with my diploma on stage, because she knew my passion for wanting to be a teacher, and we had discussed loving Mr. Holland's Opus. I keep the compass on my desk every year as that reminder!
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