MovieChat Forums > Mr. Holland's Opus (1996) Discussion > Plot Questions and the Ending

Plot Questions and the Ending

posted 16 years ago by scoobots
8 replies | jump to latest

Just a few silly questions about the plot and a suggestion regarding the ending:

#1. What was the point of Mr. Holland bringing teenage Stadler to Lou Russ' funeral??

#2. In the begining of the film (1965), you see then Vice Principal Walters telling Mr. Holland "I take it you didn't read Ralph Nader's book", commenting about Mr. Holland's Corvair ( I think that's what Mr. Holland said it was). What does Ralph Nader's book have to do with the car that Mr. Holland had at the time??

#3. I never was in any music appreciation type of class, only in Concert Band and Symphonic Band (9th and 10th grade and 11th and 12th grade respectively). I played percussion. So I have to ask this question: Why is it important for students to learn the Ionian and Dorian scales??

#4. I had a suggestion regarding the ending. I thought it would've been great if Jacobs showed up at the end. In 1995, I truly believe that Jacobs would still be around. I think it was 1970 in the movie when she retired. Assuming she was 65 when she retired, she would've been around 90 at the end of the movie. Obviously with her being older, she would be using a cane or have been in a wheelchair.

Thank you for your time.

[–] stevenackerman69 16 years ago

Here are my answers:
1. He wanted to show Stadler that Lou Russ was a former student who had to work hard in order to get a good scholarship and that he shouldn't take his education for granted.
2. Don't remember this.
3. Maybe because it helps you understand music more.
4. When Jacobs is mentioned in the scene where Holland is being fired, he says, "Jacobs would've fought this." That sort of implies that she had passed away. Also, notice how Rowena isn't in the final scene either?

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 14 years ago

"Jacobs would've fought this." That sort of implies that she had passed away.

I didn't take that at all. He was simply saying to the principal, that his predecessor would have fought this if it had happened when she was principal. She's retired and simply no longer around to have any effect on what went on with school funding.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] stevenackerman69 8 years ago

I always think when someone uses a person in the past tense, it means the person is no longer around.

[–] bigwiggly 16 years ago

#2. The book is called Unsafe At Any Speed, and is (from Wiki...) "a book detailing resistance by car manufacturers to the introduction of safety features, like seat belts, and their general reluctance to spend money on improving safety." Included is a chapter about the early Corvair, and its tendency to flip on its roof during sharp cornering caused mainly by the design of the rear suspension.

[–] jbowmore 15 years ago

Nader's book did argue that the early Corvair was unsafe. But it should be noted that it was an unusual design (for America) at the time. It was later shown that the design was fine, but improperly maintained by people who did not read (or did not believe) the cars maintenance guide.

Basically the design required the front wheels to be at around half the normal pressure for tires in the U.S. If the tires were over inflated (to what a mechanic would consider normal) than steering the car became difficult, and could lead to flipping the car during fast cornering. Adding anti-sway bars essentially eliminated the issue. But again, the early Corvair was not notably unsafe IF the tires were inflated correctly.

[–] sinfonian2013 16 years ago

#3:

The Ionian mode is the same as a major scale, so it's pretty important!

The Dorian mode is very important, and easy to use, in some popular and jazz music. (For instance, The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" is in Dorian mode.)

[–] Yawsbass 15 years ago

Yeah, it's very important to know different types of scales so you know which notes can be used in which keys. It's similar to a percussionist needing to know the feel of different time signatures, such as the difference between 4/4 and 2/4, 3/4 and 6/8, and, the feels of odd meters such as 5/4 and 7/8 (which an instrumentalist would have to know too, but you get what I mean.)

[–] mtk52983 13 years ago

#2 - It is all about showing the distrust Walters has for Holland. That conversation pretty much summarizes their relationship