MovieChat Forums > Mr. Holland's Opus (1996) Discussion > If Mr. Holland Had Went With Rowena On T...

If Mr. Holland Had Went With Rowena On The Bus.....

posted 11 years ago by Camelot_2000
5 replies | jump to latest

When I saw this film, I was glad he didn't go. It would've been cold of him to abandon his loving wife and deaf son. If he had, he probably could've helped Rowena become a star in the tough world of New York City, but then he'd have to live with the guilt of leaving his family. He made a good choice.

As for Rowena, her future was unknown after she left town. I have the feeling she never became famous like she hoped. New York is an extremely iron cold environment with an overcrowding of aspiring talent hoping to make it to the big time.

Madonna even had a tough time there before she became famous.

The more I study it, the greater the puzzle becomes.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad

[–] liquidchaoss 11 years ago

I was expecting Rowena to show up to Hollands goodbye ceremony at the end of the movie. Oh Well...

[–] yolhanson 11 years ago

There are a few threads on this, but I think she didn't show up because she either got famous and didn't know about Holland's farewell, or she found her limit doing minor gigs in NYC (which, for better or worse, must happen to most aspiring musicians who go there). The fact that she leaves his life after a really short time and he virtually never gives her a thought afterwards seems to suggest that she represents the dream rather than the reality. In this case, I would suggest, the reality is actually better than the dream.

[–] OhNooos 11 years ago

That whole part was just creepy to me, although I understood it. Rowena was a child and, as you just pointed out, Mr. Holland had a loving wife and a neglected child. I think Rowena represented something of his lost dreams as a youth, but she wasn't a person he could have had a real relationship with. She was an object of sorts for him. As for her, it was teenage infatuation with the admiring teacher who guided her.

I was so, so, so glad he didn't get on that bus with her and that he decided to come to his senses and act like an adult in the end. My heart broke for his wife when she sensed what was going on with him.

[–] liscarkat (19395) 12 days ago

He did nothing inappropriate with Rowena. He never intended to go away with her. He came to the bus stop to talk to her. He realized she was in love with him. He kissed her on the cheek. No harm done.

[–] jaystarstar 11 years ago

It's also not like Glen Holland had been some big star himself or had pointed somebody else to stardom.

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4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.