MovieChat Forums > Mr. Holland's Opus (1996) Discussion > Could anyone imagine the kind of trouble...

Could anyone imagine the kind of trouble Mr. Holland would get in....

posted 15 years ago by sun78
18 replies | jump to latest

these days if his feelings for Rowena were found out?? Seriously, a man to be turned on by a highschool girl is creepy. I like this movie and used to own it, but he should not have let Rowena's passes and seductive behavior get to the point where he kisses her. If that happened these days, he'd be in huge trouble and there'd be a huge scandal. What any teacher would do these days if he were the eye of female students' crushes and if any student tried to make a pass, he would definately not encourage it, but also tell someone, like another teacher or the principal for protection in case rumors did start to fly around that he was having a relationship with a highschool girl.

[–] jbowmore 15 years ago

A man being physically attracted to a beautiful post-pubescent female is only natural, regardless of whether or not she is in high school.

As for being attracted to her as a person; she was also intelligent and talented. You would have to be very strange to not be flattered by her offer "I'm yours if you want me"

The fact that—while she did serve as a muse—he never really considered either having sex with her or running off to New York; just reinforces both his moral character and his acceptance of the life he had over the life he might have had.

Having said that, the world has changed politically...

So the second part of your post is spot on, even a false allegation of such behavior would end the career of a male teacher if he did not handle it very carefully.

Because of this, a teacher should never meet alone with a student. If privacy (from other students) is required for FERPA reasons, then the meeting should be someplace other school employees can over hear or observe. If a student makes any kind of move or suggestion report it to your supervisor immediately.

[–] yolhanson 15 years ago

I'm 41 and work in a high school. Every day, I am surrounded by beautiful young women. There's no denying that they are beautiful--any person in his/her right mind would attest to that. They are very attractive. Fact.
There is a big difference between finding someone attractive and being attracted to them. BIG difference.

[–] hawksfan31 15 years ago

As a 25 year old male teacher at a high school, I agree with you, but this movie still made me uncomfortable at times with Holland's behavior. Maybe I come from the "new school" ways too much, but he put himself in bad situations that could only lead to his inappropriate behavior. You don't work late at night, in a dark room, alone with any student, girl or boy. You don't sit next to them on the same chair with your faces so close, and you especially don't hug them or touch them (besides a high five or something if you're like that) in any way, ever.

The reason being, as said in other posts, is that even a false accusation can ruin your career. So if you make anyone think it could even be possible under any circumstance, it's wrong. It sucks in some ways that that's the way it is, but it is. And even if you thought everything else was fine about Holland's behavior, the kissing would land him out of a job, or even jail.

But, besides the legal ramifications for teachers, it's the same reason that married men don't spend so much time alone with other beautiful women after hours and things like that. It can lead to bad decisions or at least inappropriate feelings. Whether or not it's a 17 year old high school girl, or a 30 year old woman and you're married, it's not smart to put yourself in those situations (of course the former being much worse in a legal sense).

Regardless of all of that though, I do like the movie for the most part

[–] mistereight8888 12 years ago

He wasn't so much attracted to her, he was attracted to what she represented: the opportunity to pursue a life of creative dreams. Her going to New York was a massive reminder of what he gave up, and his liking of her was wrapped up in that more than it was for her. She was more symbol than anything else.

[–] jaystarstar 11 years ago

Oh, he was attracted to her physically too. She was smokin' hot.

But he realized in the end he would be throwing away a career, a nearly 20-year marriage, and a son, for a fling which for all he knew might last 10 days.

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

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[–] gabby_bm 15 years ago

But though they may be physically attractive, to a mature man, they certainly wouldn't be as attractive emotionally or intellectually.
So basically, they would just be using a teenager's body to masturbate with.

I don't need you to tell me how good my coffee is. .

[–] ChickWhisperer 15 years ago

If you find the attraction of an older man to a 17-year old girl to be creepy and weird, then the problem lies in your own psychological character.
It is similar to people's confusion and misconception about pedophilia versus pederasty - the pedophile has thoughts about children, the pederast acts upon those thoughts. The former is perfectly legal, the latter not.
Here in the United States, we do not punish people for what they think, only what they do. This is extremely fortunate for some of the our fellow IMDB commenters who let their bigotry and racism flavor their contributions.

[–] lroy77 12 years ago

But I'm assuming she was a senior and perhaps 18 years old already. At the time 18 was considered a legal adult (before the government changed it to 21). It was a quick peck on the cheek for luck, nothing wrong with that.

[–] shadaif 12 years ago

My mom said when she was in high school, her band director left his wife to marry a recently graduated student. My high school band director met his wife when she was in his band class. This was actually quite common and why the Rowena storyline was included in the movie. Even Mr. Holland's wife admits she had a crush on her music teacher.

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[–] jaystarstar 12 years ago

He didn't do anything that was actually FIREABLE, but the late-night dark-room rehearsal sessions alone with the ravishing Rowena would set off all sorts of screaming alarms.

As a man in my late 20s in the late 1980s, I coached sports teams for several years with girls in junior high and high school age.

I made absolutely sure I was never in a room alone with any one player, just to make sure no rumors ever got started.

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

[–] mistereight8888 12 years ago

If you call that a kiss, OP, you're missing out.

That was no kiss.

[–] liscarkat (19416) 14 days ago

Nothing happened. He never said or did anything inappropriate. He taught her and helped her. He realized that she was in love with him and wanted him to go to New York with her, but he never intended to go away with her. He went to the bus stop to talk to her and make sure she was okay. He kissed her on the cheek.

Even if something had happened, she was eighteen years old, legally an adult.