Sweet Moving Movie About a Teacher's Career

Rating: Null/10 (21 May 2000)

I am truly surprised by the attacks on this movie. It is a very moving film reminiscent of Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Browning Version, Three Cheers for Miss Bishop, and even It's a Wonderful Life. In all of these movies (except the last), a teacher feels that his or her life is wasted because his or her ambition or (in Miss Bishop's case, grand love) was unrealized. However, the climax of the movie comes when the protagonist realizes that he/she has actually touched many lives for the better.
Most of the negative comments below are about the musical knowledge shown in the movie. I'm sure that would not bother the average viewer. The movie is quite sentimental at heart, but is more realistic in showing the protagonist's frustrations and anger over his frustration than most of the ones listed above. It's a lovely movie, and the acting by Richard Dreyfus was fine.