Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

Glenne Headly: Iris Holland

Photos 

Quotes 

• Iris Holland : [Iris is translating Cole's signing for Glenn]  Why do you assume that John Lennon's death would mean nothing to me? Do you think I'm stupid? I know who John Lennon is.

  Glenn Holland : [Glenn turns to Iris]  I never said that he...

  Iris Holland : [Iris continues translating]  I cant read your lips if you don't look at me.

  Glenn Holland : [Glenn looks back at Cole]  I never said you were stupid

  Iris Holland : You must think so. If you think I don't know who The Beatles are or any music at all. You think I don't care about what it is you do or what you love? You're my father. I know what music is. You could help me to know it better, but - no. You care more about teaching other people than you do about me.

  Glenn Holland : [Cole makes a final gesture, Iris doesn't translate it]  Iris... What does this mean

  Iris Holland : That means "asshole".

• [Glenn and Iris are discussing the possibility of sending Cole to a special school] 

  Glenn Holland : The doctor said that gestures meant...

  Iris Holland : It's way more than gestures.

  Glenn Holland : That gestures meant that Cole would never learn how to lip read or to talk!

  Iris Holland : He can barely talk now, he can't say two or three words!

  Glenn Holland : The guy is a specialist, Iris!

  Iris Holland : Ohhh, he's a specialist who thinks that deaf people are retarded and he is not retarded, he is...

  [Cole is screaming, asking for something and Iris doesn't know what it is] 

  Iris Holland : Cole!

  Glenn Holland : What does he...? Give him what he wants!

  Iris Holland : I don't know what he wants, I don't understand what he's trying to say. Don't you get it? You walk to school every day with all these children who are normal. I can't talk to my son! I don't know what he wants or what he thinks or what he feels. I can't tell him that I love him, I can't tell him who I am. I want to talk to my son! I don't care what it costs, I don't care what the stupid doctor says it's right or wrong. I want to talk to my son!

• Iris Holland : Why is everyone else's child more important than yours?

• Iris Holland : When you were in high school, did you ever wonder if your teachers went home and got it on at night?

  Glenn Holland : When I was in high school, my teachers were all priests and nuns.

  Iris Holland : I had such a crush on Mr. Griffith, he could've taken me home any time.

  Glenn Holland : Really?

  Iris Holland : Mhm.

  Glenn Holland : And who was this Mr. Griffith?

  Iris Holland : Oh, he was my music teacher.