My son, Michael graduates from high school this year. The graduation festivities begin to fall like dominoes beginning tonight. As I’ve thought about graduation, these movies have come to mind.
Mr. Holland’s Opus
[Amazon]
There are graduation scenes at the end of both Act I (1960s) and Act II (1970s). In the first, we watch Gertrude Lang play with beauty and honor in culmination of learning the life lessons, finding her worth, and seeing her place in the future.
Then, in the second, Principal Jacobs tells Glenn Holland that she’s retiring. She presents a compass to Glenn as a landmark so he will always remember:
JACOBS: A teacher has two jobs; fill young minds with
knowledge, yes, but more important, give those
minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn’t
go to waste.
knowledge, yes, but more important, give those
minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn’t
go to waste.
Finding Forrester
[Amazon]
In the denouement, Jamal is eligible for graduation and is being aggressively pursued by college recruiters when a lawyer notifies him of William Forrester’s passing. In essence, William gives Jamal a graduation gift: the opportunity to write the foreword for his recently completed manuscript.
While there is no ceremony in the movie, this scene serves as a reminder of why they call graduation ceremonies commencement: a beginning.
Top Gun
[Amazon]
Goose is dead. Charlie has rented her house and gone to consult somewhere else. Jester is still frowning. Can Maverick put the failure behind him or will he let it end his career?
We don’t see him, but I’m guessing Maverick watched the graduation from afar. He waited until the ceremony was done and Iceman had his moment before walking up.
Orders are distributed. Jester calls out each pilot and RIO team. Then he just says, “Maverick!” It’s a stark reminder that Goose is gone.
Then, Viper speaks up. The venerable mentor says the words that every young failure needs to hear:
VIPER: Maverick, you’ll get your RIO when you get to the ship.
If you don’t…give me a call. I’ll fly with you.
If you don’t…give me a call. I’ll fly with you.
The Man without a Face
[Amazon]
McLeod remains misunderstood and is run off by the skeptics, the suspicious, and the nosy. In the wake of another loss, Norstadt stands up for himself, takes the entrance exam for the military school he dreams of, and walks away from a family infected by selfishness.
In the denouement, Norstadt—filled out and rugged—stands at attention during military honors at graduation. His eyes scan the grandstands at the parade grounds. He sees him mom with another boyfriend/husband in tow. He sees his sisters. Their expressions are filled with bittersweet pride at his accomplishment… and a pinch of jealousy. But, there is one face he’s searching for; one expression he longs to see.
The ceremony ends. Handshakes and backslaps ensue. Could it be? Did McLeod come after all?
Norstadt turns away from the grandstand and looks toward the fence. He climbs on a chair for a better look. They raise their hands toward each other in one part wave, one part salute. Their hands linger in the sky. Smiles explode on their faces. And just as quickly, the scene—and the movie—end.
Norstadt received a blessing in that moment.
What’s Your Favorite Graduation Scene from a Movie?
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