The Emperor's Club (2002)

Comparisons to Dead Poets Society are inevitable, but The Emperor's Club achieves a rich identity all its own. In the honorable tradition of great teacher dramas like Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Kevin Kline is well cast as Mr. Hundert, longtime teacher of classics and assistant headmaster of St. Benedict's Academy for Boys. There he encounters a defiant student and senator's son (Emile Hirsch) who desperately needs--but ultimately rejects--Hundert's lessons on leadership, integrity, and the shaping of character. Adapted from Ethan Canin's short story "The Palace Thief," the film is conventional to a fault, its flashback structure unfolding in Hollywood shorthand. But its noble sentiments remain potently intact, allowing Kline a performance of great emotional nuance while imparting lessons of universal value. "This is a story with no surprises," as Hundert says, but The Emperor's Club may surprise you with its admirable portrait of a life well lived. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Kevin Kline inspires

Truely, an inspired movie and performance for all to benefit from. What all instructors aspired to be when they first entered the art and profession of teaching others. Repleat with the joy and heartaches found in adolescence through adulthood. Kevine Kline reveals the drama, humor, agony and joy of why many become disillusioned yet remain, in this timeless classic. August 7, 2008

Mr. Hundert is a part of us all

Mr. Hundert (Kevin Kline) desires to inspire his students at Saint Benedicts School for Boys with knowledge and appreciation of Ancient Roman History while teaching them the moral character and values necessary to be American leaders in the future. Ex: "It is not living that is important but living rightly. How will history judge you?" and "All of us are forced to look in the mirror and see who we really are."

However, Mr. Hundert's patience is stretched when Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch) arrives at Saint Benedicts with his own values, which consists of doing whatever feels right or whatever is needed to get ahead. Mr. Hundert desires to help Sedgewick find his inspiration by giving him special privileges (such as taking a study book out of the library that no one is allowed to remove) while preparing for the prestigious Julius Caesar competition.

Later, Mr. Hundert curbs Sedgewick's final essay grade in the selection process for the Julius Caesar contest so that Sedgewick can be one of the three finalists. Unfortunately, when Mr. Hundert gives Sedgewick a grade he does not earn, it backfires on him.

However, even with some of the mistakes Mr. Hundert makes, he discovers by the end of the film that the majority of his students have greatly appreciated the impact he had made on their lives. One of the boys, Martin Blyth, sends his son to learn under Mr. Hundert, even after Mr. Hundert reveals to Martin a secret he had been hiding for years. July 31, 2008

Welcome To Western Civilization" ~ Character, Ethics And Winning At All Costs

The '02 cinematic release `The Emperor's Club' is a gentle, intelligent and at times profound morality tale that teaches us the importance of understanding the past so we may fully embrace the present and contribute to the future.

Kevin Kline is superb as Mr. Hundert, instructor of Roman and Greek History. As he strives to instill within the students of St. Benedict's Boy School the importance of the past and the need for everyone to strive to the best of their ability to make a lasting contribution in their lifetime he is met head-on with one rebellious pupil who challenges his ideas at every turn. Their personal struggle world-at-large as well. Is the past simply the dust upon which we trod and brush from our feet, or is it an ever present lesson on life and the meaning of why we're here?

This is an excellent film from beginning to end that will stay with you long after the closing credits roll by. This one belongs in your personal, permanent collection. July 11, 2008

Lasting effects

It is an interesting movie, because the questions it poses haunts you:
can one really take the professor seriously? How important is it to always do the correct thing, no matter what?

I personally feel that the professor has an exaggerated outlook on life, that life is after all a game too and therefore it has to be fun too. But there is no doubt that the characteristics displayed by the people that built Rome was of profound importance for the Roman empire and that to emulate such great achievements, men and women of outstanding character is required. April 27, 2008

Lacking depth, mediocre & somewhat snobbish

I found this quite overrated. The script is quite thin, lacking depth, especially in character development. Most everything seems quite formulaic. Kline's performance is about the only thing not mediocre about this, but there really wasn't much for him to work with.

It also seems stuffy & somewhat snobbish in old patrician BBC kind of way. A good piece of fluff for the upper-crust Republican nouveau aristocracy that owns America these days. They fantasize themselves as stewards of the state, making mankind noble while really just lining their pockets. March 25, 2008

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