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The Emperor's Club

PG-13 Released Nov 22, 2002 1h 49m Drama List
50% Tomatometer 128 Reviews 67% Audience Score 10,000+ Ratings
Kevin Kline stars as Arthur Hundert, a dedicated and inspiring classics professor who has devoted his life to teaching at a prep school for boys. New student Sedgewick Bell, the headstrong son of a powerful senator, joins his class and inexorably alters Mr. Hundert's life. It is a clash of wills and personalities as these two people seemingly battle for the hearts and souls of the other students at St. Benedictus. Read More Read Less
The Emperor's Club

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Critics Consensus

Though Kline is excellent in his portrayal of Hundert, the movie is too dull and sentimental to distinguish itself from other titles in its genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media Some mature content, but fine for many teens. Rated: 4/5 Dec 28, 2010 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 2/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review Steven D. Greydanus Decent Films William Hundert (Kevin Kline) isn't charismatic or cool… I like that about him. He isn't selling his own personality, authenticity, or commitment; he isn't selling education as self-actualization (Dead Poets Society)… Rated: B Aug 1, 2003 Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) I'm not quite sure who The Emperor's Club is for. It plays like a patrician knock-off of Dead Poets Society... Dec 9, 2021 Full Review John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews A soulless rehashing of Dead Poet's Society is hardly the savior of American education Rated: C- May 31, 2012 Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Prep school professor tries to mold his students into upstanding young men, in particular one problem student. Ho-hum. Rated: 2/4 Jan 29, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jan V Each year, I show this to my grade 9 high school students and let them decide if it's worthwhile,interesting etc. Been doing this for 20 years.It is one of the best received films I have shown..the students ,who you would think at first would pan itl love it! Some older ones, passing my door while its on have said,"oh, that movie...it was great." I agree ,but go figure. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/08/23 Full Review bob p Kevin Kline is superb but the plot could have been more. Stilted and unexciting ending. Nonetheless very much a good watch with good acting and some drama. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Tolerable, but the plot line is pointless. The acting is good, but it isn't worth your time. The movie more or less takes the viewer's hopes and dreams and crushes them. This is definitely not a "feel good" story, and I'm not sure why it ever made it out of the drawing boards. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Maybe it's not the most original movie you've seen, but still it is beyond doubt a masterpiece of the genre. You'll see excellent performances and moral messages that will definately make you watch this movie again and again. "All roads lead to... the Emperor's Club". Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review steve d There is nothing new here but Kline's charming performance makes it fun. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Kline was great but anything else is very dull and inconsistent. The Emperors Club really felt like a rip off of Dead Poets Society with no interesting narrative. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Emperor's Club

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Movie Info

Synopsis Kevin Kline stars as Arthur Hundert, a dedicated and inspiring classics professor who has devoted his life to teaching at a prep school for boys. New student Sedgewick Bell, the headstrong son of a powerful senator, joins his class and inexorably alters Mr. Hundert's life. It is a clash of wills and personalities as these two people seemingly battle for the hearts and souls of the other students at St. Benedictus.
Director
Michael Hoffman
Producer
Andrew S. Karsch, Marc Abraham
Screenwriter
Neil Tolkin, Ethan Canin
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Beacon Communications, Longfellow Pictures, Fine Line Features
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 22, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 4, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$14.1M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)