My Favorite Scene: Dead Poets Society (1989) “Oh Captain, My Captain”

We continue to pick scenes from the late Robin Williams’ best works with 1989’s Dead Poets Society.  This is, in my opinion, Williams’ best film.  His unorthodox English-teaching methods exhort his students to seize the day and to love words.


The right words, strung together can lift the spirit to unmatched heights.  The wrong words, strung equally effectively can destroy a life.  Words were Williams’ business and he relished concocting ways to use them in ways that had never before been used.  He wasn’t a wordsmith.  He was a word alchemist.

Trying to pick one scene out of this film is nearly impossible, but-after thinking-I had to go with how the transformed students bid Mr. Keating farewell.  It seems fitting given the circumstances.


One thought on “My Favorite Scene: Dead Poets Society (1989) “Oh Captain, My Captain””

  1. People who weren’t around in 89 have no idea what it was like to walk into a theater and be blindsided by this performance.

    Like

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