Don't Forget to Come Back to Me

The first time I saw the film or was in a Chinese class in my last year in senior high school. The whole class were exhausted from the day's work and surprised by Ms. Liu's showing the film. That was one of the most exhilarating films I've ever seen.
In France in 1949, Clément Mathieu, who in his own words has failed at everything else, arrived at the gates of Fond de l'Etang (Bottom of the Pond), a boarding school for "difficult" boys. At the gate he saw a young child, Pépinot, who was waiting for Saturday, which was when his father was supposed to come for him. Pépinot had been unable to absorb the fact that his parents were killed years previously in the Second World War.
When Mr. Mathieu was dimissed and leaving, each child in the chorus wrote a few lines of lyrics on paper-planes and throw them into the sky. At this point, the background music - - was played: "... Don't forget to come back to me." No tear-drops, no maudlin words, just waving hands stretched out from the window. The day was Saturday. Pépinot insisted Mr. Mathieu take him along, and his rigidity moved him.
Stepping out of the school gate, Mr. Mathieu said, " I was not a successful musician, but I was a successful teacher." Yes, he was. He insisted on keeping the chorus regardless of the headmaster's rejection. He rebelled the headmaster many times in the discipline of the students. He put us into consideration about elementary education and a teacher's role. I believe Clément Mathieu does not only live in the film. Yes, he does not forget to come back to us.