jacobs-greenwood
This wonderful, tear-jerking and eventually heartwarming, compelling true story of the early (the breakthrough) years of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan, who stubbornly helps the belligerent violent child to overcome the frustration due to her handicaps (blind, deaf, and dumb) and learned to communicate (e.g. through sign language) is an essential biographical drama which earned Academy Awards for both Anne Bancroft (Best Actress Oscar on her first nomination) as Annie and Patty Duke (Best Supporting Actress on her only nomination) as Helen; both actresses were reprising their roles from the play, for which Bancroft had received a Tony Award.The film's director Arthur Penn (his first nomination), its screenplay (William Gibson's only recognition from the Academy) adapted from Keller's own book, and B&W Costume Design (also Ruth Morley's only) were also nominated for Oscars. Victor Jory plays Helen's stern father, Inga Swenson the loving mother that had spoiled her 'helpless' daughter to brink of institutionalization, and Andrew Prine plays the brother that sometimes suffered from a lack of attention.
Irishchatter
I swear I cried in some of the scenes, it goes to show how being blind and deaf especially being mute is so difficult! Gosh I wouldn't know what to do if that happened to me but it can happen to anyone yknow! I nearly cried on the scene where Helen threw a tantrum and Anne was trying to teach her a lesson. That was hard to watch. Her family really didn't teach her to be an ordinary quiet girl, instead they let her just roam and have food by using her hands, not a spoon nor fork! They should've known better but during that time, all they did with people with physical or mental disabilities were, to put them in Mental asylums! Thank god times have changed and everyone is getting support. I'm happy that the real Anne Sullivan was the one to support Helen Keller until her death. She really transformed Kellers life with Keller becoming the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree and, gaining Presidential Medal of Freedom! Well done Ms Sullivan!Seriously, this is the best film out there and I wish Hollywood would stop remaking this unique film in different years because this version is the best out of all of them! Please watch this if you haven't, it's so inspirational!!!!! <3 <3 <3
raymond_chandler
The true story of Helen Keller, born deaf and blind. She was a vigorous advocate for social justice, and an inspiration to countless people around the globe.I remember as a young boy that "The Miracle Worker" was something of a sensation in 1962. It depicts the early life of Helen Keller and her relationship with teacher Anne Sullivan. It is that rare case where the lead roles were cast with the same actors as the Broadway play. The dinner table scrap is firmly embedded in Cinema lexicon. Oscars went to both Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, with 3 other nominations. The film was universally praised by critics. Directed by Arthur Penn, with ethereal, haunting cinematography by Ernesto Caparros."The room's a wreck, but her napkin is folded"
wmptm
This movie is Hollywood b-llsh-t.Check out Helen Keller's autobiography for yourself. No mention of any violent confrontations between Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller whatsoever. Nor of any mystical breakthrough in Helen's learning process, which mystical breakthrough in the movie is explained by Sullivan to Helen's parents as the reason for all the violence.This movie is obviously a civil rights American style propaganda piece.Notice the silent black pickaninnies in the background in several shots of the southern mansion which apparently survived the American Civil War (sic).Annie Sullivan, the yankee teacher of sign language, must first break the spirit of the rebellious southern child before this child can receive the mystical knowledge of progress. This is accomplished by a nauseating series of brawls between teacher and pupil.The fact that these entirely fictional brawls won the actresses academy awards speaks volumes about the American movie industry.In 1962, JFK and his brother RFK, whose appointment trampled underfoot whatever restraining influence anti-nepotism laws had up until then, were just beginning the "freedom rider" phase of forcefully desegregating the Southern states.
AD
