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"

kenjha Based on a true story, this is the film version of the stage play about the relationship between a deaf, blind, and mute girl and her teacher. The film is generally entertaining, but everything from acting to direction is overdone. It seems Penn thought he was still working on the stage. He has his cast overact and scream as if he wants to make sure that the deaf people in the back row of the theater can catch it all. Bancroft and Duke both won Oscars because these are the types of showy performances that win Oscars. The grainy and out of focus flashback scenes to Anne Sullivan's childhood are meant to be artistic but come across as cheesy.

plutus1947 OK I know this film is in B&W and nearly 50 years old but nevertheless I believe it deserves another review now.Those who have not heard of this film or yet seen it I believe should get it out on rental right away and see what films that truly deserve a fistful of Oscars are like.SPOILER STARTS: The film, the true story of Helen Keller a young girl who is unsighted, unspeaking and unhearing. Her parents simply did not know how to cope with the situation and eventually managed to get the services of a 'live in' teacher, Annie Sullivan, who herself was only 20 years old and had been blind from birth. However Annie, after many operations, did become partially sighted.Until Annie arrived the parents of Helen simply let her roam the house and grounds doing whatever she wanted, probably because they did not know how to handle her and it was easier for them to let Helen 'go her own way'.When Annie Sullivan arrived the household was turned upside down because she refused to allow Helen the freedom she always had and she set to teaching this basically wild, uncontrolled and very unhappy girl. Neither would Annie allow herself to be dictated to by Helen's family.The parents were seriously considering putting Helen into an asylum until Annie arrived. However Annie had been brought up in an asylum with her brother, who had been left disabled from TB. Her brother died of Scarlet Fever in the institution.SPOILER ENDS To see what happens to Annie and Helen I feel everyone should watch the film.There is one scene however which I feel was probably the most difficult scene ever to have been made for the silver screen. It is the scene that takes place in the dining room. The myriad of emotions that must have been coursing through Anne Bancroft (Annie) and Patty Duke (Helen) during the making of this scene must have been phenomenal.SPOILER BEGINS: Helen's parents allow her to eat off any and everyones plate whilst they were eating there meals rather than sitting her down and teaching her how to eat from a plate and a spoon etc.Annie is having none of it and she makes Helen's family leave her alone with Helen. There is a battle between her and Helen which would make D'Day pale into insignificance and lasted the rest of the day.The battle was to make Helen learn to sit at the table and eat from her plate with a spoon. A simple task you may say, but there was an almighty clash of wills between Helen and Annie and neither would surrender.SPOLER ENDS Again you must watch the film to see how it all ends.This scene I believe is the most wonderful scene that has ever been produced and both Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke must have been utterly exhausted by the time the scene had finished. Although the scene must have been shot in stages you could still see from the expressions on the participants faces and their fight for breath that it took every last ounce of energy and strength out of them. The trust and rapport both Anne and Patty had between them must have been astounding.The scene itself lasted over 20 minutes and it was oh so poignant and harrowing.Patty Duke played the part of the very young Helen Keller and it was her movie acting debut. Patty will never be able to surpass the role she played in The Miracle Worker because she can never improve on absolute perfection. For a young girl so young and inexperienced in the cinema world she was totally mesmerising. She won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Suppoorting Role for her part and if she had not I for one would have wanted to know why.The Miracle Worker was remade in both 1979 and 2000, both for TV. In the 1979 version Patty Duke this time played Anne Bancroft's part of Annie Sullivan which Anne portrayed in the 1962 version. Unfortunately the 1979 version appears unavailable in DVD.The beautiful, late Anne Bancroft played the part of Annie Sullivan and was very much deserving of the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role Although she will always be remembered as Mrs Robinson in the wonderful movie The Graduate to me The Graduate is only her third best role.Without a doubt her best roles were as Annie Sullivan in the Miracle Worker, Helen Hanff in 84 Charing Cross Road, opposite Anthony Hopkins and The Graduate opposite Dustin Hoffman, in that order.POTTED BIO OF HELEN & ANNIE Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan remained life long friends and later companion to Helen Keller until Annie died in 1936 at the age of 70. Annie's ashes were placed in the Washington National Cathedral.Helen Keller lived to the ripe young age of 87 and died on 1 Jun 68 just a few days before her 88th birthday on the 27th.Helen became an author, political activist, suffragette, pacifist and was very outspoken in her opposition to war.She was the first unseeing, unhearing person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.When she died in 1968 her ashes were also laid to rest in the Washington National Cathedral, right beside her life long friend and teacher Annie Sullivan.How different Helen's life might have been if it were not for the intervention, skill, love, compassion and sheer determination of Annie Sullivan.I am not ashamed to admit it, this film fact based movie brought more than a tear to my eyes.Plutus1947

Chrysanthepop Arthur Penn's exhilarating 'The Miracle Worker' is a fascinating story based on the account between Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller. One couldn't even begin to imagine what Helen Keller's dark and soundless world must have been like and what a challenge it must have been for Annie Sullivan to guide her and bring some light into her silent world. 'The Miracle Worker' very effectively tells the story giving us some of the most memorable cinematic sequences such as the dining scene where Annie teaches Helen some manners. Another sequence that deserves mention for its fine simple execution is the recurring nightmare of Annie. There's some fine camera-work involved.The highlights of 'The Miracle Worker' are the sequences between Annie and Helen. Needless to say, the movie is carried by the two phenomenal lead actresses: Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke. This is reportedly Duke's first movie and what an incredible debut, that too for such a young actress! Bancroft is sublime and transcendent. This will (or perhaps already has) go down as one of the greatest performances by a lead actress. The supporting cast perform well even though they are clearly overshadowed by the leads.The only minor quibble I have is the background score. Such loud background music was a common thing in movies of the 60s. However, in this case, it can easily be overlooked due to the powerful story and performances.On a final note, 'The Miracle Worker' is an enlightening, uplifting and important film that deserves to be viewed. There have been several remakes and interpretative movies over the years following but nothing has topped Penn's movie.