The Miracle Worker (1962)

The story of Anne Sullivan's struggle to teach the blind and deaf Helen Keller how to communicate.

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

William Gibson (screenplay), William Gibson (stage play),

Stars:

Anne Bancroft, Victor Jory, Inga Swenson

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anne Bancroft	...	Annie Sullivan
Victor Jory	...	Captain Arthur Keller
Inga Swenson	...	Kate Keller
Andrew Prine	...	James Keller
Kathleen Comegys	...	Aunt Ev
Patty Duke	...	Helen Keller

Storyline

Young Helen Keller, blind, deaf, and mute since infancy, is in danger of being sent to an institution. Her inability to communicate has left her frustrated and violent. In desperation, her parents seek help from the Perkins Institute, which sends them a "half-blind Yankee schoolgirl" named Annie Sullivan to tutor their daughter. Through persistence and love, and sheer stubbornness, Annie breaks through Helen's walls of silence and darkness and teaches her to communicate.

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Plot Keywords:

helen keller | struggle | institution | teacher | tutor | 

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Taglines:

A mighty motion picture experience. . .touch it. . .sense it. . .feel it. . .you can't forget it!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English American Sign Language

Release Date:

28 July 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ana de los milagros

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Playfilm Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 98 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ingrid Bergman claimed in her autobiography that she was offered the role of Annie Sullivan.

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Goofs

The way Annie holds the doll changes after Helen gets back in bed after learning 'milk.'

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Quotes

James Keller: Sooner or later, we all give up, don't we?
Annie Sullivan: Maybe you all do, but it's my idea of the original sin.
James Keller: What is?
Annie Sullivan: Giving up!

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Connections

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Hush, Little Baby"
(uncredited)
Traditional Southern lullaby
Music adapted by Don Costa
Lyrics by Arthur Siegel
Sung by Anne Bancroft
Also played in the score

User Reviews

An Exceptional Movie That Appeals to the Imagination

With two terrific leading performances, an absorbing and thought-provoking story, and many well-conceived touches by Arthur Penn and his production team, this classic version of "The Miracle Worker" is an exceptional movie that appeals to the imagination and that has much to say about humanity. The story itself is so good that even the lesser remakes have been worth seeing, but there is really no reason at all to look any further than this nearly flawless filming of the story.

As Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke could not have been better. The battle of wills and wits between the two is engrossing, becoming quite involved and very interesting. The lengthy dining room struggle alone would make any movie worth watching - it is worthwhile even beyond the interesting action itself, as it brings out aspects of human nature and human learning that go beyond even Helen's own trials.

There is a great deal of substance to the movie that goes beyond the immediate issues and confrontations, and a significant reason for the greatness of the film is the way that Bancroft and Duke tap into the imagination of the viewer. The concept of seeing an unseen world (and the challenge of helping someone to see it) is brought out in ways that are profound yet accessible.

The two leads carry almost the whole picture, as the other characters are there primarily for Annie and Helen to play off of. Accordingly, the supporting cast keep their characters more simple, and their performances stylized and almost exaggerated, which allows Bancroft and Duke to have most of the moments of significance. The production also enhances the picture through simple but well-conceived settings, use of lighting, and other features that nicely complement the main action.

It's always rather unfortunate that movies like this one, which take a little effort to appreciate fully, are not given more attention. If you stop to consider what Helen Keller had to face in life, it is a situation far more terrifying than facing any of the cartoonish, artificial movie villains that gain so much notoriety. And if you consider the job that Annie Sullivan had to do, her accomplishment is far more impressive and worthwhile than almost any scientific discovery, feat of athletics, or military exploit.

That this movie is able to convey such themes makes it a memorable classic that is much more worthwhile than many movies that have received far more acclaim.