A Child Is Waiting (1963)

Psychologist Dr. Matthew Clark is the head of the Crawthorne State Training Institute, one of the first boarding schools for developmentally challenged children. Dr. Clark is sympathetic ... See full summary »

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writers:

Abby Mann (screenplay), Abby Mann (story)

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Gena Rowlands

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burt Lancaster	...	Dr. Matthew Clark
Judy Garland	...	Jean Hansen
Gena Rowlands	...	Sophie Widdicombe
Steven Hill	...	Ted Widdicombe
Paul Stewart	...	Goodman
Gloria McGehee	...	Mattie
Lawrence Tierney	...	Douglas Benham
Bruce Ritchey	...	Reuben Widdicombe
John Marley	...	Holland
Bill Mumy	...	Boy Counting Jean's Pearls
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Miss Fogarty

Storyline

Psychologist Dr. Matthew Clark is the head of the Crawthorne State Training Institute, one of the first boarding schools for developmentally challenged children. Dr. Clark is sympathetic but demanding of his teachers and students. His approach of tough love is controversial. He takes a chance at hiring former aspiring concert pianist Jean Hansen as the school's music teacher, Miss Hansen who has no background in nursing, teaching or dealing with the developmentally challenged. She herself is trying to find her own place in life. She immediately bonds with autistic student Reuben Widdicombe, who she sees as needing special attention in light of his parents having not visited him since they enrolled him in the school two years earlier. The Widdicombes divorced shortly thereafter because of the pressures their relationship faced in dealing with Reuben. Dr. Clark sees Reuben as the type of child the most difficult with which to deal: Reuben understands just enough to realize that he is ...

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Plot Keywords:

teaching | down's syndrome | based on tv movie | school | disability | 

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Taglines:

Only Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland could tell this untold story... and make your heart tell it over and over again!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The actor playing Dr Mazer is not credited anywhere, but he looks exactly like, and must surely be Edward Asner.

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Goofs

As the camera follows Jean Hansen from classroom to classroom during her first tour, a crew member is reflected in the glass doors between the classrooms.

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Quotes

Dr. Matthew Clark: I think you can find what you're looking for here, Miss Hansen. Because it's not what you can do for these children; it's what they can do for you.

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Crazy Credits

Following the last name in the cast list (Elizabeth Wilson) are the words "and The Children".

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Connections

Version of Studio One in Hollywood: A Child Is Waiting (1957)

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Soundtracks

Snowflakes
Written by Marjorie D. Kurtz
Performed Judy Garland

User Reviews

Warm and touching

I saw this movie because many said Judy Garland was excellent in it. I thought, though, it'd be boring or stupid because it was going to be more artistic, like Audrey Hepburn's "A Nun's Story" (major dissappointment) but I couldn't have been more wrong. Judy stars is this with Burt Lancaster of course but the real star of the movie is Bruce Ritchey, who plays a mentally challenged boy. Jean Hansen (Garland) wants more in her life and gets the job as a music teacher for the mentally challenged children at an institution. Dr. Clark (Lancaster) is a physchologist with very controversial methods of getting the children to behave. Hansen falls in love with one of the boys, not romantically but more on a nurturing basis. He returns her love and they become the best of friends and inseperable. This worries Dr. Clark. He doesn't want to see the boy get hurt...Or more Ms. Hansen get hurt. He knows that "Love isn't enough" and in a very compelling, tear jerking scene, he shares this little tip with Ms. Hansen. This movie is wonderful. I think that Ms. Garland became more beautiful with each passing year. She was fantastic. Mr. Lancaster, too, was excellent as was the woman who playe Reuban's mother. This got an 8/10. I suggest that any Judy Garland fan see it. It took a lot for her to do this picture.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un niño espera

Filming Locations:

Pomona, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 104 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1