The Miracle Worker (1962 film)
- Anne Bancroft Anne Sullivan
- Victor Jory: Arthur Keller
- Inga Swenson: Kate Keller
- Patty Duke: Helen Keller
- Andrew Prine: James Keller
- Kathleen Comegys: Aunt Ev
Light in the Dark is an American film drama from the year 1962. The screenplay is based on the autobiographical novel of the deafblind writer Helen Keller.
Action
Anne Sullivan is a visually impaired teacher. 1887 coming into the town Tuscumbis in Alabama. You want the blind seven -year-old Helen Keller, who is also deaf, teach the language through touch. Annie realizes that Helen can only help if you cut off the influence of their verhätschelnden mother and her dominant father.
In fact, Annie is allowed to withdraw for two weeks with Helen in a garden shed to work with her. But Helen, who has her own mind, the non-cooperation. After all, she has learned but after two weeks, to dress himself, eat with utensils, and to recognize the alphabet by touch. But you can not understand that the words they spelled so, the names of the objects are touched by them. Annie asks for another week, but the parents want the child have back in the house again. Here Helen falls back to its original wildness.
When Helen spilled water while eating, Annie forces her to fill the jug to the pump in the front yard again. Helen feels the water flowing over her hands. She now realizes that what she feels is WATER. She grabs Annie's hands and spells the word. Enthusiastic running around Helen and spell the names of everything it touches: pump, tree, porch, Bell, father, mother. Finally, it identifies Annie by spells the word teacher.
Reviews
The lexicon of the International film described the film as "a remarkable mainly for acting commitment to live by and with disabled people. "
The film magazine Cinema about the film: " insistent chamber game that very touched "
Bosley Crowther praised by the New York Times that the formidable and unforgettable performance of the play was also included in the film.
The Variety highlights the excellent camera work out in addition to the valuable history.
The " TimeOut Film Guide " describes Penn's film as a remarkable film version of the play. It is a stunningly impressive piece of work whose power, typical of Penn, proceeded from the performers.
The " TVGuide " described the film as shocking and painful honest, sometimes brutal, amazingly played and produced.
Awards
The film has won numerous film awards. He won two Academy Awards in the categories of Best Actress ( Anne Bancroft ) and Best Supporting Actress ( Patty Duke). He was nominated in the categories of Best Director ( Arthur Penn ), Best Adapted Screenplay ( William Gibson ) and Best Costumes ( Ruth Morley ). For Anne Bancroft, who worked in New York, Joan Crawford took the Oscar.
At the ceremony of the Laurel Award Patty Duke won in the category Best Supporting Actress. In the categories of Best Drama and Best Actress ( Anne Bancroft ), the second place was achieved in each case.
The British Film Academy Awards Anne Bancroft was honored as Best Foreign Actress. The film was nominated for Best Film in the category.
At the film festival of San Sebastián Arthur Penn won the OCIC Award, Anne Bancroft was awarded the Prize San Sebastián.
Other awards were a gold medal at the awarding of the Photoplay Award and the NBR Award for Anne Bancroft from the National Board of Review.
Furthermore, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Picture ( Drama ), Best Actress ( Drama ) ( Anne Bancroft ) and Best Supporting Actress ( Patty Duke). In addition, the film was nominated for the DGA Award of the Directors Guild of America and for the WGA Award Writers Guild of America.
Background
Premiere of the film in the U.S. was on 23 May 1962. In Germany he came on 15 February 1963 in the cinemas.
With an estimated budget of $ 500,000 the film grossed about 2.5 million U.S. dollars in the U.S..
1957 Arthur Penn had turned the material for an episode of a TV series. Writer William Gibson wrote in 1959 a manuscript for a play based on Helen Keller's novel, for the Arthur Penn also directed. In the play, Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke played their film roles, including Kathleen Comegys as Aunt Ev stood on the stage. The play was performed 719 times, and won a Tony Award.
For the film later another actress as Helen Keller should be required, as Patty Duke was a teenager. But because of their stage experience Patty Duke was yet taken.
One of the assistant directors of Arthur Penn was Ulu Grosbard.