Helen Keller (1880-1968) in any age, in any time would be one of the most remarkable stories in human history. Condemned by meningitis or scarlet fever as an infant to lose both sight and hearing, her soul locked in a dark corner, she overcame and adapted to become one of the most admired people ever to walk the earth. She walked in darkness and silence, still she communicated to the world.
Her breakthrough in communication is the subject matter of the award winning play, The Miracle Worker. The play written by William Gibson, directed by Arthur Penn ran on Broadway during the 1959-1961 season for 719 performances and starred Anne Bancroft as Anne Sullivan and Patty Duke as Helen. All four of these people repeated their contributions for the film version as Hollywood players filled the rest of the parts of the film.
The play with a bit of dramatic and casting license tells accurately the story of the difficulty in teaching and training young Helen to speak through sign, to make her first learn that those finger motions that Bancroft keeps using on Duke's hand have a meaning. 46 years after this film came out, it's still a defining moment when she does break through to her. It's taken with complete accuracy from Helen Keller's own autobiography. Later on much after the film action is concluded, Helen Keller did develop vocal skills as well.
For a girl from Tuscumbia, Alabama Helen Keller's views are pretty left wing. She was a member of the International Workers of the World, she was a confirmed pacifist, she campaigned for women's suffrage. What argument could the most chauvinistic male possibly make as to why she shouldn't have the right to vote? All stuff not calculated to go over in a place like Alabama. Then again, losing sight and sound at such an early age, Helen never developed the prejudices we normal people have. Her perspective on life was truly a unique one.
The Academy in its infinite wisdom decided that Anne Bancroft rated competing in the Best Actress category while Patty Duke was in the Supporting Actress field. There's no way Patty Duke was a Supporting Actress, most of the film and the most dramatic moments are with the two of them on the screen together. Still it did allow both to take home Oscars for The Miracle Worker.
Personally I think the two of them won it for the staggering sheer physicality for the roles. Bancroft trying to control the sightless and deaf Duke is enough to make anyone exhausted just from watching it. Remember also that Bancroft and Duke did it 719 times on Broadway and more in fact if they took the play on the road. Anyway you slice it they were deserved winners.
The Miracle Worker after 46 years is still a towering inspirational story as fresh today as it was on Broadway in its debut. It ought to be required viewing.
Her breakthrough in communication is the subject matter of the award winning play, The Miracle Worker. The play written by William Gibson, directed by Arthur Penn ran on Broadway during the 1959-1961 season for 719 performances and starred Anne Bancroft as Anne Sullivan and Patty Duke as Helen. All four of these people repeated their contributions for the film version as Hollywood players filled the rest of the parts of the film.
The play with a bit of dramatic and casting license tells accurately the story of the difficulty in teaching and training young Helen to speak through sign, to make her first learn that those finger motions that Bancroft keeps using on Duke's hand have a meaning. 46 years after this film came out, it's still a defining moment when she does break through to her. It's taken with complete accuracy from Helen Keller's own autobiography. Later on much after the film action is concluded, Helen Keller did develop vocal skills as well.
For a girl from Tuscumbia, Alabama Helen Keller's views are pretty left wing. She was a member of the International Workers of the World, she was a confirmed pacifist, she campaigned for women's suffrage. What argument could the most chauvinistic male possibly make as to why she shouldn't have the right to vote? All stuff not calculated to go over in a place like Alabama. Then again, losing sight and sound at such an early age, Helen never developed the prejudices we normal people have. Her perspective on life was truly a unique one.
The Academy in its infinite wisdom decided that Anne Bancroft rated competing in the Best Actress category while Patty Duke was in the Supporting Actress field. There's no way Patty Duke was a Supporting Actress, most of the film and the most dramatic moments are with the two of them on the screen together. Still it did allow both to take home Oscars for The Miracle Worker.
Personally I think the two of them won it for the staggering sheer physicality for the roles. Bancroft trying to control the sightless and deaf Duke is enough to make anyone exhausted just from watching it. Remember also that Bancroft and Duke did it 719 times on Broadway and more in fact if they took the play on the road. Anyway you slice it they were deserved winners.
The Miracle Worker after 46 years is still a towering inspirational story as fresh today as it was on Broadway in its debut. It ought to be required viewing.