0
0
Rating: 5 out of 5
Back in middle school, I remember discussing Helen Keller. The extent of the lesson was that she was deaf and blind. We watched the Miracle Worker for about 30 minutes and then we moved on with other lessons. I really didn’t think about Helen Keller after that. Recently, I watched the Miracle Worker again because it was on my movie list. Once again, I forgot about this movie but as I started to watch it, I got mini flashbacks from when I was in middle school.
Who was Helen Keller? She was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. She lost her sight and hearing at a very young age. I think it was when she was a baby. Imagine growing up not seeing or hearing anything in this world. It’s crazy to think about. Helen’s life changes when she meets her first teacher Anne Sullivan. Sullivan, being partially blind herself, taught Keller language including reading and writing. Keller went on to have an outstanding life with becoming the first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree, writing 14 books and hundreds of speeches. Big up to the amazement and will of this woman.
The Miracle Worker, directed by Arthur Penn from a screenplay by William Gibson from a variety of resources, is the story of the beginning lessons of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. I want to say that this movie is AWESOME and at the end, you will cheer. It is that damn good. The film begins on the night of 1882 in the home of Captain and Mrs. Keller. A doctor rolls up to examine a baby in a crib. The doctor says the baby should be fine to the parents’ joys.
Captain Keller (Jory) escorts the doctor out while Mrs. Keller (Swenson) stays with the baby, smiling, talking, and tucking the baby in for the night. The smile slowly disappears when something catches her face. As she yells, Captain Keller runs back. Mrs. Keller says that the baby can’t hear or see. As they scream to get a reaction, they learn that Baby Helen is deaf and blind.
The film jumps to 1887 where Helen (Duke) has grown into a healthy but difficult brat. Every adult from Great Aunt Ev (Comegys), Helen’s older half-brother James (Prine) and the domestic help in the house have given up with trying to communicate or control Helen. Helen has no rules and pretty much does what she wants. Helen messes up when she yeets her new baby sister out of her cradle as she thinks it is a doll. After the incident, Captain Keller wants to put her in an asylum, but Mrs. Keller can’t do that, so they agree to find a teacher/companion for her. They are recommended for Annie Sullivan (Bancroft), a 20-year-old Irish American girl, who just graduated from the Perkins Institute for the Blind in South Boston. Anne is also recovering from a series of operations that have left her partially blind, but she is a strong-willed teacher. She has built a reputation for being stubborn and is haunted by her own demons when she was locked up in an asylum. Anne has a plan for Helen and to make the world a better place.
This film is all about the lessons and hardships between Helen and Anne. These two go to absolute WAR with each other. They are both stubborn and they go all out. What I mean by this is that Anne is strict and wants discipline while Helen had zero rules enforced upon her. The first battle was when Anne first arrived. She is in the room with Helen doing a lesson and when whap, Helen hits the shit outta Anne with her doll, knocking out one of her teeth. Helen takes it one step further by locking Anne in her room and dropping the key down the well. It was crazy to watch that scene but wait, it gets even crazier.
This scene was the craziest and you couldn’t do this in today’s world even if kids need it. Next day at breakfast, Anne sits back and watches how the family and Helen interact with each other. Helen wanders around the table, taking food from each person’s plate and stuffing it in her mouth while everyone pays no attention to her as they are used to her behavior. When Helen reaches for Anne’s plate, Anne gently fends her off. Helen gives the “WTF” look and becomes irritable. Captain Keller, the biggest enabler, tells her to let her do it but Anne is like, Fuck that and is about to give Helen a lesson on manners. Anne chases the family out of the room, and this is where shit goes down. As Kevin Hart said, “It’s about to go down.” It went down. Anne and Helen battle like two warriors in a gladiator arena. Anne and Helen go all out with Helen throwing her food and Anne putting it right back on the plate and handing her spoon after spoon. They straight up tussle and it is a sight to see. After probably an hour, Anne walks out like she has been in a fight and says that Helen learned how to use her spoon and fold her napkin. Shit was wild.
Even though Anne won a small battle her war isn’t over as Captain Keller, being a confederate soldier, doesn’t like any back talk from a Yankee girl. Captain Keller tries to give Anne demands and conditions, but Anne stands her ground and states that she wants to have full control over the lessons of Hellen without interference. Captain Keller agrees but only for two weeks. Helen and Anne move to a little cottage and the war once again begins with each being stubborn as ever. In the two weeks, Helen makes tremendous progress from eating at the table to dressing herself. Anne is making great progress, but Helen’s parents only think she is imitating and doing tricks.
The climax of this film is great. Captain Keller throws a party for Helen and Anne notices that Helen is reverting to her old ways because she knows that everyone will not hold her to standards like regular people. Anne can’t have that. During a war of words with everyone, Anne drags Helen outside where she says and spells water. Her parents rush out and she spells mother and father. Everyone cries and Helen gives Anne a kiss on the cheek. Stand up and applause.
I must applaud and give a standing ovation to Anne Bancroft as Anne Sullivan and Patty Duke as Helen Keller. Both actresses went hard in their roles. Patty Duke was the youngest person to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was great as Helen with her facial expressions to body language. Anne Bancroft won tie Best Actress award. I don’t know if anyone in her category could top this performance because she was that good. I enjoyed every minute she was on screen.
The Miracle Worker is a fantastic film that everyone should watch. Behind the amazing performances of Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke this film will make you cheer and might bring a tear or two down your eye. After watching this film, go out and learn about the life of Helen Keller.
