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Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Andrew Prine, Anne Bancroft, Annie Sullivan, Captain Arthur Keller, General Comments, Helen Keller, Highly Recommended To Must See Movie, Inga Swenson, James Keller, Kate Keller, Kathleen Comegys, Movie Reviews, Patty Duke, Perkins School for the Blind, Rebel Without A Cause, Reviews, The Miracle Worker (1962) – movie review, Tony Awards, U.S. National Film Registry, Victor Jory on September 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

“The Miracle Worker” (1962) – movie review
Today’s review is for the historical / biographical / drama film: “The Miracle Worker” (1962), starring Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan (a fiercely determined teacher with failing eyesight and a traumatic past), Patty Duke as Helen Keller (a blind and deaf child trapped in silence and personal rage), Victor Jory as Captain Arthur Keller (Helen’s stern but emotionally distant father), Inga Swenson as Kate Keller (Helen’s mother, torn between hope and helplessness), Andrew Prine as James Keller (Helen’s half-brother, skeptical and resentful), and Kathleen Comegys as Aunt Ev (a well-meaning but ineffectual family member).

Background: I picked this film up during a “100 films for $100” sale. I knew the broad strokes — Helen Keller / a disabled person v. a teacher — but I have never seen the film or heard much of the actual story. I didn’t really know what to expect from the film; I just knew this was an “acclaimed” film back when I was young. What we see is a psychological (and sometimes physical) cage match disguised as a domestic drama. This isn’t a film about disability — it’s about discipline, desperation, and the honest cost of breakthrough / achievement.

Plot Summary: Helen Keller (Duke) is blind, deaf, and mute due to an illness in infancy. Her family, overwhelmed and indulgent (wealthy), allows her to behave like a feral child — grabbing food from plates, throwing tantrums, and manipulating her environment through narcissistic chaos. Enter teacher / care-giver Annie Sullivan (Bancroft), a graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, hired to teach Helen how to function in a “normal” society – or at least to the best of her (Helen’s) ability. Annie, herself is partially blind, emotionally scarred, and she refuses to coddle Helen. She demands discipline, structure, and isolation from the family to break Helen’s habits. The film centers on the physical and emotional battles between Annie and Helen — most famously the extended dining room scene where Annie tries to teach Helen to fold a napkin and eat with a spoon. The climax comes at the water pump, where Annie spells “W-A-T-E-R” into Helen’s hand and Helen finally connects the tactile sign to the concept. The breakthrough is seismic. Helen’s world opens. Annie weeps. The family watches in awe. The film ends not with triumph, but with the beginning of understanding.

So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? How about the filming / FX? Are there any problems? And, did I like the film? Short answers: Yes; exceptional; minimal but effective; dated in places; and yes — it’s a deeply moving film.

Is this movie any good? Yes. It’s an excellent character-driven story. The film doesn’t rely on spectacle — it relies on grit (and caring). The emotional stakes are high, but the payoff is earned by the characters and by us (the viewers). It’s a feel-everything movie for about 90% of the film and then it blossoms into a feel-good movie at the end. I would also mention the movie was a Broadway hit in 1959 with Bancroft and Duke reprising their stage roles for this film. The stage version won several Tony Awards.

Acting: Bancroft is excellent — tough, tender, and unrelenting. Duke, at just 15, delivers a performance that’s physical and well beyond her age. Their scenes together are mostly intense, often violent, and frequently emotionally exhausting. Jory and Swenson provide solid support and Prine’s James adds tension as the voice of doubt. The cast is solid but it is the chemistry between Bancroft and Duke which is what drives the film. Bancroft won Best Actress and Duke won Best Supporting Actress for their roles.

Filming / FX: The cinematography is stark — black and white, with natural lighting. Studios were just making the transition to “color” films in the early 1960s. In our age of almost exclusively color movies, the lack of color enhances the emotional bleakness of the times and of the “limitations” of the two lead characters. I don’t know if the choice of black and white was creative or driven by finance as color films were considerably more expensive back then. The physical confrontations between Sullivan and Keller were / are surprising (to me) in their realism – particularly after watching the “fake / staged” knife fight shown in “Rebel Without A Cause” a short while ago. There are no “real” special effects, and none are needed. There are a few minor flashbacks of Sullivan remembering her youth and the death of her younger brother. The film, though, is all about performance and pacing.

Problems: A few and minor. Some of the supporting characters are underwritten. I would have liked to see more of the brother (James) character. The depiction of “correcting” a disability is dated — more about taming than understanding. Also, the film risks oversimplifying the long, ongoing process of education and adaptation for both of the main characters (and the family). But, no movie is “perfect” and you have to get the story across in the time limits of the movie not the real-time of Helen’s growth / transition.

Did I enjoy the film? Yes. Though “enjoy” might not be the “perfect” word. I was moved, impressed, and inspired. The film is about the fight to connect as human beings, and the cost of that fight – for the family, the teacher and the student.

Final Recommendation: Highly recommended to MUST see. “The Miracle Worker” is a film that demonstrates patience and emotional commitment to the art (and science) of teaching. If you’re interested in historical bio-drama, disability representation, or just want to see two actors go toe-to-toe in a battle of wills, this is a must-watch. The “miracle” is Helen Keller. The “miracle worker” is Annie Sullivan. As an aside, this film has been selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry for its cultural and historical significance. So, yeah, it’s THAT good!

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