The Miracle Worker (2000 film)
Encyclopedia
The Miracle Worker is a 2000 television remake of the 1962 film with the same name
. It is based on the life of Helen Keller
and Annie Sullivan's struggles to teach her.
, and her efforts in working with a young sullen Helen Keller
, played by Hallie Kate Eisenberg
. The movie focuses on Annie’s struggle to draw Helen, a blind, deaf and mute girl out of her world of darkness and silence. Helen has been unable to communicate with her family except through physical temper tantrums since a childhood illness took her three senses from her at the age of 19 months old. She is allowed to eat with her hands, knock over or break anything and basically do whatever else she desires. All of this while being looked at with pity by her family. Her family loves her but they are all convinced she is a dumb, soft brained child with the intelligence of an animal who will never learn anything. She is barely pacified with candy when she throws a tantrum and is headed toward institutionalization in a sanitarium when Annie Sullivan enters her life as Helen’s parents last ditch effort to avoid the inevitable. Plagued with vision problems of her own and orphaned at a young age, Annie Sullivan has the right mix of steeliness, empathy and patience to turn her young student's behavior around and teach her language. Annie’s job as Helen’s teacher is made more difficult by Helen’s imperious plantation-owner father, Captain Keller played by David Strathairn
, and her overly soft-hearted mother, Kate Keller played by Kate Greenhouse, when they doubt her authority and challenge her methods. Annie’s goal is to not just teach Helen to behave but to break through to her with the gift of communication. Using sign language and signing the letters to spell words in Helen’s open palm Annie makes large strides toward improving Helen’s behavior. After two weeks of living alone with Helen in a small house on the Keller family plantation Annie is still unable to reach a break through with Helen when her mandated time deadline is reached. During Helen’s home coming dinner she begins to revert to her old ways of acting. Annie takes Helen outside to refill a water pitcher she spilled during a tantrum at the pump and the long awaited break through is made. Helen makes the connection that the words Annie has been spelling in her open palm are in reality the communicative representation of those things in the physical world around her. The word “water” is the wet fluid coming out of the water pump. With this connection the doorway for communication is opened to Helen and she can now survive and thrive in the world through the eyes and ears of others.
The Miracle Worker (1962 film)
The Miracle Worker is a 1962 American biographical film directed by Arthur Penn. The screenplay by William Gibson is based on his 1959 play of the same title, which originated as a 1957 broadcast of the television anthology series Playhouse 90...
. It is based on the life of Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
and Annie Sullivan's struggles to teach her.
Plot
This movie is the story about Annie Sullivan, played by Alison ElliottAlison Elliott
Alison A. Elliott is an American actress.Elliott was born in San Francisco, CA, the daughter of Barbara, a teacher of nursing, and Bob Elliott, a computer executive. She moved with her family to Tokyo, Japan when she was 4 years old, and then moved back to San Francisco when she was 8, where she...
, and her efforts in working with a young sullen Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
, played by Hallie Kate Eisenberg
Hallie Kate Eisenberg
-Early life:Eisenberg was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, the daughter of Amy, who worked as a clown at children's parties, and Barry Eisenberg, who ran a hospital and later became a college professor. She has two siblings, actor Jesse Eisenberg, star of The Social Network, and Kerri...
. The movie focuses on Annie’s struggle to draw Helen, a blind, deaf and mute girl out of her world of darkness and silence. Helen has been unable to communicate with her family except through physical temper tantrums since a childhood illness took her three senses from her at the age of 19 months old. She is allowed to eat with her hands, knock over or break anything and basically do whatever else she desires. All of this while being looked at with pity by her family. Her family loves her but they are all convinced she is a dumb, soft brained child with the intelligence of an animal who will never learn anything. She is barely pacified with candy when she throws a tantrum and is headed toward institutionalization in a sanitarium when Annie Sullivan enters her life as Helen’s parents last ditch effort to avoid the inevitable. Plagued with vision problems of her own and orphaned at a young age, Annie Sullivan has the right mix of steeliness, empathy and patience to turn her young student's behavior around and teach her language. Annie’s job as Helen’s teacher is made more difficult by Helen’s imperious plantation-owner father, Captain Keller played by David Strathairn
David Strathairn
David Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
, and her overly soft-hearted mother, Kate Keller played by Kate Greenhouse, when they doubt her authority and challenge her methods. Annie’s goal is to not just teach Helen to behave but to break through to her with the gift of communication. Using sign language and signing the letters to spell words in Helen’s open palm Annie makes large strides toward improving Helen’s behavior. After two weeks of living alone with Helen in a small house on the Keller family plantation Annie is still unable to reach a break through with Helen when her mandated time deadline is reached. During Helen’s home coming dinner she begins to revert to her old ways of acting. Annie takes Helen outside to refill a water pitcher she spilled during a tantrum at the pump and the long awaited break through is made. Helen makes the connection that the words Annie has been spelling in her open palm are in reality the communicative representation of those things in the physical world around her. The word “water” is the wet fluid coming out of the water pump. With this connection the doorway for communication is opened to Helen and she can now survive and thrive in the world through the eyes and ears of others.
Cast
- Hallie Kate EisenbergHallie Kate Eisenberg-Early life:Eisenberg was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, the daughter of Amy, who worked as a clown at children's parties, and Barry Eisenberg, who ran a hospital and later became a college professor. She has two siblings, actor Jesse Eisenberg, star of The Social Network, and Kerri...
as Helen Keller - Alison ElliottAlison ElliottAlison A. Elliott is an American actress.Elliott was born in San Francisco, CA, the daughter of Barbara, a teacher of nursing, and Bob Elliott, a computer executive. She moved with her family to Tokyo, Japan when she was 4 years old, and then moved back to San Francisco when she was 8, where she...
as Annie Sullivan - David StrathairnDavid StrathairnDavid Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
as Captain Arthur H. Keller - Kate Greenhouse as Katherine Adams Keller
- Lucas BlackLucas BlackLucas York Black is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the CBS television series American Gothic as well as roles in films such as Sling Blade, Jarhead, Friday Night Lights, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Legion, Get Low, and All the Pretty Horses.-Personal...
as James Keller