The Miracle Worker (2000)

I saw this movie when i was only 10 years old i was in the fifth grade i moved to Columbus Indiana during the middle of the school year and i went to Smith Elementry and my class watched a movie called "The Miracle Worker" and when i saw it i said to myself it would have to have been one of the greatest movies i had ever seen and someday i hope to see it again. I would also wish to meet Hallie Kate Eisenberg because she is now and will forever be one of my most favorite actresses there will ever be. Hope to meet you Hallie!Best wishes to all,Allison J. McTarsney

I have enjoyed both of the earlier versions of The Miracle Worker so much so that I wanted to see this one. While the performance by Alison Elliott as Anne Sullivan was very well done, she was handicapped by the watered down dialogue and tension between her character and that of Helen. For someone who has never seen either the 1962 version with Anne Bancroft as Anne and Patty Duke as Helen or the 1979 version with Patty Duke as Anne and Melissa Gilbert as Helen (which is my favorite - probably because I saw it first), this version may be enjoyable, but I found it to be deflatingly understated. If you have seen either of the earlier renditions, do not expect the dramatic scenes to be as emotional or the dialogue to be as effective in this latest remake.

This story is just screaming to be a fine movie. What is better subject matter for a presentation by signs, than a story of presentation by signs. And there has been a moderately successful film made in 1962, at least it had the weight of trembling actors.This version has been Disneyfied in predicable ways: dumbed, cleaned and sweetened accordingly. But oddly enough for a film about blindness, it is blazingly bright and colorful. I think this is a simple accident of what Disney knows about how TeeVee bleaches colors.And it has two actors who have done well in fine films. Nominally, they are supposed to have a huge metaphysical tussle, here more of a staring contest. David Strathairn's presence in 'Limbo' is really something you need to see. Any one of tens of thousands could have done what he does here.Alison Elliott just blew me away in 'Wings of a Dove.' This woman has enough power to suggest what is suspected of the 'real' Anne, that much of the intelligence of her student was imposed. This would have been fertile stuff for an intelligent film. Oh well, at least she does something.That can't be said for the Helen here who is little more than the dolls in this story. Would have made more sense if that Anne redactor layer was mined.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

This movie is so good. I have not yet seen the original but it cannot be any better than this is. Haley should have got some sort of award for her acting in the film. It will touch your heart and make you understand what a great gift Annie Sullivan gave Helen Keller! A must see.