Of course, everyone has their own opinion about the best version of this film. To me, the 1962 version is the best. Anne Bancroft's performance as Anne Sullivan is nuanced and heartrending. Patty Duke manages to play a feral but brilliant Helen, who expresses rage, joy, fear, and sorrow without language. Even beyond those two, the cast is excellent. Kate is a loving mother, a picture of Southern gentlewomanhood. Captain Keller is the overbearing, short-tempered, but ultimately loving father. James is the contentious son who constantly challenges his father. And the audience can see them slowly coming apart at the seams as their pity for Helen turns her into their lord and master. I was surprised, watching the 1979 version, how much Patty Duke seemed to pale in comparison to Anne Bancroft as Anne Sullivan. She was still good, but somehow, there was less passion. Less of the obstinance and fury at the world that seemed to drive Bancroft's Sullivan. And Melissa Gilbert seemed afraid to emote as much as Duke had as Helen. In general, the cast seemed less sure of their parts, and much less subtle. However, both the 1962 and 1979 versions passed the ultimate test: when Anne Sullivan screamed, "She knows!" I wept. ...That I did not cry at the 2000 remake is the greatest of its failures, and I believe it the fault of the script's Disneyfication. All in all, the Disney script lacked the subtlety and nuance of the original. I will the give the benefit of the doubt to the actors involved, but their characters were not what I believe they were supposed to be, having read the original script. By the time they write to Perkins, the original play describes Kate as being worn and aged by her love for her wild, undisciplined daughter. This Kate is too earnest and optimistic. There is not enough desperation in her. I would say the same of Captain Keller, though I did appreciate that they included the scene where he waits with Helen for Kate to come back with Anne, and he laments the fact that Helen doesn't know he's her father. I think my biggest character complaint in this version is James. Previous versions of James were sympathetic in their way. He is the son of a forgotten mother, and his little sister is spoiled and pitied while he is constantly chided, no matter what he says or does. ...In this version, he seems cruel and vindictive.All in all, this version never captures the emotion and weight of the original.

When i was about seven years old, I read a fascinating book, unusual for me considering I wasn't really much for reading books (and still aren't). I read this one several times, mostly for the story but also for two very secret codes that no one else knew. I learned them to the extent that throughout my schooling, I could use either one of them quite proficiently. One of the codes was Braille, the other was the Manual Alphabet. The name of the book was "the story of Helen Keller". It also gave me a lifetime of wanting to learn the entire American Sign Language. It would take fifteen years after first reading the book, but I would eventually learn some of this amazing language.Now we jump to a time two years ago. My boss at the time, a truck driver and breeder of Great Danes, knowing I was very much an animal lover, asked if I'd be interested in taking a deaf female great dane he'd rescued from another breeder. The four month old puppy, a beautiful version of the coloring known as Harlequin, needed patience and extensive training. After several weeks working with her virtually every free moment, I was going to do something I'd never once considered: I was going to give up on another living creature. I wasn't getting through. Nothing was working. I was getting truly frustrated because she didn't seem to be catching on. I was seriously considering sending her back to my boss, who would find her another home. Maybe I and Evony weren't supposed to connect... I told my mom of this plan, and she, the one who taught me my love of animals, asked me to give the puppy just a little while longer.It was while I was sitting in the living room shortly after that, checking the schedule of the satellite TV that I noticed the title "the miracle worker". Very familiar to the story of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller (favorite book, remember), I switched it over to the movie. I watched it, taping it at the same time, then sat there a long time afterward. One idea of the movie stayed with me: If Annie Sullivan gave up, she was Helen Keller's last chance. Helen would be sent to an insane asylum (a common practise at the time for severely/multiple handicapped people). If, throughout the conflict, she had let go of that little hand, Helen Keller would have been just another sightless, soundless face in an asylum, instead of a leader and inspiration to all. Annie was the only one who saw intelligence behind those sightless eyes. She just had to get through to it. I looked at Evony, the puppy I had considered naming Helen or Keller, in honor of Helen Keller, and knew I couldn't give up and let go of that little hand...Evony is now a two and a half year old, happy, healthy (36 inches at the shoulder, 150 pounds!) dog. Without any knowledge of signals used by dog trainers, I taught her American Sign Language. Her vocabulary is now sixteen signed commands. She adores anyone she meets, favorite is the kids who are fascinated by this giant white dog. When they ask if they can pet her, I request that they approach from the front so she can see them, because she can't hear. Then their fascination grows: a deaf dog. Adults are amazed that this huge dog, the personification of affection, understands American Sign Language. My answer is the same: "She's very intelligent. Just took some patience..." Do I see myself as a male Annie Sullivan, teaching a canine Helen Keller to lead the world? No. Her mission is to teach everyone to get along, and that they should all stop and pet large white dogs whenever possible. She does prove, however, what is possible when you're inspired. What a mistake I may have made, if not for this movie airing when it did.

My students clamor for this version of The Miracle Worker, insisting that the modern filming techniques (like color) make it a better film. I insist that we read the original play and watch the 1962 version first. Most students are then quickly disappointed by the 2000 version. The only thing going for Hallie is that she looks closer to the age Helen actually was at the time, and she has a slight resemblance to Helen's childhood pictures. Otherwise, she is much too presentable to be believable as Helen. The remake also tampers with the original script. Too much attention is given here to the internal conflicts of James Keller---the jealousy of Kate and Helen and the need for his father's approval. The 1962 screenplay is more faithful to the original Broadway play, which is understandable since William Gibson wrote both. In short, the only purpose this film serves is to demonstrate, through comparison with the original, the power of the classic and the weaknesses of the remake.

At first it might not have seemed like such a bad idea to remake this movie again. Afterall the story of Annie Sullivan teaching Helen Keller communication is timeless and the 1979 version does prove that remakes can still work. So, if they had to do another one two decades later, why cast the Pepsi Girl in the coveted role as Helen?? I read a review that said her emotionless performance should be nicknamed "Frankenkeller", because she does indeed walk around like a robot! The only good thing about her performance is that she doesn't talk in the film! She is also too graceful a Helen. Patty Duke, and even Melissa Gilbert had a more wild animal like energy to their performances, while Ms. Pepsi seems bored as Helen (or is it that we are just bored at watching her? Would someone give her a Pepsi, please?? I was totally shocked that she didn't start singing at the pivotal water pump scene "The Joy of Wa-Wa"! However, she didn't say anything at all! Where is the emotional wallup that that scene has always brought to us?!On some postive notes: The sets are grand and so are the costumes. Ms. Allison's performance as young fiest Sullivan can almost stand proudly besides Anne Bancroft's Oscar-winning turn as Anne Sullivan and Patty Duke's Emmy-winning interpretation of her. Do yourself a favor and watch the 1962 and 79 versions, ones that didn't rape such a gorgeous tale. My score: 3