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Helen Keller
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We are reading Helen Keller by Lorena A Hickok and we are loving it so far. I was wondering if any of you lovely ladies knows of a good (and accurate) movie adaptation of the book? I remember the Disney one done a few years back, but that only covered the first 5 chapters of the book. Thought it would make a good movie night when we finish the book. So is there a movie that covers Helen’s whole life, not just up to where she figures out how to communicate? Thanks!!
Hmm. I don’t know of one, but I’d be interested, too. The only one we’ve seen was the animated one by Nest. It was fine, but I’d love a real movie.
Well, it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it, but the Disney one was very good, and true to the book. But it stops at chapter 5! Actually – I think they may have thrown in an older brother into the movie. But most of what I remember from the movie was in the book.
There are two movie versions I saw when younger of Helen Keller:
The older one with Patty Duke, “The Miracle Worker”, 1962, with Duke reprising her role of Helen that she had played on Broadway. Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan.
The other one is “The Miracle Worker” TV production with Patty Duke playing the teacher this time and Melissa Gilbert playing Helen from 1979.
I recommend both, though if you’re going to only watch one, I recommend the original with Patty Duke as Helen.
Thanks, Rachel. Would you say these are good for kids, too? I can’t imagine they wouldn’t be, but I thought I’d ask.
We’ve seen both and my youngest is 5. Both are great movies! BTW, Helen did have an older brother and a baby sister.
I bought a VHS video at our library called Helen Keller In Her Story. “Made 13 years before her death in 1968, this feature employs newsreels, interviews, and rare footage of the extraordinary Ms. Keller on tour at home in Vermont. Narrated by actress Katherine Cornell, it won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary of 1955.”
We are planning to watch it this week. Maybe you can obtain a copy from your library or buy online?
Tara
Thanks Tara – The book we are reading has not, as of yet, mentioned an older brother, but they have mentioned the baby sister.
And thanks everyone for the recommendations! I found the Patty Duke one on youtube, and I’ll need to hunt down the one with Melissa Gilbert, for we are Little House on the Prairie fanatics over here, and I know my daughter would appreciate seeing “Laura” as Helen!!
I’ve been reading Helen Keller’s actual autobiography The Story of My Life.
Oh, and I didn’t see the one with Melissa Gilbert. There is a newer version by Disney 2000 remake with the Welch’s Grape Juice Hallie Kate Eisenburg. It is VERY good. It’s very similiar to the Patty Duke but better acting.
The VHS video with the actual footage of Helen Keller sounds great. I’ll have to see if I can get it from the library. (They are beginning to rid their shelves of VHS tapes though.)
I have seen the early Patty Duke one, but not for years. I enjoyed that one, too.
Of course, now I’ve got the Patty Duke tv show theme song stuck in my head! (“Meet Cathy, who’s lived most everywhere, from Zanzibar to Barclay Square…..”)
thought I would chime in… 🙂
I have seen both “Miracle worker” movies and like the older version better also. However like mentioned above if you have a child that picks up bad behaviors or has oppostitional defiant order you may not want to let them watch it. Some kids watch it and ask why she is doing those things while other children act out the behaviors. 🙂 This is experiance speaking by the way… 🙂
Anyway… I so love Helen Keller. I remember in Psycology class the instructor saying that G-d basically only exsists in the back of our minds… Leading…” that we make him up”. He is already in our head. Our lobe creates him atomatically. That without knowing about G-d we could never know he exsisted…
Knowing the story of Hellen Keller I chimed in and said, “Helen Keller was both blind and deaf, yet she prayed to G-d to send someone to help her. How could she have made that up if she was never taught about, heard or seen G-d in action?” 🙂 Helen Keller is proof we have a G-d and that he listens and answers prayer!
I also learned that Helen Keller was a good friend to Alexander Gram Bell. She often spent time at his vacation home. Alexander’s wife was also blind. There are several picturea of Alexander, his father, Helen and her teacher at his home. I beleive national geographic did a story on her in the early 1900’s
What a wonderful person to study! I hope you find tons of material. She even went to college! She also taught !
Blessings!
thought I would chime in… 🙂
I have seen both “Miracle worker” movies and like the older version better also. However like mentioned above if you have a child that picks up bad behaviors or has oppostitional defiant order you may not want to let them watch it. Some kids watch it and ask why she is doing those things while other children act out the behaviors. 🙂 This is experiance speaking by the way… 🙂
Anyway… I so love Helen Keller. I remember in Psycology class the instructor saying that G-d basically only exsists in the back of our minds… Leading…” that we make him up”. He is already in our head. Our lobe creates him atomatically. That without knowing about G-d we could never know he exsisted…
Knowing the story of Hellen Keller I chimed in and said, “Helen Keller was both blind and deaf, yet she prayed to G-d to send someone to help her. How could she have made that up if she was never taught about, heard or seen G-d in action?” 🙂 Helen Keller is proof we have a G-d and that he listens and answers prayer!
I also learned that Helen Keller was a good friend to Alexander Gram Bell. She often spent time at his vacation home. Alexander’s wife was also blind. There are several picturea of Alexander, his father, Helen and her teacher at his home. I beleive national geographic did a story on her in the early 1900’s
What a wonderful person to study! I hope you find tons of material. She even went to college! She also taught !
Blessings!
I bought a VHS video at our library called Helen Keller In Her Story. 
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