It was not easy to redo "the miracle worker" after Arthur Penn's masterpiece featuring Anne Bancroft's and Pattie Duke's oscar-winning outstanding performances .
It's amazing to see Duke play the teacher ;her performance is inspired and influenced by that of the great Bancroft ,but who could be better than her in a play she knows so well for having performed it on stage and on screen?Duke really rises to the occasion.
Except for the last scene at dusk , the color version is faithful to its model; in the supporting part ,Diana Muldaur is particularly good as the imploring mom,who does not understand she poisons her daughter with protection and that Helen does not need any pity.Annie's visions of her appalling past were more impressive in the black and white version ,but the color MTV work does Helen and her teacher justice.
It's amazing to see Duke play the teacher ;her performance is inspired and influenced by that of the great Bancroft ,but who could be better than her in a play she knows so well for having performed it on stage and on screen?Duke really rises to the occasion.
Except for the last scene at dusk , the color version is faithful to its model; in the supporting part ,Diana Muldaur is particularly good as the imploring mom,who does not understand she poisons her daughter with protection and that Helen does not need any pity.Annie's visions of her appalling past were more impressive in the black and white version ,but the color MTV work does Helen and her teacher justice.