Based on a true story, this is the film version of the stage play about the relationship between a deaf, blind, and mute girl and her teacher. The film is generally entertaining, but everything from acting to direction is overdone. It seems Penn thought he was still working on the stage. He has his cast overact and scream as if he wants to make sure that the deaf people in the back row of the theater can catch it all. Bancroft and Duke both won Oscars because these are the types of showy performances that win Oscars. The grainy and out of focus flashback scenes to Anne Sullivan's childhood are meant to be artistic but come across as cheesy.
Review of The Miracle Worker
