The Miracle Worker 1962

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: Read more

Don Druker, Chicago Reader: Anne Bancroft is superb as Annie Sullivan, the teacher who finally reached into Helen Keller's darkness, and Patty Duke is chillingly real as the young Helen. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: It's a stunningly impressive piece of work, typically (for Penn) deriving much of its power from the performances. Read more

Variety: Where the picture really excels, outside of its inherent story values, is in the realm of photographic technique. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: The centerpiece is a one-room, nine-minute war of attrition, as a tutor (Anne Bancroft) imposes table manners on her feral charge (Patty Duke). It's a heaving, shin-cracking donnybrook, done with complete commitment. Read more