Product Details

• Actors: Patty Duke Astin, Melissa Gilbert, Diana Muldaur
• Directors: Paul Aaron
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0007YN268
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,756 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

1979 Television Version featuring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the 1st...? For some...but not for all., November 23, 2007

By 

Anthony L. Ochoa (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Miracle Worker (1979) (VHS Tape)

In short...I too have seen this 1979 "Made-For-Television" classic. Funny though, by 1979, I had only seen the original '61 Bancroft/Duke classic, just bits & pieces, a time or two. So the storyline, plot, theme & "modern" production of the newer Duke/Gilbert version, really struck a chord within me...like many, in that time, I trust. Nothing can take the place of that art filmish-like masterpiece from writer William Gibson & director Arthur Penn, but Duke having such a pivotal role in BOTH films...helps make this re-make a "modern-day" classic as well. The only BIG problem? As of late 2007...a day when those are moving into movie-downloads and viewing them on portable, miniature camera/phone micro-devices...still NO DVD ever released...and still, no plan to...at this time. And for that reason...and that reason only...I leave you with only 4 Stars my film-friend. But THAT, of course, is not "your" fault...!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Remake! I actually Like It Better Than The Original!, October 6, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Miracle Worker (1979) (VHS Tape)

This is the 1979 made for TV movie about Helen Keller who by the way wasn't born blind and deaf but became blind and deaf after an illness when she was a baby. This movie stars Melissa Gilbert as Helen and Patty Duke as Annie who had actually played Helen in the the movie that was made in the early 1960's but to be perfectly honest, as much as I like that movie I actually prefer this remake.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and well performed, April 22, 2004

By 

Robert A. Bowers "Bowers" (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Miracle Worker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I teach this play so I have seen both this version and the 1962 version many times. I must say that I think the "62 version is better in many respects. The performances of the leads in that version truly set the mark for this play and probably couldn't be equaled by anyone else. In the remake, the performances are not quite as good although they are certainly first class performers doing excellent work. What makes this verion better for classroom use, is the color photography and the settings. Those not used to black and white, as my students are not, tend to find the '62 version slightly depressing. I remember when this verion was first televised the marketing factor was Patty Duke and the role reversal for this version. She is an excellent actress and is very good as Annie. The actors playing Mrs. Keller and James are also good, but I find the actor playing Captain Keller far less forceful than Victor Jory in the "62 version. I haven't seen the most recent version so I can't say how that compares to either. I wish this would come out on DVD, my VHS copy won't live much longer!