A Child is Waiting (1963)
Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland in a movie together? I couldn’t imagine it either, but they worked really well together in A Child is Waiting. Burt plays the head of an institute for mentally handicapped children—which was really groundbreaking in the 1960s—and Judy is hired as the new music therapy teacher. Their perspectives differ constantly, and even though she has no prior experience teaching or dealing with disabled kids, she feels free to argue with him whenever she thinks he’s wrong. Only the pint-sized dynamite of Judy Garland could challenge the great, hulking Burt Lancaster and get away with it!
If you love Judy, you’ll want to add this one to your list, so you can see her in a great dramatic role. She’s very loving with the children, and when Burt tells her to act tougher, it just about breaks her heart. Burt comes across as cold and harsh sometimes, but since he’s always thinking of the children’s best interests, it’s great to see him in another multi-layered performance. He’s not just a stern advocate who believes in his structure; when he attends the annual Thanksgiving showcase and sees the progress the children have made, he’s brought to tears.
He's not the only one; this movie is one huge tearjerker. I actually can’t get through the entire movie without full-on weeping. It’s extremely hard to watch, since director John Cassavetes doesn’t use actors in the group scenes. The children and adults who aren’t billed in the opening credits are mentally disabled. One of the school’s trustees, Paul Stewart, talks to Steven Hill, a parent whose son has recently been taken in by the school. Paul tells him to love his son no matter what and stop placing expectations on him. Steven is upset and sarcastic, claiming that talk from Paul is cheap because he’s a teacher and not a parent. “No. I’m a parent,” Paul clarifies. It’s a simple statement, but he fills his face with several emotions.
It was a bold statement from Hollywood to address a subject like this at the time. If mental disabilities are a passion of yours, this is a must-see, since it’s one of the earliest films to discuss them. Although it’s one of the best pictures of the year, I don’t think I can ever see it again. It’s heartbreaking but very full of love.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Sonia SC" for posting!
More Judy Garland movies here!
More Burt Lancaster movies here!
If you love Judy, you’ll want to add this one to your list, so you can see her in a great dramatic role. She’s very loving with the children, and when Burt tells her to act tougher, it just about breaks her heart. Burt comes across as cold and harsh sometimes, but since he’s always thinking of the children’s best interests, it’s great to see him in another multi-layered performance. He’s not just a stern advocate who believes in his structure; when he attends the annual Thanksgiving showcase and sees the progress the children have made, he’s brought to tears.
He's not the only one; this movie is one huge tearjerker. I actually can’t get through the entire movie without full-on weeping. It’s extremely hard to watch, since director John Cassavetes doesn’t use actors in the group scenes. The children and adults who aren’t billed in the opening credits are mentally disabled. One of the school’s trustees, Paul Stewart, talks to Steven Hill, a parent whose son has recently been taken in by the school. Paul tells him to love his son no matter what and stop placing expectations on him. Steven is upset and sarcastic, claiming that talk from Paul is cheap because he’s a teacher and not a parent. “No. I’m a parent,” Paul clarifies. It’s a simple statement, but he fills his face with several emotions.
It was a bold statement from Hollywood to address a subject like this at the time. If mental disabilities are a passion of yours, this is a must-see, since it’s one of the earliest films to discuss them. Although it’s one of the best pictures of the year, I don’t think I can ever see it again. It’s heartbreaking but very full of love.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Sonia SC" for posting!
More Judy Garland movies here!
More Burt Lancaster movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Dramatic Screenplay of 1963
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Director: John Cassavetes
Best Actress: Judy Garland
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Stewart