John Cassavetes's second effort as a studio director is an engrossing, sobering exposé of society's cruel prejudice toward children afflicted with mental retardation; the film focuses on an institution for those with Down's syndrome. A young boy, Reuben Widdicombe (Bruce Ritchey), arrives at the same time as Jean Hansen (Judy .. Read more
| Starring | John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Steven Hill, Bruce Ritchey |
|---|---|
| Director | John Cassavetes |
| Genres | Drama |
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John Cassavetes's second effort as a studio director is an engrossing, sobering exposé of society's cruel prejudice toward children afflicted with mental retardation; the film focuses on an institution for those with Down's syndrome. A young boy, Reuben Widdicombe (Bruce Ritchey), arrives at the same time as Jean Hansen (Judy Garland), an inexperienced city transplant who has decided that she wants to help children. Immediately Reuben latches on to her, to the dismay of Dr. Matthew Clark (Burt Lancaster), the head of the institution. He feels that Jean's affections for Reuben will disturb the other children, prompting him to separate the pair. Convinced that a reunion with Reuben's parents (Gena Rowlands and Steven Hill) is important for the boy's mental health, Jean confronts them on this issue. Cassavetes stunningly uses actual disabled children to convey the reality of mental retardation, which gives the film a level of humanity and depth that actors could not re-create. He combines this with the performances of professionals--notably Lancaster and Garland--in this unflinching drama that resonates long after the final credits have rolled.
| Starring | John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Steven Hill, Bruce Ritchey, Paul Stewart, Bill Mumy, Burt Lancaster, Lawrence Tierney, Judy Garland |
|---|---|
| Director | John Cassavetes |
| Studio | ELEVATION |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 40 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1963 To Rent: DVD: 06 Jul 2009 |
Disowned by Cassavetes after producer Stanley Kramer edited it against his wishes and made it more sentimental than... read more on Time Out
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The softer side of Cassavetes...
Seeing it cold you might be forgiven for not realising the film was directed by John Cassavetes (Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, etc). And indeed, the film ... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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An extraordinary cinema experience
Now I understand why Kaurismaki regards Cassavetes as one of the few American directors worth watching. I feel inclined to warn against watching it if you'... read more »
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Brave attempt to show Downs children
A new teacher (Judy Garland) joins a home for children with learning difficulties or out and out Downs Syndrome and her attempts to understand how best to help ... read more »
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The softer side of Cassavetes...
Seeing it cold you might be forgiven for not realising the film was directed by John Cassavetes (Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, etc). And indeed, the film ... read more »
by:
Tolis
from Kent
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