A Circle of Children

One of the best movies about special needs children ever. As a special ed teacher, I particularly love movies like this. The acting is good for a 70s movie. It is one of the movies that I saw as a child that inspired me to teach special needs children. It is based on the book, a Circle of Children. Mary McCracken begins as a volunteer in a harsh teachers special ed classroom. At first all she seems to do is cause problems with the children. However over time she becomes very attached to the children and begins to make a real Difference in their lives. One of the best parts is when she discovers the way a young boy (Albert from Little House on the Prairie ) is trying to communicate.

This thematic movie A circle of Children is a remake of "A Children is Waiting" starring by the star Judy Garland, this TV-Movie was re-titled in Brazil as "O Amor é Mais Forte" whereof I had watched at my Parent's house in my teenager years, now I've dare say that found it boring and slow pace feature, revisiting it at Youtube in English audio as subtitled neither, now a mature brain it sounds to me fully opposite, reassessing the picture I've lift it to high level in such poignant story over autistic that were left behind in the school for emotionally disturbed children by his agog biological parents who does not enough able or patient to dealing for with so special ones.

The story starts when a sad housewife Mary MacCracken (Jane Alexander) has been passed for rough patch with her marriage, in order the fill in her existential emptiness, she make a visit at special school that dealing with special children, arriving there seeing those littles one is disturbance, Mary decides becomes a volunteer, henceforth she even inexperienced tries help in any manner often bumping into a native German nurse Helga (Rachel Roberts) in harshly way, Mary is supported by the Headmistress Doris Fleming and by the confirmed bachelor Dan Franklin (a young David Ogden Stiers already bald)

Out of the blue appears a new boy left at school's front door Brian O'Connell (Matthew Labyorteaux) who speak indistinguishable at first glance, Mary getting attached with Brian slowing got his reliance, wondering how she'll tries handle Brian freely speak which he finds out fun speaking at microphone of tape recorder, Mary tries interacts with Helga, however has a natural language barrier on technical terms, then Mary figures out that put those some hard lines on the tape recorder, aiming for in slow time speed Helga memorizes such hard words, unwittingly by making it the old taped in slow time speed expose the Brian's speech, Mary finds out an astonishing discovery that will changes Brian for good, meanwhile Mary's private life is getting worst due his husband requires a divorce, sharply pained Mary grabs in those special children to go ahead.

Suddenly a mutual interest raises between Mary and the friendly Dan Franklin, a dinner comes and a chat over their sole lives, perhaps there something at sight, in the meantime the relationship with Helga get a small enhancement each other, among all these events Mary is willing to stay continuously at service as school teacher, Jane Alexander delivers all she can in this thematic picture, which lays out just expose a life as it really is on these special children that suffer of autism, no art movie, no happy ending, no best photography, please no expect nothing like this listed above, it's an uplifting picture that gained a sequel on the follow year.

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First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 8.

This is an excellent old movie that our family enjoyed many times. All I can say is too bad it is not showing today. My son and I watched this movie every time it came on. He was about 7 or 8 yrs old at the time. The movie is the story of a little boy who talks in the form of jibberish. Thought to be retarded, a teacher takes an interest in him & the results are amazing. Can't tell more, would give away the story. See it if possible.

This is by far one of the best t.v. movies I have ever seen. I saw A Circle of Children for the first time when I was about 7 years old. It proves that special needs children can do anything they choose to if people would just take time and have patience with them while they learn. I highly recommend seeing this movie if you ever get the chance. I would love to see it again.