Amy

Back in the days of "Betamax", when we had to wait a decade or more for such Disney titles as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" or "Cinderella" to be released, Disney's home video library consisted of movies like "Amy", family movies that captivated my young mind as well as engaged parents. Jenny Agutter passionately plays the eponymous heroine who for the love of her late son, uses that love to find a purpose in Life. The cast that supports Ms. Agutter is seasoned, so there isn't any weak performances. I find the writing to be very character driven, and the script uses its characters to tell a story that no matter what ups and downs we have in Life to never stop living it in the name of loving.

Amy offers a truly heartwarming and insightful look into the world of deaf and blind children, beautifully brought to life by its wonderful cast of actors. The narrative is grounded in reality, and most likely everyone knows someone or has met a blind or deaf person in their life. The story centers on Amy Medford, a woman who leaves her privileged life after the death of her own child, to teach at a school for children with sensory impairments.

The film excels at portraying real world challenges faced by its young characters. The commitment by the Disney studio to feature real deaf children in roles as the schools deaf children is extraordinary and leads to the story's authenticity. This dedication to a down to earth portrayal distinguishes Amy from more mundane drama films. Amy is often compared, usually unfairly to the 1962 film The Miracle Worker about Helen Keller. They are similar films, but one is biographical and focuses on one person, but Amy is more about the community of all deaf people.

Completely disagree with the comment below which seems ignorant to some individual's realities and the stigma they faced back then and still today. Highly recommend!

Bad writing and poor direction are the two qualities that stand out in this film. An anachronism that probably wasn't good when it was released, is now much worse with 40 years reflection. What I know is meant to be a positive, uplifting film, turns out to be a reminder that it wasn't very long ago that society's views of women and children with disabilities was abysmal. The misogyny is appalling and the treatment of the children in the film is overly simplistic and degrading. The actions of the school board and the woman who runs the school are overly cruel and harsh. The conflict between the teacher and these foils is poorly developed. It was bad all the way around. Don't waste your time with this one.

"Amy" is the story of a woman's crusade to teach deaf children how to communicate at the turn of the century. It's not the film the original "Miracle Worker" is, but it's effective in it's own way. Jenny Agutter is the star of the film, and she makes it work. The impact of her loss and how much it affected her is pivotal to the film, and she's wonderful in the role. I shed a few tears during my initial viewing of the movie, and while it's not a tearjerker it's subject matter is emotional. It's not available anywhere at the moment, but if you can find it, it's worth a look.