Amy

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!

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.

Ahhh... the cruel vagaries of watching everything on Disney Plus in alphabetical order. Occasionally it might throw up an underappreciated gem, but more frequently it's something like "Amy", a film that despite some solid moments, probably deserves the forgotten status that it now has.

Amy Medford (Jenny Agutter) leaves her affluent husband and comes to work on a rural school/boarding house for blind and deaf children. Though the perceived wisdom at the time was otherwise, Amy believes that deaf children can be taught how to speak, rather than just focus on sign language, and sets about that goal. Though she eventually wins over the school, her husband continues to search for her and hires a private detective to locate her and bring her home.

The problem with "Amy" is that though is commendably worthy, it's painfully dull. It's directed by Vincent McEveety, who would direct quite a lot of the live action Disney films across the late 70's and early 80's. For the most part, this is competently done and very few of the failings land on him, but there is a composite shot at the end of the film that looks woefully dated now. Agutter is decent, as the titular character. The was the same year that she was in "An American Werewolf in London" but as this is a period piece it's a lot more mannered and buttoned up, but with a secret that will eventually have to come out. She does drift close to a love affair with another character - the local Doctor played by Barry Newman. What I found interesting about that is that he looks much older than her, and indeed a bit of research suggests he's 14 years older, and it struck me as pretty unrealistic.

Though the performances are pretty solid across the board, there is a sense to impending tragedy that encircles the whole thing. For me though, there's not enough going on to alleviate the boredom.

"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.

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.