Arthur Penn's 1962 film is based on the true story of Helen Keller, a young girl who was born blind and deaf who comes under the tutelage of a teacher named Anne Sullivan, who, despite Helen's tantrums because of her lack of communication skills, continues to help her.
Both Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft had played their respective roles in the Broadway play of the same name, with Bancroft winning a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her work.
In a 1979 TV remake, "Little House on the Prairie" actress Melissa Gilbert portrayed Helen.
