All language subtitles for The Miracle Worker (1979) English

Good girl, Helen.

Agh!

(clock striking)

I don't see how you can wait here
a minute longer, Kate.

This could go on all afternoon too.

I'll tell the Cap'n you called.

Give me her, Miss Kate.
I'll sneak her in back to her crib.

- She never gives me a minute's worry.
- Oh, yes.

This one's the angel of the family.
No question about that.

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- What happened?
- She ate from her own plate.

She ate with a spoon... herself.

And she folded her napkin.

Folded her napkin?

The room's a wreck,
but her napkin is folded.

I'll be in my room, Mrs Keller.

Don't be long, Miss Annie.
Dinner'll be ready right away.

Folded her napkin...

My Helen folded her napkin?

(clattering)

(screaming)

(woman) There's school.

- There is school.
- (woman #2) There is not.

What lies are you telling
the ignorant girl, you old loon?

They teach blind ones worse than her.

- To do what? See with their nose?
- To read and write.

How can they read and write
if they can't see?

- (screaming)
- You crazy old Mick.

(banging)

(Jimmy) You ain't going to school, Annie?

When I grow up.

You ain't either, Annie. You're going
to stay here, take care of me.

I'm going to school when I grow up.

You said we'd be together
for ever and ever and ever.

I'm going to school when I grow up!
Now leave me be.

"Can nothing be done
to disinter this human soul?"

"The whole neighbourhood
would rush to save this woman

if she were buried alive
by the caving in of a pit,

and labour with zeal
until she were dug out."

"Now, if there were one
who had as much patience as zeal,

he might awaken her..."

- (woman) They're all here.
- (woman #2) Talk to them.

- (woman #3) You can get out.
- Talk to them.

(woman) All the investigators is here.

- That's Mr Sanborn.
- He's the commissioner. Talk to him.

You might get out.

Mr Sanborn?

Mr Sanborn, I want to go to school.

"...might awaken her to a consciousness
of her immortal nature."

"The chance is small indeed,

but with a smaller chance they would
have dug desperately for her in the pit."

"And is the life of the soul
of less import than that of the body?"

Let alone the question of
who's to pay for the broken dishware.

From the moment she came,
she's been nothing but a burden.

Incompetent, impertinent,
ineffectual, immodest and...

She folded her napkin, Cap'n.

- She what?
- Not ineffectual.

Helen did fold her napkin.

What is so extraordinary
about foldin' a napkin?

Well, it's more than you did, Cap'n.

Katie...

Today she scuttled any chance
of gettin' along with the child.

If you can see any point in her staying,
it's more than I can.

- What do you wish me to do?
- I want you to give her notice.

- I can't.
- Then if you won't, I must.

(whimpering)

(Captain Keller shouting)

(Captain Keller shouting)

Miss Sullivan?

Captain Keller,
I thought we should have a talk.

Yes, I... Well, come in.

Miss Sullivan, I have decided...
I have decided I'm not satisfied.

- In fact, I'm deeply dissatisfied.
- Excuse me.

- Is that little house near the bridge used?
- In the huntin' season.

- Mrs Keller...
- If you'll give me your attention.

I've made allowances because you come
from a part of the country where people...

(clears throat)

...women, I should say, come from,
for whom allowances must be made.

I have decided nevertheless

to...

Miss Sullivan, I find it difficult
to talk through those glasses.

Why do you wear them?
The sun's been down for an hour.

Any kind of light hurts my eyes.

Put them on, Miss Sullivan.

I've decided...

to give you another chance.

- To do what?
- To remain in our employ.

But on two conditions.
I'm not used to rudeness.

There must be a radical
change of manner.

- Whose?
- Yours, young lady! Isn't it obvious?

And persuade me there's
a hope of your teaching a child

who flees from you like the plague
to anyone in this house.

- There isn't.
- What, Miss Annie?

It's hopeless here.

- Do I understand...
- If we agree it's hopeless...

Miss Annie, I'm not agreed.

She did fold her napkin.

She learns.

She learns.

Do you know she began talking
when she was six months old?

She could say water.

Well, not really.

Wah-wah.

Wah-wah.

But she meant water. She knew
what it meant, and only six months old.

I never saw a child so bright or outgoing.

It's still in there somewhere, isn't it?

Miss Annie, put up with her and with us.

(Captain) Us?

Please.

Like the lost lamb in the parable,
I love her all the more.

Mrs Keller, I don't think Helen's
worst handicap is deafness or blindness.

I think it's your love... and pity.

All of you are so sorry for her,
you've kept her like a pet.

Why, even a dog you housebreak.

It's useless for me to try to teach her
language or anything else here.

Miss Annie, before you came
we spoke of putting her in an asylum.

What kind of asylum?

For mental defectives.

I visited there. I can't tell you what I saw.

People like animals,
with rats in the halls and...

What else are we to do if you give up?

Give up?

- You said it was hopeless.
- Here.

Give up? Why, I only today saw
what has to be done to begin.

- I want complete charge of her.
- You have that.

No. I mean day and night.
She has to be dependent on me.

- (Kate) For what?
- Everything.

The food she eats,
the clothes she wears, fresh... air.

Yes, the air she breathes.

Whatever her body needs
is a primer to teach her out of.

The one who lets her have it should be
her teacher, not anyone who loves her.

- But if she runs from you to us...
- Yes. That's the point.

I'll have to live with her somewhere else.

For how long?

Until she learns to listen to
and depend on me.

- I've packed half my things.
- Miss Sullivan...

It meets your conditions. It's the one way
I can get back in touch with Helen.

And I can't be rude to you
if you're not around.

What is your intention if I say no?
Pack the other half for home

and abandon your charge to... to...

The asylum? I grew up in such an asylum.
The state almshouse.

Rats?

My brother Jimmy and I used to play
with the rats because we didn't have toys.

Maybe you'd like to know what Helen
will find not on visiting days.

One ward was full of the old women -
crippled, blind,

most of them dying,
but there was nowhere to move them.

That's where they put us.

There were younger ones - prostitutes
mostly, with TB and epileptic fits,

and a couple of the kind who keep after
other girls, especially young ones.

And some insane. Some just had the DT's.

The youngest were in another ward
to have babies. They started at 13, 14.

They'd leave,
but we played with the babies,

though a lot had sores from diseases
you're not supposed to talk about.

But not many of them lived.

The first year we had 80. 70 died.

Jimmy and I played in the dead-house
where they kept the bodies.

- Oh, my dear...
- No. It made me strong.

But I don't think you need send
Helen there. She's strong enough.

Miss Annie.

Yes?

Where would you take Helen?

Well...

- Italy?
- What?

Can't have everything.
How would your little house do?

Bring Helen there after a long ride
so she won't recognise it.

You can see her every day
if she doesn't know.

Well?

- Is that all?
- That's all.

Why, Cap'n, with your permission...

Percy could sleep there, run errands.

We could let Percy sleep there, Cap'n.

- And move in some old furniture.
- Cap'n, that old bedstead...

I've not yet consented to Percy,
or the house,

or the proposal,
or to Miss Sullivan staying on.

When I...

Very well, I consent to everything.
For two weeks.

I'll give you two weeks. It'll be a miracle
if you can get that child to tolerate you.

Two weeks. Miss Annie, can you
accomplish anything in two weeks?

Anything or not, two weeks
and the child comes back to us.

Make up your mind, Miss Sullivan.
Yes or no?

Two weeks.

I'll get her to tolerate me.

Hm?

A. It's the first of many.

26.

- Does she know where she is?
- No.

For all she knows
she could be in another town.

- That's her sign for me.
- Yes, I know. In two weeks.

Miss Annie, please be good to her.

These two weeks,
try to be very good to her.

I will.

(grunts)

No!

(doll makes sound)

(Helen sobs)

Two weeks.

What did I get into now?

(Helen moaning)

(Annie sobbing)

Oh... oh... oh...

(sobbing)

(child sobbing)

Jimmy!

Yes?

Did you call me?

No.

- What are you doing here?
- Taking a turn. Is everything all right?

Just a dream?

How old was he? The other Jimmy.

Helen's age.

How did he die?

He had a tubercular hip.

Oh, we were a pair, all right.

Me blind and him on a crutch.

When did he die?

11 years ago, this May.

You've had no one to dream about since?

No, one's enough.

You don't let go of things easily, do you?

You'd be quite a handsome girl
if it weren't for your eyes.

- No one's told you?
- Everyone.

You'd be quite a gentleman
if it wasn't for your manners.

You wouldn't say that to me
if you didn't have your glasses on.

How will you win her hand now,
in this place?

Do I know? I lost my temper
and here we are.

I'm counting on her.
That little head is dying to know.

- Know what?
- Anything.

Any and every crumb in God's creation.
I've got to use that appetite too.

- Maybe she'll teach you.
- Of course.

That she isn't.

That there's such a thing as dullness
of heart, acceptance, and letting go.

Sooner or later we all give up, don't we?

Maybe you all do.
It's my idea of the original sin.

- What is?
- Giving up.

You won't open her.

Why can't you let her be and have
some pity on her for bein' what she is?

If I'd ever once thought like that,
I'd be dead.

You will be. Why trouble?

Or will you teach me?

No.

No pity. I won't have it.

On either of us.

(cries out)

I will touch you!

But how?

How do I?

Percy!

Percy, get up. Get out of bed
and come in here. I need you.

Percy? You awake?

No.

How would you like to play
a nice game with Helen?

Touch her hand.

(makes guttural sound)

Let me go! Let me go!

She try and talk. She gonna hit me.

She can talk, if she only knew.

I'll show you how. She makes letters.

This is C...

C... C...

She's mad at me. She won't play.
But she knows lots of letters.

This is A.

C... A...

C... A...

C...

C-a-k-e.

She spells cake, she gets cake.

She doesn't know it means this.
Isn't that funny?

She knows how to spell it,
but doesn't know she knows.

All right. If she won't play it with me,
I'll play it with you.

- Would you like to learn a new word?
- No.

M-i-l-k.

This is M...

I... That's an easy one.
Just the little finger.

L...

Oh, why should I talk to you?
I'm teaching a new word to Percy.

So you're jealous, are you?

All right.

Good.

I'm finally back to where I can touch you.

Touch and go.

Well, no love lost, but here we go.

You can go to bed now.
You've earned your sleep.

Thank you.

Now all I have to teach you is...

one word.

Everything.

(doll makes sound)

Hush, little baby, don't say a word.

Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don't sing

Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring

If that diamond ring turns brass

Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass

If that looking glass gets broke

Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat

If that billy goat...

On my way to the office.
Thought I'd look in.

Well, she's toleratin' me
and I'm toleratin' her.

Where is... What's wrong?

I think she should dress herself.
She thinks she shouldn't.

- This her breakfast?
- Yes.

- She wouldn't eat?
- She'd love to eat it.

Why haven't you given it to her?

I will, when she dresses herself.
She's thinking it over.

- You intend to starve her into obeyin'?
- She won't starve, she'll learn.

All's fair in love and war, Captain Keller.

- This is hardly a war.
- Well, it's not love. A siege is a siege.

Miss Sullivan, do you like the child?

Do you?

I'm beginning to.

Beads.

It has a name.

Tree. It has a name.

Tree.

Bird. It has a name.

Yes...

No!

W-a-t-e-r. Water.

Oh...

Oh!

No!

W-a-t-e-r.

Water.

Discipline... discipline.

Disinter, disinterested...

Disinterested.

Where's discipline? What a dictionary.

You have to know how to spell it
before you can look up how to spell it.

Disinter.

Disciple.

Discipline.

Dis-cipline.

You're not to overwork your eyes,
Miss Annie.

Whatever I spell to Helen,
I'd better spell right.

- You've taught her so much this week.
- Not enough. Obedience isn't enough.

Well... she learned two nouns
this morning. Key and water.

- But not...?
- No.

Not that they mean things. It's still
a finger game to her. No meaning.

But she will.

Might I... Might I take her
for one walk this evening?

Shall we play our finger game,
Mrs Keller?

- Next week seems so...
- Spell it.

...so far off.
- Spell it.

If she ever learns, you'll have
a lot to tell each other. Start now.

In... under, under. Yes, crochet.

C-r-o-s-h...

C-r-o-s-h...

Sewing.

Oh, it has a name, and sewing isn't it.

E-g-g.

Egg.

It has a name.
The name stands for the thing.

Oh, it's so simple.

Simple as birth to explain.

Helen.

Helen, the chick has to
come out of its shell sometime.

(gasps)

You come out too.

Thimble.

No, not key. Thimble.

T-r-e-e.

W-a-t...

M-i-I...

Good girl.

D-o-l-I.

M-i...

(sighs)

Oh...

"I feel every day
more and more inadequate."

"My letters must show that
I need a teacher as much as Helen."

I need help too.

Who?

In all the world there isn't a soul
who can tell me how to reach you.

How do I reach you?

Doesn't she need affection too?

She never shows me she needs it.
She won't have any caressing.

What would another week accomplish?
We are more than satisfied.

You taught her things to do, to behave.

- So manageable. Cleaner.
- Cleaner?

We say cleanliness is next to godliness.

Cleanliness is next to nothing.

- Give me more time alone with her.
- No.

What is she spellin'?

Water?

Teaching a dog to spell?

The dog doesn't know what she means
any more than she knows what you mean.

I think you ask too much of her,
and yourself.

God may not have meant Helen
to have the... eyes you speak of.

I mean her to.

What is it to you?

- Half a week.
- An agreement is an agreement.

Mrs Keller...

I want her back.

I'll send Viney to help you pack.

Not until 6 o'clock.
I have her until 6 o'clock.

6 o'clock.

Come, Katie.

Yes, what is it to me? They're satisfied.

Give them back their child
and their dog, both housebroken.

Everyone's satisfied but me.

And you.

Feel it.

Reach.

I wanted to teach you.

Oh...

Everything the earth is full of, Helen.
Everything on it that's ours for a wink.

And what we are on it. The light
we bring to it and leave behind in words.

You can see 5,000 years back
in the light of words.

Everything we feel, think,

know, and share in words.

So not a soul is in darkness,
or done with even in the grave.

But I know.

I know one word and
I can put the world in your hand.

And whatever it is to me, I won't take less.

How...

How do I tell you that...

this... means a word?

And the word means this thing, wool.

Or this.

S-t-o-o-I means this thing.

Dress.

F-a-c-e. Face.

(clock striking)

M-o-t-h-e-r.

Mother.

M-o-t-h-e-r.

Mother.

Let her come!

(knocking)

Come in.

Miss Annie, your first month's salary.

With many more to come, I trust.

It doesn't pay our debt
for what you've done.

I've taught her one thing: No.
Don't do this, don't do that.

- It's more than we could do...
- I wanted to teach her what language is.

I know without it
to do nothing but obey is no gift.

Obedience without understanding is
a blindness. Is that all I've wished on her?

- No.
- Maybe.

I don't know what else to do.

I simply go on and keep doing what I've
done and have faith that inside she's...

that inside is waiting,
like water underground.

- You can help, Captain Keller.
- How?

The world is not an easy place
for anyone.

I don't want her just to obey.

But to let her have her way
in everything is a lie.

To her.

And I don't even love her.

She's not my child.

Well...

You've got to stand between
that lie and her.

Agreed.

Won't you come now to supper?

Yes.

I used to wonder
how I could earn a living.

Oh, you do.

I really do. Now the question is,
can I survive it?

Oh... (chuckles)

Oh, the keys!

Yes, I'll keep the keys.

I think we've had enough
of locked doors too.

Will you say the grace, Jimmy?

"And Jacob was left alone and wrestled
with an angel till the breaking of the day."

"And the hollow of Jacob's thigh was
out of joint as he wrestled with him."

"And the angel said
'Let me go, for the day breaketh."'

"And Jacob said 'I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me."'

Amen.

Oh, you angel.

- That's a very strange grace, James.
- It's from the Good Book, isn't it?

Of course it is. Didn't you know?

- Yes, I knew.
- Well, why ask?

It is from the Good Book
and therefore a fitting grace.

Well, I don't know about that.

There's a lot of things in the Good Book
that I don't care to hear just before eating.

Well, fitting in the sense that Jacob's thigh
was out of joint, and so is this piggy's.

- James, I declare!
- Pickles, Aunt Ev?

I should say so.
You know my opinion of your pickles.

This is the end of them, I'm afraid.
I didn't put up nearly enough last summer.

Reverend looked in today
to complain his hens had stopped layin'.

Poor fella, he was out of joint. All that...

- I've always suspected those hens.
- Of what?

I think they're papists. Has he tried...

Now you're pulling my lower extremity.

The first thing you know
we'll be having another... one of our...

- Miss Annie, it's a very special day.
- It will be, when I give in to that.

Please. I've hardly welcomed her home.

- Captain Keller.
- Katie, we had a little talk.

- Miss Annie feels if we indulge Helen...
- It's a napkin. It's not breakable.

And everything she's learned is.

Mrs Keller, we shouldn't
play tug of war for her.

Either give her to me
or you keep her from kicking.

- What do you wish to do?
- Let me take her from the table.

Let her stay. She's only a child...

- And ask outsiders not to interfere.
- Outsider? Why, I'm the child's aunt.

Will this once hurt so much, Miss Annie?

I've made all of Helen's favourite foods.

It's her homecomin' party, Miss Annie.

- She's testing you.
- She's testing you.

Jimmy, be quiet.
Now that she's home, naturally...

She wants to see what'll happen at
your hands. I said it was my main worry.

- But she's not kickin' now.
- And not learning not to.

She'll live up to what you demand
and no more.

- She's testing you.
- Jimmy.

- I have an opinion.
- No one's interested in it.

I'm interested.
Of course she's testing me.

Let me keep her to what she's learned
and she'll go on learning.

Take her out of my hands
and it all comes apart.

Be bountiful. It's at her expense.

Please pass me more
of her favourite food.

- Take her, Miss Annie.
- Thank you.

I'm afraid you're the difficulty, Miss Annie.

I'll keep her to what she's learned.
You're quite right.

But I don't see we need send her
from the table. She's the guest of honour.

Bring her plate back.

If she were a seeing child, you wouldn't...

She's not! I think
some compromise is called for.

Bring her plate.

Please!

Occasionally another hand
can smooth things out.

There. Now, shall we start all over?

(James) I think we've started all over.

Don't get up.
Don't smooth anything else out for me.

Don't interfere in any way. I treat her like
a seeing child because I ask her to see.

I expect her to see! Don't undo what I do!

- Where are you going?
- To fill this pitcher.

You let her speak to you like that?
A creature who works for you?

No, I don't.

- Let her go.
- What?

I said let her go! She's right.

She's right.

Kate's right, I'm right, and you're wrong.

Has it never occurred to you
that on one occasion

you might be consummately wrong?

All right. Pump.

No, she's not here. Pump.

W-a-t-e-r. Water.

It has a name. W-a-t...

Wah... wah.

Wah... wah.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Oh, my dear.

Ground.

Yes!

Pump.

Yes.

Tree.

Step.

Mrs Keller. Mrs Keller!

Bell.

Mrs Keller!

Mrs Keller... Mrs Keller.

Mother. Papa.

She knows!

Teacher.

Teacher.

Teacher.

I... love...

Helen.

Visiontext Subtitles: Sarah Emery

ENHOH

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