A Circle Street of Children (1977 TV Movie) User Reviews (6)

A forgotten Gem about humanity and kindness over so special children, an uplifting picture!!

[elo-equipamentos · 8/10 · 10 July 2023]

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.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

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

You might want to grab some tissues

[kmacph · 14 October 2001]

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.

This movie is wonderful

[luvbearbut · 9/10 · 13 April 2009]

I remember seeing this movie and it's companion sequel "Lovey: A Circle of Children II" as a youngster and found them very moving, if not for anything other than the fact that they were both such wonderful stories and so well acted. I haven't seen them in years since the networks rarely if ever repeat them. I find it bewildering that neither of them have yet to be made available on VHS or DVD given that fact that the first was nominated for an Emmy. I don't recall specifics of the plots, only certain powerful moments. The plot's vehicle is Jane Alexander's character Mary Maccracken and her initial overwhelming impressions of the realities of dealing with emotionally disturbed children. Along the way she becomes close to fellow employees of the hospital, including the head teacher Helga who clues her into what is really important in dealing with such special needs children. Helga's eventual dismissal from the hospital by the state because of her emphasis on the kids' emotional needs over the state's robotic, standardized, intellectual requirements, give Mary even more determination and compassion to go above and beyond to help the kids with their special needs. The first movie includes a story about a boy who "seems" to be unable to communicate with the world around him through normal conversation and only utters loud, non understandable, gibberish causing his parents or anyone with him great frustration. The word "seems" is key here and it takes Mary a bit of time and intuition to discover what the boy's gibberish is really all about. Jane Alexander beautifully brings her character and these movies to life and make these two stories an engaging four hours of movie watching.

Amazing movie

[Texaswondergirl · 9/10 · 6 August 2014]

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.

LIFTS THE HEART MOVIE

[bjrlk · 10/10 · 27 November 1999]

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.

Yes, good adults do exist.

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 18 November 2021]

We all know from the many movies and stage plays that Jane Alexander has been in that she plays basically decent characters. After a few seasons as a snobby officer on "MASH", David Ogden Stiers became part of the team and wind up. Rachel Roberts went from being a downtrodden lower class British woman to the evil Delia Darrow in "Foul Play". And Nan Martin was the notorious nasty neighbor Freida Claxton on "Golden Girls" among many other strong-willed older ladies. But in this film, they are all decent people, although Roberts at the beginning is rather cold, although that is revealed later on to have a purpose.

This is sort of a retread of "A Child is Waiting" where Judy Garland took a job as a teaching assistant at a school for emotionally troubled children. Alexander is a volunteer here who wants to get a license to become a full-fledged teacher, and after breaking ground with the tough Roberts ends up teaching her about thing she's learned in college because the school has just become accredited. But that means that politics are taking over the sensible ways that Roberts dealt with issues, with the state manipulating the way that things should be run.

That's Matthew Labyorteaux of "Little House on the Prairie" as the students who becomes Alexander's favorite, one she works hard to break through to, sliding out the issues at home that have led him to nearly be abandoned. This is a pleasant but sometimes depressing drama because you know that these children as they get older will still continue to have problems functioning in society, and they will have to do the best that they can with continuing education even into adulthood. The performances by all of the actors, particularly by Alexander and Roberts, are outstanding, and the script, nominated for an Emmy, is very good. One of the best movies to deal with children's issues, because it doesn't try to sugarcoat things.