A CIRCLE OF CHILDREN

US, 1977 100 minutes, Colour.
Jane Alexander, Rachel Roberts, David Ogden Stiers, Nan Martin, Martin Laborteaux.
Directed by Don Taylor.

A Circle of Children is an excellent telemovie. It deals with teachers and children handicapped by autism, schizophrenia etc. The film has sentiment but is strong and not sentimental. It is heart-warming and persuasive.

Jane Alexander appears as Mary Mc Cracken, author of an autobiographical book about her experiences. She is excellently matched by Rachel Roberts as Helga, a talented German teacher with children. David Ogden Stiers is also good as another teacher. The children act most credibly. Direction is by Don Taylor, veteran actor and director of many films and telemovies. Well worth seeing.

1. The impact of the film?

2. The school, the classes, techniques used? The American background? Affluent families? Schools in need of support? The musical score?

3. Human document? Entertainment? Message?

4. The title and the focus on the children and their learning? Themes? Audience response, adults, parents, children? Moving?

5. The portrait of Mary Mc Cracken - her wealthy background, a volunteer, the volunteers spurned by Helga? The collapse of her marriage? Her trying to re-make it but her husband leaving? The relationship with her daughter, her disappointment, her coming to see her at Christies, the irony that his new wife resembled Mary? Her disturbing the class, Helga's reaction and the children's upset? Her decision to return? The discussions with the director? Her asking to work with Helga? Her thinking her a witch? Yet her admiration for her love, her ability, techniques? The encounters with the children - sharpening pencils, initial failure? Sarah and her blanket? The encounter with Brian, using Helga's methods, Helga supporting her? Brian and his speech, the visit to his home, the mother's exasperation, the tape recording and his development? Training him use cutlery? Training Chris not to wet his pants? The discovery that the children did not know how to act and needed to be taught - with excellent results? The effect on her, on her problems? Friendship with Dan? The discussions with Helga, trying to teach her for exams? The details of work with the children? Her being asked to stay on and do summer schools? A credible portrait of a social worker?

6. Helga and her German style, her love for the children, her techniques, the songs, the games? Her dislike of volunteers? Her cracks at Mary? The sternness yet the love and its success? Her relenting with Mary? training her? Her trying to learn? Lack of qualifications? Her decision to move on? A portrait of a genius teacher?

7. Dan and his work, a pleasant man, not committing himself in marriage, friendship with Mary, the songs, the outings, training Chris and his being lost? His moving to Florida?

8. The director and her ambitions, her hopes, the need for financial support? Her final speech to Mary and letting Helga go - for Helga to work with other children? Mary to take her place and train other Helgas?

9. The portrait of the various children - as a group, their needs, their handicaps? Spiteful behaviour? Trying to control adults? Brian and his mother? Speech, quiz games, his exhilaration? Chris and his wetting himself, the training? Toilet sequences? His being lost and the children recalling him? Sarah and her blanket? The games, the meals, the swimming sequence?

10. The quality of human life? Handicaps and their possibility for drawing qualities out of life? parents, teachers? The value of human life?