MANDY

UK, 1952, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Jack Hawkins, Terence Morgan, Phyllis Calvert, Mandy Miller,
Godfrey Tearle, Dorothy Allison.
Directed by Alexander Mackendrick.

Mandy is a humane family drama from Ealing Studios, better known for its many comedies. It is directed by Alexander Mackendrick who came to notice with Whisky Galore and The Man in the White Suit. His few later films include Sweet Smell of Success and Don't Make Waves.

The film has a strong cast with Jack Hawkins as a teacher of the deaf. Phyllis Calvert and Terence Morgan are the parents of Mandy Miller, the young deaf girl who gives a very effective performance. The supporting cast includes Australian Dorothy Allison as a teacher of the deaf.

The film focuses on the disability of Mandy, the way that her parents cope or refuse to cope, the over-care of the disabled child, isolating it from other children. It also highlights the possibilities for education of the deaf. (An interesting comparison is Lindsay Anderson's celebrated short film of 1954, Thursday's Children.)

In more recent times films concerned with the hearing disabled have included Voices with Amy Irving and, of course, Children of a Lesser God.

1. Interesting and entertaining drama? A humane film? hearing disability?

2. British production values of the 50s realism, black and white photography, family, school, the town? Musical score?

3. The highlighting of the disability, having to cope, learning, schools and skills, the danger of over care and isolation?

4. The picture of the family: Chris and Harry, their love for Amanda (the one who is to be loved)? The discovery that she was deaf? Harry's not willing to face this? The effect on their life, moving house, employing a nurse?

5.. The move to Harry's parents, the help of his mother? The teacher and her care of Mandy, teaching her the alphabet? Mandy's isolation, the incident with the dog on the road and the truck driver angry with her? The child with the ball and her beating him? The device used for eliminating the soundtrack so that audiences could empathise with the hearing disabled?

6. Chris, her friends and their help and suggestions, Harry and his fear of the school? Chris's going, the visit, the meeting with Dick and his surly manner, the friendliness of Jane and discovering that she was deaf? her achievement? Looking at the classes? Her decision, ringing Harry and his refusal?

7. The picture of Mandy: spoilt, frightened, her tantrums? Going to the school ? the dormitory, food, in class? Going to #bard with her mother? Getting to know the children? Learning, the invitation to make a sound with the balloon and her screaming and breaking the cup, her voice? The special coaching, learning to lip read? Her saying 'Mama'? Playing with the children, doing the role-plays? Her relationship with her parents, their presence and absence, fright, loved, at home with her grandparents? Her being taken away from the school, going to play with the children and saying her name?

8. Chris and her having to cope, the ambiguous situation, Harry and his weak will? The influence of his parents? The visit, his suspicions, taking Mandy away? The intervention of his father and making him face the truth?

9. Dick and his skills, his situation at the school, having left his wife and her bitterness? Clashes with the Board and especially Acland? Friendship with Jane? Working with the staff, employing them? Helping the children, his love for the children? His coaching of Mandy, in a compromising situation with Chris? The private detective? His intervention with Harry?

10. Jane and her understanding, advice to Dick? The sketch of the teachers, the frustrated teacher and then her wanting to stay? The teacher with the skills?

11. The highlighting of the techniques for teaching deaf children?

12. Acland and the Board, his antagonism towards Dick, his pettymindedness? The lawyers and his contact with them? His secretary and the relationship? Hiring the detective? His trying to oust Dick?

13. Harry's parents, the mother and her looking after Mandy? Protecting her son and granddaughter? The father and his offhandedness, final intervention?

14. Interesting drama, the melodrama concerning Dick and his place on the Board? A sympathetic portrait of the hearing disabled?