A Child Is Waiting

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A Child Is Waiting

1963

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Music teacher Jean Hansen (Judy Garland) works with children at a state mental hospital. Although often at odds with the autocratic director, Dr. Matthew Clark (Burt Lancaster), about teaching methods, she quickly bonds with her students, particularly 12-year-old Reuben (Bruce Ritchey), whose parents, Sophie (Gena Rowlands) and Ted (Steven Hill), left the boy at the institution following their divorce. As the students practice for a Thanksgiving pageant, Jean questions the parents' decision.

Variety Staff

Variety

Burt Lancaster delivers a firm, sincere, persuasive and unaffected performance.

Nov 7, 2007

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Flawed but fascinating.

Jun 24, 2006

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

One should learn a great deal from this picture -- all of which should be helpful and give hope.

Rated: 4/5

May 10, 2005

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

A worthwhile, emotionally generous film, fans of Kramer perhaps appreciate this more than the usual Cassavetes crew, but it's uncustomarily blunt for a social issue drama from the early 1960s.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 20, 2020

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Abby Mann's screenplay avoids both sensationalism and bathos while showing how these unfortunates can be helped and encouraged.

Nov 26, 2019

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Isabel Quigly

The Spectator

A Child is Waiting takes the tough line that love, however devoted, isn't enough, may indeed be harmful if it's not allied with respect for the handicapped child as a person, a person with duties and responsibilities to others and a person's social place.

Jul 20, 2018

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Alec B

Its mostly interesting for the many tensions in front of (the contrasting ideas of Garland and Lancaster) and behind (Cassavetes vs. Kramer) the camera. One wonders what Cassavetes' complete vision would have been but there's still a lot of effective material here.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/13/25

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N L

I just don't like this movie. Hated it and everyone's performance. And who cares about this dumb story.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

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Rod O

Mostly overlooked film. A wonderful story giving two different perspectives at the time on dealing with children who have developmental disabilities.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

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Steve D

Not essential viewing but it does its job.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

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John D

60 years old and still timeless

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think that Judy Garland should have gotten Oscar.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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John Cassavetes

Director

Burt Lancaster

Dr. Matthew Clark

Judy Garland

Jean Hansen

Gena Rowlands

Sophie Widdicombe

Steven Hill

Ted Widdicombe

Bruce Ritchey

Reuben Widdicombe

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Synopsis

Music teacher Jean Hansen (Judy Garland) works with children at a state mental hospital. Although often at odds with the autocratic director, Dr. Matthew Clark (Burt Lancaster), about teaching methods, she quickly bonds with her students, particularly 12-year-old Reuben (Bruce Ritchey), whose parents, Sophie (Gena Rowlands) and Ted (Steven Hill), left the boy at the institution following their divorce. As the students practice for a Thanksgiving pageant, Jean questions the parents' decision.

Director: John Cassavetes
Producer: Stanley Kramer
Screenwriter: Abby Mann
Production Co: Stanley Kramer Company
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Nov 24, 2015
Runtime: 1h 42m