A Child Is Waiting

1963

1h 42m

Drama

List

92%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

74%

Audience Score

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.

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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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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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

Full Review

Steve D

Not essential viewing but it does its job.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

Full Review

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

Full Review

Audience Member

Lancaster runs a home for the mentally challenged. Garland comes in as a want to be concert pianist. She works with the students, one in particular, on getting through to them. Crazy how wording and treatment of mentally handicapped has changed since the 60s.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

No other movie properly shows what enabling does to our potential. This film also shows the worth and intelligence of a people greatly misunderstood by the rest of humanity. Everyone should watch this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

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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