A Child Is Waiting (1963)

When a new teacher (Judy Garland) joins the staff of a school dedicated to teaching mentally challenged (what used to be called retarded) children and young adults, she immediately clashes with the director (Burt Lancaster) of the institution over his methods. The film was directed by the inventive John Cassavetes but it was produced by uninventive Stanley Kramer and they clashed over the direction the film was taking as well as its "message". Alas, as the producer Kramer won by firing Cassavetes. The film is overtly sentimental and rather dubious in its sociological theories. But Cassavetes left his mark on the film, principally on the excellent performances. Garland, in particular, gives a sensitive nuanced performance but there's also excellent work from Gena Rowlands and Steven Hill as the divorced parents of a disturbed child who Garland takes under her wing. The film benefits by using actual disabled children rather than professional child actors playing mentally challenged although I did spot Billy Mumy (LOST IN SPACE) in there. The score by Ernest Gold is rather good except for a pretentious main title (percussion and a cacophonous children's chorus). With Paul Stewart, Elizabeth Wilson, Lawrence Tierney, Barbara Pepper and Juanita Moore.