Amy
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVincent McEveety
Written byNoreen Stone
Produced byJerome Courtland
StarringJenny Agutter
Barry Newman
Kathleen Nolan
Chris Robinson
Lou Fant
Margaret O'Brien
Nanette Fabray
CinematographyLeonard J. South
Edited byGregg McLaughlin
Music byRobert F. Brunner
Production
company
Distributed byBuena Vista Distribution
Release date
March 20, 1981 (1981-03-20)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Amy is a 1981 American drama film directed by Vincent McEveety and starring Jenny Agutter. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions, distributed by Buena Vista Distribution, and written by Noreen Stone.[1][2]

Plot

In 1913, Amy Medford (Jenny Agutter) leaves her possessive, wealthy husband (Chris Robinson) to begin a new life teaching speech to deaf students in the rural Appalachian Mountains at a school for blind and deaf children. Though encountering resistance from those who question whether it's even possible to teach speech to children with hearing-impairments, Amy becomes close to the staff and children, building a new life for herself and gaining the personal strength she will need to stand up to the domineering husband who is not content to let her live her own life.

Cast

  • Jenny Agutter as Amy Medford
  • Barry Newman as Dr. Ben Corcoran
  • Kathleen Nolan as Helen Gibbs
  • Chris Robinson as Elliot Medford
  • Lou Fant as Lyle Ferguson
  • Margaret O'Brien as Hazel Johnson
  • Nanette Fabray as Malvina
  • Lance LeGault as Edgar Wanbuck
  • Lucille Benson as Rose Metcalf
  • Jonathan Daly as Clyde Pruett
  • Lonny Chapman as Virgil Goodloe
  • Brian Frishman as Mervin Grimes
  • Jane Daly as Molly Tribble
  • Dawn Jeffory as Caroline Chapman
  • Peggy McCay as Mrs. Grimes
  • Len Wayland as Mr. Grimes
  • Virginia Vincent as Edna Hancock
  • Norman Burton as Caruthers
  • Otto Rechenberg as Henry Watkins
  • David Hollander as Just George
  • Cory 'Bumper' Yothers as Wesley Moody
  • Alban Branton as Eugene
  • Ronnie Scribner as Walter Ray
  • Michelle Downey as Essie
  • Carson Sipes as Dwayne
  • Diana Boyd as Loretta
  • Flavia Fleischer as Iris
  • David Jacob Weiss as Glenn
  • Oscar Arturo Aguilar as Chester
  • Kevin van Wieringen as Owen Corner
  • Seamon Glass as Mr. Watkins
  • Nancy Jeris as Mrs. Watkins
  • Randy Morton as Teenage Boy
  • Lance Gordon as Referee
  • John Arndt as Mr. Pool
  • Rick Foster as Football Player
  • Elisha Rapson as Blind Girl

Production

Amy was originally filmed as a television movie titled Amy on the Lips, and was the first television movie that Disney Studios made for an adult audience.[3] Nanette Fabray and Louise Fletcher were interested in the role of "Malvina," a teacher of deaf children. Fabray, who played the part, was hearing impaired, and Fletcher's parents were deaf.[3] The deaf children in the film, except for Brian Frishman, were students from the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, California.[3] Dawn Jeffory, who was cast as Caroline Chapman, had a real-life role as a guest instructor at the school, and was helpful to director Vincent McEveety in working with the children.[3] Lyle Ferguson, the school superintendent, was played by Lou Fant, a son of deaf parents, who helped establish the National Theatre for the Deaf.[3] In January 1981, it was announced the film's title would be changed to Amy and given a theatrical release as Walt Disney Productions felt the film was "so powerful" it warranted a theatrical release.[3]

Music

The film's score was written by Robert F. Brunner. The film features one original song, "So Many Ways," written by Bruce Belland (lyrics) and Robert F. Brunner (music). The song was sung by Julie Budd and plays during the film's opening credits and is reprised during the film's end credits.

Educational film

In 1982, Disney Educational Services excerpted a sequence from the film for educational use, entitled Amy-on-the-Lips.

Home media

Amy was originally released as a double bill on a re-release of Alice in Wonderland.[4] The film came to video cassette in October 1981.[5] Disney released a manufactured-on-demand DVD of the film as part of their "Disney Generations Collection" line of DVDs on June 26, 2011.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Amy credits". bfi Film & TV Database. ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  2. ↑ "Amy". movieretriever.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Amy". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  4. ↑ Gary Arnold (April 16, 1981). "Disney's Arduous 'Amy'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Disney Films on Cassette". Albuquerque Journal. October 23, 1981. p. 69.
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