Original subtitles

Hello Reuben.

Don't you want to get out of the car?

Nobody is going to hurt you, Reuben.

There are a lot of other boys inside to play with

Don't you want to play with the other boys?

Hello Reuben.

Would you like to take a ride?

Why don't you try it?

Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!

Mommy! Mommy!

It's all right.

Daddy!

Hello.

Hello. Who are you?

Hello, my name is Jean Hansen.

Look those pearls. One two...

Do you like them? How old are you?

Where did you come from?

I came from the city.

Do you have a car?

No, I came by taxi.

You don't? Mommy and Daddy has a car.

I know a boy that has a Thunderbird.

His father and his mother has a Jaguar.

My name is Reuben Widdicombe.

My name is Reuben Widdicombe.

My name is Reuben Widdicombe.

My name is Reuben Widdicombe. My name is Reuben Widdicombe.

Come on, get going! Oh hello Jean.

You're supposed to be in class, now. Go on!

Mrs. Brown, will you see that Reuben goes to class?

Reuben, come with me now. Come on.

- I see you found the place. - Yes.

It's been here since God knows when.

Dr. Clark wants to see you. This is his office.

Well Dr. Clark is in the conference room now. Can he call you back?

Fine, goodbye.

This is Miss Hansen. Dr. Clark wants to see her.

Jean Hansen

Yes, just a moment.

I'll be right down the hall, now, if you need me.

The doctor wanted to see you as soon as you got here

I told you I didn't want you to come.

Doctor, he's my son.

I told you I didn't want you to come, that this would happen!

Dr. Clark is looking out for what is best for the welfare...

- Jean Hansen. - It's about the roses.

Miss Hansen, come in please.

I can't plant them if they're going to tramp them or anywhere near them!

You have to get just the right weather! They won't grow if you plant them any later.

I know, John.

Tell them to stay away from the garden!

I will, John.

Come in, sit down.

You don't say anything about nursing experience.

I haven't had any.

Teaching experience?

No, I'm sorry.

Music. Do you have some background in music?

Well I studied to be a pianist.

Have you ever taught music?

No.

Why don't you tell me something about yourself? Cigarette?

No, thank you. What would you like to know?

Things that you think are important leading up to your coming here.

Oh I hardly know where to begin, I...

I came to New York to study at Juliard.

I wanted to make a career for myself as a...

...as a concert pianist.

I wasn't able to do so. I've had lots of jobs since then.

I don't think I know what you want to know.

Why did you make out this application? What makes you think you want to work here?

You need help, don't you?

I mean the real reason.

I don't know if I can answer that.

Please try.

It's very personal.

Miss Hansen, everything that concerns this place is personal.

Well, let's just say that...

...all my life I have tried to find something to give it meaning and...

...so far I have been unsuccessful.

Do you think you might find that meaning here?

But Dr. Clark, you do need help, don't you?

I mean someone has to work with these children.

Do you know anything about the kind of people that are here?

No, not clinically...

Working for them is not an act of charity, it's a full-time demanding job.

And very few people are qualified for it.

Your references are okay. Mattie thinks a lot of you.

The children respond to music.

So if you want to give it a try I'm obliged to let you do it.

Do you know about the wages?

Doesn't matter.

Fifty dollars a week plus board.

Ben, Mr. Reynolds in the conference room.

I'll be right there.

Why don't you find Mattie? She'll take you around, you'll see what it's all about.

Is that all?

That's all.

Reynolds.

Hello Dr. Clark.

Where is he?

He's out in the car.

I gave Miss Wilson the clothes.

We sewed his initials in the pockets like you said.

I hope I'm doing the right thing.

I can't help feeling that I'm letting him down.

We stopped on the way down here on the road. I bought him some ice cream.

A double-dip. He was so happy.

He didn't know that...

Mr. Reynolds.

Your boy knows what it's like to be different. He won't be different here.

Come on, he's waiting.

What time is it when the big hand is on the six and the little hand is on the twelve?

- Six - Very good.

What time is now? Tommy?

- Six. - Oh boys, you know that's not right.

5:45 or a quarter to six.

Yeah, six.

- Willie? - A quarter to six...

4 o'clock or 4:15?

5:30 or 6 o'clock?

7 or 7:15?

7 o'clock.

- 8 o'clock or 8:30? - 8:30.

- 9 o'clock or 9:15? - 9 o'clock.

So it's "big, baby, bald, book, bird, back".

And this is a book. Now, "big, baby, bald, book, bird, back".

Come on, Norman. Get up Norman.

- Baby. - Good.

- Book. - Fine!

- Back. - Very good. Now...

- Miss McDonald, this is Miss Hansen. - How do you do, Miss Hansen?

She's foolhardy enough to want to join us.

Boys, girls, this is Miss Hansen.

Hello, Miss Hansen.

This is our work table. We do all sorts of things here.

Keep busy.

- What do I do when I get here? - Now, now more questions.

- You do what I told you to do and do it by yourself. - Hi Reuben.

- James? - I'm James, this is Kevin.

We're already making things for Thanksgiving.

- What is this? - An Indian doll.

An Indian doll. That's good.

- Sit down, Reuben. - Reuben, find yourself a chair.

And this is our finger painting class.

Ronnie, Julius.

And here we're doing our basket weaving. Crash is very good at weaving baskets.

Are you, Crash?

The most important thing to overcome is the short span of attention.

- Won't you sit down? - Thank you.

You have to find ways of keeping it interesting for them.

Crash, show Miss Hansen your basket. You can show her how to do it.

Hello, Miss Hansen.

Hi.

I'm gonna give you this basket.

Thank you.

Will you help me?

Yes...

Good Morning, Miss McDonald.

- Good morning, Dr. Clark - Good morning.

Go right on working.

Julius, that's good work.

Harold, this is very good.

How did you get the sky this color?

I don't know.

Yes you do know. How did you get the sky this color?

I don't know.

Harold you must remember how you got this color so you can use it again if you wanna.

- What color is it? - Purple.

- Purple, huh? - Purple.

How do we get purple?

- I don't know. - Class, how do we get purple?

- Red... - Red and...?

- Blue. - Red and blue, that's right.

Harold, there are only three colors. Tell me what they are.

What are the three colors?

- Blue... - Blue...

- Red... - Red... and what's the other one?

- Yellow. - Yellow! That's right!

That's very good, Mike.

You're not drawing, Reuben.

Don't you feel like drawing today?

Reuben, look at me.

You never feel like drawing, do you, Reuben?

Reuben, I want you to draw something for me. Like this.

Here, you try it.

Come on, Reuben. Take the brush and draw something.

Go ahead, Reuben.

Reuben? Now you draw something, Reuben.

I want you to draw something, Reuben.

Reuben, I told you I want you to draw something.

All right, Reuben. Leave the room.

Leave the room, Reuben.

Leave the room, Reuben.

Leave the room, Reuben.

Bye, Reuben.

Bye, Reuben.

Bye, Reuben.

Lewis? What word are you trying to spell?

Pull.

Pull. How do you spell it?

P-U-L-E

P-U-L-E?

P-U-L-L

P-U-L-L, that's right.

The next word is "house". Look at the picture of the house.

The next word is ''chair''. Look at the picture of the chair.

Look at the word ''chair'' written under the picture.

The next word is '"bed", look at the picture of the bed.

The next word is '"wheel".

Miss Hansen.

Mattie, tell me about miss Hansen. Does she know anything about music?

She studied at Julliard.

What did she do then?

She quit after a couple of years. She did a lot of things.

- She did a lot of things - Like what?

She worked in a music store, she was a secretary...

I think she even played in a little musical bar in Brooklyn.

What was she doing when you first met her?

Just drifting.

What does that mean?

What does it mean when a girl's in her thirties and she's still alone?

Means trying to find something to hang onto.

Usually trying to find it in all the wrong ways.

Well we'll see how she works out.

Okay.

What happened to these children?

You want to know all the reasons? There are 265 of them.

Sammy don't run so fast.

One of the most common is that something happens at birth, like...

...not enough oxygen to the brain or an unsatisfactory delivery.

Come on, go on, go on, play.

Or if a mother has German Measles before the third month of her pregnancy, it can happen.

We don't know all the reasons.

What about Dr. Clark?

What about him?

How long has he been here?

Oh, just a little while before I was here. Just a few years. Why?

I was just wondering about his background.

He was wondering about yours.

What? What did he ask about me?

Oh, nothing, nothing.

Is he a medical doctor?

No, he]s a psychologist.

Watch how you play!

Have his methods even been proven?

No... no-one's methods have really been proven.

Treatment and even education for these children is a comparatively new thing.

Well, what I really would...

What I'd like to know...

Is... do you think it was right for him to ask Reuben to leave the room the way he did?

Clark has some very controversial ideas about these children and what should be done with them.

- Miss Levitt! - Yes?

Can I help you with your blocks?

Write... Mommy... Daddy...

It's a Rambler, a Nash, 62 compact model.

Jimmy, my brother is coming today, he's a sergeant.

And my brother and my dad coming

Lincoln Continental, '58, two-tone blue.

'56... Oops, there's my car.

Say! Don't you look handsome today?

Are you coming out? Come on, let's go.

What's the matter, did you forget something?

Hat! Hat! Hat!

Do you want to go for a walk?

You like me?

Yes.

But... But do you really like me?

I'm mad for you. Now come on, let's go.

- Momma, momma, I made this today. - Very nice

We would like to take you into town.

Thank you.

- Come on, Abe. - I made this today, Mommy.

Junius, you're so fat, you look like a whole group of people.

Junius, you look better than your brothers.

- I want some hotdogs. - You want some hotdogs? What else do you want?

- No, that' all. - Well that's enough, that's all you gonna get.

It's your brother, Eric.

Hello Eric.

Has he uhh... been a good boy?

Yes.

I've been meaning to get here a lot sooner but I just haven't gotten the chance.

You can take him out on the grounds if you like.

Come on, Eric.

The children's parents come all day long, don't they?

Yes, they do.

Do you have Reuben's mother's phone number?

I think something must have happened to her, she hasn't come.

Miss Hansen, Reuben's mother isn't coming. She hasn't come for two years.

He still waits for her every Wednesday afternoon.

Oh, Dr. Clark?

Yes?

If we could just get Willy to learn his catechism, I'd feel so much better.

I understand.

Thank you, I knew you did.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

Hello Doctor.

Hello Mr. Tuzzolini.

I just came from the ward, from seeing Raymond.

He seems to be better.

Yes.

You'll let me know if there's any sign of speech?

I will, Mr. Tuzzolini.

Thanks.

The usual Wednesday suggestions.

You know sometimes I think we should be treating the parents instead of the kids.

Mrs. Levinson's out there right now, trying to teach Esther how to read from a book she brought along.

She's convinced that if she can get her to read a few words she can take her home with her.

Mrs. Flaharty...

She's upset because Willy can't get to mass every Sunday.

Mass...

Willy wouldn't even understand a Hail Mary if it was spelled out to him.

What a pageant.

What a pageant.

Do it from this way. Straight ahead.

Come on, just push him.

Hi Mattie.

Here's the file. We're not supposed to take it out of the office, so be careful with it.

I will.

Thanks, Mattie.

I have to go downstairs. Raymond Tuzzolini's broken out in a rash.

We all break out I guess on visitors' day.

Reuben Widdicombe - Social History

Reuben was mother's first pregnancy. Pregnancy was of normal duration.

Only unusual condition during birth...

...was mother's taking of thyroid extract for her hyperactive condition

Reuben was born at Riverside Hospital.

Dr. Kossov was the obstetrician. Delivery was normal.

At birth, Reuben weighed six pounds and two ounces.

Measured twenty and one-half inches in length.

Interfamily Relationships...

Mother: Sophie, aged thirty-two, college graduate.

Father: Ted, age 35, college graduate, architect.

This is the time I like. Have to show it to some committee.

They won't understand it. Functional architecture.

They'll understand.

Well I'll tear the whole thing up before I let anything mess around with it.

Yeah, I know it's nothing, just a city hall in a hick town in Connecticut.

Development History...

Infancy and childhood diseases including chickenpox at 13 months and measles at 18 months.

How is the master of all he surveys, today?

He has hiccups.

He does, huh? Come on, slugger. Oh come on, get up and go a few rounds!

What's the rattle doing in his crib? He's too old to be playing with rattles!

Ted.

Why doesn't he stand up?

What do you mean 'why doesn't he stand up'?

Mrs. Degasta's baby down the hall walks and he's three months younger than Reuben.

You gonna be one of these mothers who worries every time the baby's tooth is a few minutes late?

My brother didn't walk until he was two.

Today he's president of the chamber of commerce of Gallion, Ohio.

Not that that's any recommendation.

Ah, here you go, boy. Come out here.

Not so high, Ted.

Why? Look at this! Meet the future Princeton full-back, huh?

I'll go get dinner.

Sophie, fix up his high chair. He can keep us company during dinner, will ya?

Sure.

Dr. Neville? Dr. Fish? Would you hold please?

Dr. Alcon? One moment, please.

Reuben Widdicombe for Dr. Maizer.

- Would you be seated, please? - Thank you.

- Candy. - No, David, I've already given you two pieces.

Reuben Widdicombe? The doctor is ready.

Thank you.

I'd like to see the boy alone, if you don't mind. Please?

- Hello Reuben. Now... come on, son, go ahead.

Let's find a seat, Reuben. Okay, come on.

- What's this? - Car.

- What's this? - Hand.

How many legs does a dog have?

- Four. - Good.

Here.

Would you put this in its proper place for me?

Reuben Widdicome was given the Leiter International Performance Test...

at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital, by Dr. Maizer...

on March 6, 1959.

Come out here.

What did he say?

What does he know? He's just one doctor.

What did he say?

He said...

He's defective.

What does he know? We'll get the best doctors, Sophie.

We'll fight this.

We'll fight it!

The diagnosis of retardation was confirmed by Dr. Forbes.

on March 25, 1959...

By Dr. Hargrove, April 12th. Dr. Yeats, May 4th.

In all cases, recommendation was made that...

Reuben be placed in an institution for the mentally retarded.

On September 6th, 1959, Reuben was entered into...

Reuben Widdicombe was entered into Crowthorn State Training School by his father.

The Widdicombes were divorced in August the same year...

with Mrs. Widdicombe taking custody of Reuben's younger sister, Jenny.

She has since remarried Douglas Benham, a New York attorney.

Come and get it.

- What a chef! That's right!

Who made this fancy cake?

I did.

You did? When?

This morning.

You must've got up in the middle of the night to make it.

Why, it's my one specialty.

Good!

Helen, a couple of hotdogs.

Miss Hansen, grab a couple of cokes. We'll go over and sit by the river back and have our lunch.

Let the kids take over.

Now if the mosquitoes don't attack us and we don't run into a beehive, we'll be all right.

Reuben, you better get over and get some of that cake before it's all gone.

Go on, now, Reuben.

I see Reuben's found quite a friend in you.

Reuben occupies a very special place in our institution.

He represents one of our more spectacular failures.

How are the classes coming?

Well I haven't really gotten start yet, I'm just trying to find out the best way to work with them.

Work with them the same as you work with any other kids.

You know I've been thinking...

Maybe you could get together with a group and start a percussion band.

One or two of the kids have very good voices.

Maybe you could teach them to play and sing some simple songs for an assembly sometime.

Do you think you could get together a group like that?

I don't know, I can try.

There's some lovely music written for children.

How does that one go, you know, the one from Hansel and Gretel?

- The Children Love Me. - That's the one!

And then there's some beautiful songs written by Prokofiev.

You seem to know a great deal about music.

- Not a thing. My wife studied music. - Oh?

Does your wife work for the institution, too?

We're separated.

Part of the growing army of the incompatible.

Tell me, how did you come to work in a place like this?

I was appointed by the state.

No I mean, how did you become interested in these children?

Oh that's a long story and rather involved. How about some coke?

Yes, please, I'd love some.

I'd like to discuss something with you... concerning Reuben.

Yeah, what about Reuben?

I'd like your permission to write to Reuben's mother.

I can't let you do that.

I know I shouldn't interfere, but...

I just thought if someone were to communicate with them...

Let the know that... after all, people with Reuben's parents' background...

Miss Hansen. What makes you think that having a college degree and a good income...

helps one to understand any better, having a child like one of these?

You know Mrs. Phillips, don't you? The colored woman that comes here with her six kids to see Junius?

Well she's on relief and I don't think she can read or write very much.

But I doubt if there's any parent in this institution who understands her boy better than Mrs. Phillips does.

I mean I spent all day Wednesday with Reuben and...

I know how much a visit from his parents would mean to him.

When such a visit seems to me to be reasonable and helpful...

I'll arrange for it.

New kids from Cottage A!

Let's go!

Now just hold it 'til I call your name.

Let me have Harold Arden. Let me have Abe Arron.

Let me have Raymond Tizzelinni. Let me have Willy Flaharty.

Let me have Junius Phillips.

All right, the rest of you boys, fill in.

Where is Reuben Widdicombe?

Reuben Widdicombe!

Roll out the barrel! We'll have a barrel of fun.

Roll out the barrel! We've got the blues on the run.

Sing boom tararrel

Ring out a song of good cheer

Now it's time to roll out the barrel

For the gang's all here

Everybody out.

Come on, Crash. Put the top of your pajamas on, let's go.

Jean? Jean?

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Donald, you can do a better job than that. Now, wash your face and...

Oh yes, Mrs. Fogarty?

Dr. Clark asked me to tell you that he's assigned you to another cottage. Cottage D.

Did he... say why?

No. He asked if you'd move there today.

- Ah, Mrs. McDonald? Good morning.

This is Mr. Holland, Dr. Lombardi. They're from the Capitol.

This is our handicrafts class, gentlemen.

The children make all sorts of things here.

- I made this. - Did you?

He made seventeen of them.

Mr. Holland.

We have a display in the hall of some of the things they've made.

- What's your name, son? - His name is Reuben Widdicombe.

Why aren't you working?

Reuben never works.

He doesn't believe very much in our methods here. Maybe he's right.

What is his IQ?

We don't go very much by IQs here.

Why not?

I don't find them very reliable.

Dr. Lombardi, I don't know whether we showed you this.

The children string these...

The children string these shells together. Sometimes we even sell them in the city.

And uhh.. we get the shells down at the beach in Cape Main.

We all went there last Sunday. We had a hell of a time.

- Who are you? - Now, Junius...

My name is Holland.

- Oh. Do you have a car? - Yes.

- What color is it? - Black.

All right boys, Mr. Holland has to see some of the other classes.

- What make is it? - What make is it?

See you later, boys.

Mr. Holland? Doctor?

Dr. Clark, would you be able to tell us...

...about how many of these children would ever be able to lead a normal life?

The children in here fall into three categories...

The educable, the trainable and the totally dependent.

Now the majority of the children in here are in the middle...

How many of them would be able to lead a normal life? What percentage would you say?

Mr. Holland, what is normal?

- Dr. Clark, we didn't come here... - Normality is relative.

Suppose you and I were set down in a world of Einsteins.

How bright do you think we would seem?

What kind of yardstick would you want to measure the fate of your life?

Your intelligence, or your need?

It's beside the point, isn't it?

It is the point, Dr. Lombardi.

As you know, this is a new administration.

We'd like to think we're enlightened.

We'd like to think we'll everything that can be done for children in places like these.

- Well that's good to hear... - But there are tremendous requests for aid.

Dr. Clark knows this. He knows we're swamped with requests for aid.

Aid to the blind children, aid to the deaf children. He knows that.

I think those children should be helped all they can. But the children here need help, too.

The point is we know what we can expect from those places.

We know we can expect tangible results.

Yes, but Dr. Clark has only been here...

Mr. Holland, what am I asking for? What am I really asking for?

I'm asking for money for trained personnel. I'm asking for more living room.

There are more then 500 children on the waiting list. They'll be living on the roof soon.

I am asking for sheltered workshops, so the older boys who can work on the outside will have a chance.

I think Mr. Holland's question is a very pertinent one.

How many of these children are you really going to be able to help?

And how many are going to wind up living vegetables like that boy. What's his name? Reuben?

Dr. Lombardi, I don't think there is such a thing as a living vegetable.

And I won't belittle the dignity of these children...

...by telling you how many of them are going to make it in our society.

But I will tell you they have a right to be helped even if they don't make it.

Doctor.

I don't know if you're aware of the figure this state spends every year for children...

$2,700 a year

Per patient.

It's a formidable figure, but not so formidable when you stack it up against...

...how much we spend for highways, state monuments, recreational facilities...

Damn it, Mr. Holland, this is a sickness! Like failing eyesight or polio.

And it's not a limited illness.

Are you aware that there are more than 5 million people in this country suffering from it?

It can happen to anybody. It happened to a sister of the President of the United States.

We'd like to help these children. Why shouldn't we? Any children.

We have no prejudice against them.

Are you sure you don't, Dr. Lombardi?

The commissioner knows how I feel.

We're going through a great struggle right now for survival.

I'd rather give every penny we spent on these children...

...to training exceptionally bright children on the outside.

Children who might become the scientists and contributors of tomorrow.

I know, sounds heartless of me, doesn't it? But that's what I believe.

It's obvious, Dr. Lombardi, that you believe everything you read in the daily newspapers.

We should be getting back to the Capitol, Lenny.

If you get as many copies of the budget as you can, to me, Mr. Goodman.

- I'd be glad to. - Thank you.

You know I... I have to tell you something.

I have to tell you how wonderful I think it is that you're so dedicated to these people this way.

It's not wonderful Mr. Holland. I like my work here, and that's the reason I'm doing it.

The most unusual reason, it seems these days, for doing anything.

I like my work. Thank you for coming.

Mr. Goodman, I'd like to take another look around the grounds.

Oh, I'll go with you.

Thank you, Dr. Clark. I enjoyed it very much.

Good.

I'd like to show you our machine shop where some of the older boys work.

- Miss Hamilton? - Mhm.

I'm going for the day. Miss Hansen.

All right, Miss Hamilton.

I moved to Cottage D today.

I'd like to know why I had to do that.

Sit down, Miss Hansen, anywhere.

There's a trap one can fall into here.

One can become too attached to one child.

The danger is the other children sense it and feel rejected.

There's a bigger danger. A danger to Reuben himself.

You know Miss Hansen, I've often thought that...

...that if I had to have a retarded child...

I'd rather have one that was severely retarded than a boy like Reuben.

It's the boys like Reuben, the borderline cases...

The ones who look like all other boys, that are the worst problem.

Because they're even more aware that they're being rejected.

His parents didn't face the fact that he was retarded until very, very late.

They let him play with ordinary children. They sent him to kindergarten.

If you can imagine what kind of an experience it must have been...

...for a boy like Reuben to go to kindergarten.

Then they decided the thing to do was to... to hide him.

To hide him from everything, to protect him...

Protect him from the world, protect him from himself.

Now a continuation of that kind of relationship here, now...

...would mean that Reuben would be right back...

Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were busy.

That's all right, Miss Fogarty, what is it?

We've been having some trouble with Reuben.

What is it?

He broke his phonograph and some of his toys.

He broke some of the other boys' toys, too.

He didn't eat anything today. He doesn't want to talk to anyone.

Is he out there now?

Yes.

Bring him in.

He's acting that way because I've moved from the cottage.

I know why he's acting that way.

Please.

Miss Hansen, please leave the room.

Please leave the room, Miss Hansen.

Sit down, Reuben.

Come on, Reuben, sit down.

Now what's this about breaking your toys? We don't break toys here.

And not eating?

I know the food isn't very good, but I eat it, too.

I know you don't like me, Reuben...

But I'm going to tell you a little secret.

I like you.

I know what you're going through. I know you think I don't, but I do.

I know that the other boys make it tough for you. I know that they tease you.

But Reuben there's nothing I can do about that.

But there's something that you can do about it.

Talk to me, Reuben.

Please talk to me.

Miss Fogarty, I want you to take Reuben into dinner.

I want him to sit with the other boys whether he eats or not.

After dinner, he's to miss his recreation period and go right to bed.

If things don't improve by tomorrow we'll have some more of the same.

Are you so sure what you're doing for Reuben is right?

What do you suggest, Miss Hansen?

Well how many times can you send him from the room?

How many times can you send him to bed without recreation...

Until it does some good.

There are simple rules here. They must be observed.

He doesn't know anything about that.

He must be made to understand.

Why?

Because discipline is part of life.

Even for these children?

Particularly for these children.

Some freedom has been lost to Reuben. Some freedom may be lost to him forever.

The only compensation that can be given him is once he learns the rules.

Once he learns to live with others he can get some satisfaction out of being part of the whole.

Even if he doesn't want to be part of the whole?

Even if he's never going to be happy here?

Yes, even so.

In the meantime I'd like to... try to help Reuben.

I'm sure you would.

May I write his mother?

- No, Miss Hansen. - Why not?

- Absolutley not! - Are you so afraid of admitting failure...

- Even to yourself? - I think that'll be all, Miss Hansen.

Hey Widdicombe!

It's for you, Widdicombe.

Hello?

Hello Sophie, how are you? Where are you calling from?

Oh I thought you were in Westhampton.

Yes, I'm on.

Reuben, yes. What's the matter with him?

We're building here, Sophie, we just started.

No I'm not coming.

I'm not coming, that's all!

All right, if that's what you want to believe, I don't care about him.

Yes, that's all.

Goodbye.

I beg your pardon. Could you tell me where we might find Miss Hansen?

Yes, she's in the music... Oh, Miss Hansen?

Yes. Mrs. Benham?

Would you come with me, please?

Where is she?

He's in his cottage.

How is he?

He's all right, he's...

I'm Mr. Benham, this is Jenny.

How do you do?

Look, Sophie, why don't we two wait for you outside for you?

He's all right?

Yes.

Why didn't Dr. Clark get in touch with me?

Why didn't you want me to speak to him?

Mrs. Benham, Reuben isn't ill.

That part of my letter was a lie.

Don't you see, it was the only way I could make sure you'd come here.

Doug.

Would you find Dr. Clark and ask him to come here, please?

Why did you stop visiting him?

Do you know that he still waits for you every Wednesday afternoon?

He gets all dressed up and waits in that lounge.

Miss Hansen, I'm going out into the hall.

I have taken care of Reuben, I know how he feels.

Mom, look. I drew a picture of Mr. Machine.

It's very good, dear.

Draw another one.

- How can you leave him this way? - Miss Hansen, stop it!

You don't know anything about my feelings.

You don't know anything about it.

Well I'm sorry but I'm fighting for Reuben.

He can't fight for himself.

You're fighting for Reuben?

I have fought for him since the day he was born...

Since the day we took him to the doctors...

They said "give him up", "it's no use, you can't help him".

I fought my husband for him.

I fought the doctors for him.

I fought the world for him.

Then how can you give him up now?

Does you know what it means...

for Reuben and me to be together?

Do you know what it means to have your child come crying into the house

because the other children have been laughing and taunting him?

Do you know what it means...

...to hide him?

When visitors come.

Do you know what it means to stand alone in a room with him...

...to know that if I stood alone with him all of my life...

...one day I would die...

...and he would still have to go into an institution, only then it would be too late.

To adjust himself at all.

No, it's better for him to be with children of his own kind.

I've come...

I've come to believe that.

Tell her, Dr. Clark...

Tell her that...

- Tell her how much Reuben needs to see her. - I don't want her to see him.

- He's like any other child. - I don't want her to see him!

I can't see him again.

You think I don't come to see him because I don't love him enough?

It's because I love him too much.

Reuben.

Mother, it's Reuben. He's playing.

Come along, Jenny.

Mommy!

- Reuben, where are you going? - Mommy!

- Why, what's the matter with you? Reuben, stop that! - Mommy! Mommy!

Put your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, like this.

No, up against the roof of your mouth.

Up here, Huddy. No, no, let your tongue go back.

Let it go b- open your mouth...

Now put your tongue up. Up there. Now...

All right now let's try. You tell me...

- Day. - Day.

- Very good! Now good and loud. - Day.

Excellent.

Morten, this should be easy for you. Put your hand down, Morten.

Now look at the card.

Now tell me: "Mmmm"

- Mmmm - Mmmm

Now put your finger up against my nose. Right here.

Now feel. Mmmmm.

Now put it on your own nose. Good.

Now tell me: "Mouse".

- Mouse. - Excellent. Excellent.

All right now, Billy. Watch me.

You look right at me, now.

- Tell me: "Sssss". - Shhhh

That's good! But a little louder.

- Shhhh - Now tell me...

- "Sigh" - Shy

Very good.

Oh this should be easy for you, Chris. Tell me...

- Dr. Clark. - Just a minute.

Dr. Clark, please.

- Take over the class. - Yes.

Phone the police.

Doesn't do yourself any good to tear yourself up.

He ran away. They phoned me this morning - he ran away.

They'll find him.

What if something should happen to him?

Nothing's going to happen to him. We'll do something.

Transfer him to another place. What's the name of that place - Deverel?

It's so expensive, Ted.

I'll manage.

Why don't you go to see him?

You don't care about him.

It shouldn't be hard for you to go.

We have to have the buildings finished by September.

Ted, he ran away! They're looking for him now!

Don't you care what happens to him?

Don't you have any feeling for him?

Don't you have any feeling for him at all?

Yes, I have feeling for him.

I wish he were dead.

They day that I drove to that place, the thought went through my mind again and again.

I wanted to drive the car off the highway.

I wish I had.

It's easy to forget...

Easy to forget all the plans I had for him, too.

Easy to forget doctor after doctor I went to.

And not believing any of them.

Easy to forget...

...that I spent every penny we had looking for some sort of answer for him, some miracle.

Not easy to forget that I was the one who did what had to be done.

And leave him in that place.

And my life has turned to garbage ever since.

I'll arrange to transfer him, I'll arrange something.

I'll go down there if I have to.

I want the Crawthorn Training School, Crawthorn, New Jersey.

Let's take him over there. He'll be all right.

Hey we can get this kid. He'll take his place.

Do you play football? Good, you can take his place.

- Come on. - Okay let's go, same play.

Let this kid run it. He can do it good.

You better let him center. You carry so we can make some yardage.

Okay, right through the center. Let's go.

- Hey Red, you ready? - Yeah, let me take over!

We picked him up at this house on Braddock Avenue.

The lady made a complaint, that's how we got the call.

Sign here please.

I guess it must be pretty tough with these kids, huh?

My wife's sister's got a kid we're not too sure about.

She gets real touchy about it, you know? I asked her to take him to this hospital...

You don't have to be...

You don't have to be concerned about me anymore.

I'm leaving.

I thought I could help Reuben.

I couldn't even do that.

I guess you just...

have to...

make up your mind.

That these children don't have a chance.

Not a chance.

Why did you come here, Miss Hansen?

I was looking for some place to go.

Somewhere where I might be needed.

So I came to help the children.

Then why aren't you helping them? Why aren't you out in that music class right now helping them?

Music class?

It's not enough.

What is enough?

I don't.... I don't think you know how they feel.

Every Wednesday afternoon, waiting.

Just waiting.

You think I don't know how they feel?

You think every person who works in this institution doesn't know how they feel?

These people that have washed the diapers of children seventeen years of age.

That have wiped the drivel away from their mouths when no-one would look at them?

That have waited with them for twenty years and no-one came?

They don't know how they feel, but you know how they feel.

You and Reuben's mother.

You want to coddle them.

You want to take the falls for them. You want to suckle them at your breast.

You want to give them your love. Well your love is not enough.

They need more than that. More than that!

Well, I don't have it. I don't have it.

All right, run then. Quit. Get the hell out! Give yourself any excuse you want.

But let me tell you this.

I haven't been able to do a thing for Reuben. Not a single thing.

I may never be able to do anything for him.

As you say, he may never know a moment's happiness here.

But I'd rather fail this way, fighting for one inch of his dignity...

...than to have him denatured by your love for him.

Come on, Miss Hansen. Come with me.

They're your Reuben Widdicomes twenty years from now if we're not careful.

People loved them, too.

Some of them were sheltered from everything 'til they came here.

Others treated them with their emotions.

They locked them up in closets.

Some of them were sterilized by the state.

They used to sterilize them the way they sterilize cattle.

No-one ever needed to succeed in any little way as much as they do.

I think you can find what you're looking for here, Miss Hansen.

Because it's not what you can do for these children...

It's what they can do for you.

All right kids, come on, let's sit down. There we go. Sit down, honey. There we go.

Now everybody quiet.

- Sit down, Reuben. - Listen.

We're going to do a play about Thanksgiving.

- Sit down, Reuben. - Sit down, Reuben.

Now it's the story of the first settlers, when they came to this country.

Where there were no cities and no houses.

It was very hard for them, because there were Indians here.

So some of you are going to have to play Indians...

...and some of you are going to have to play settlers.

Now, Crash, do you want to be an Indian?

-Yes, I'll be the Indian. - I'll be an Indian.

Okay. Donald, you'll be an Indian? You'll be an Indian, too.

- And, Junius, you'll be a settler. - Yes, I wanna be a settler.

I'll be a settler!

And you be a settler. Come on up here, now.

Come on, and we'll learn the first song that opens the play, right?

Are you all here? Ok, now...

I'm going to sing...

...the first part of it, alone. All the way through.

And then, afterwards...

We can break it down, line by line.

All right? Here's the way it goes.

From up in the sky, sky, sky

Down to the ground, ground, ground

See the snow fly, fly, fly

With never a sound, sound, sound

All right now. I'll sing the first line, then you copy me. All right?

Here we go.

From up in the sky, sky, sky

Come on, everyone.

From the sky, sky, sky

Down to the ground, ground, ground

See the snow fly, fly, fly

With never a sound, sound, sound

Very good. Very-

Reuben. Reuben. Reuben.

If you want to stay in the music class...

...you're gonna have to behave yourself and pay attention.

Come on, now, sit down.

Sit down. That's right.

Okay, now let's try it again. Okay?

From up in the sky, sky, sky

Down to the ground, ground, ground

See the snow fly, fly, fly

With never a sound, sound...

I'm Goodman from Crowthorn Training School.

- Oh, how do you do? - How do you do?

Oh, would you come this way please? - Sure.

Thanks very much for coming. - Mr. Widdicombe? - Uh, later.

Will you take your rest somewhere else please?

Clark has been in touch with my wife and me about our boy.

Now what I want to do is this...

I want someone to take care of him. I'll pay whatever's necessary.

You don't have to pay except the few dollars a month...

I mean take care of him alone.

I'll pay whatever's necessary.

Well I'm afraid Dr. Clark wouldn't allow that.

Why wouldn't he?

Well Dr. Clark believes in these children helping themselves.

It's the basis of his whole program.

Well, we just have to take him out of there.

It was never a good idea to put him in an institution anyway.

He should have everything he wants. All he needs is someone to take care of him.

Someone to look after him and see that he has everything he wants.

To see that he doesn't have to do anything that he doesn't want to do.

Do you think that's the best thing for the boy, Mr. Widdicombe?

What would be the best thing for him?!

Maybe just to live out his life as fully as he can, like the rest of us.

Fully as he can? He has the brain of a child of five.

The brain isn't the whole of a human being, Mr. Widdicombe.

It's easy to give advice to parents, isn't it?

No. No it isn't.

I'm a parent.

How old is your...? I have a daughter, she's 28.

And you believe what Clark says? How does it go?

"We have to accept these children as they are. Just as they are."

"Their life has meaning, it has purpose."

Yes.

What purpose does it have, Mr. Goodman?

When...

When we first had Rose, I thought it was the greatest tragedy that could happen to a person.

We had so many plans for her.

Then we had a child you can't even take out in the street without people staring.

But Rose doesn't know she's a tragedy.

So the tragedy must be in ourselves. In facing it ourselves.

What purpose does it have, Mr. Goodman?

Your boy...

He might be able to wash dishes or tie strings around packages.

Is it the most he'll be able to accomplish?

I often wonder how much the rest of us accomplish.

I'm uhh...

I'm sorry I can't be of very much help.

That's all right. Thanks for coming.

A pleasure.

I am hungry.

I'm hungry.

- I'm hungry. - Hungry!

I'm hungry, too.

The governor said that there will be lots to eat on Thanksgiving Day.

A piece of... today...

Have...

A little piece of turkey.

Piece of turkey!

I'm so happy... we have turkey.

And we have... rye bread.

I wish I...

I know...

I wish I...

Would you pay attention?

- I have...I wish... - Have!

I wish I have...

I wish I have a duck...

Some goose. Some goose!

I wish...

I have a duck, goose...

Some on Thanksgiving Day.

We have faith in Governor Bradford.

He has guided us from the beginning. He is responsible...

for taking us...

Miss Brown, bring the Indians on.

What are you laughing at?

These fine men will help us with our Thanksgiving feast this year.

Chief Quantos...

Mespatoy...

...and the rest of these fine men.

Hey Mommy, I've got to use the bathroom.

Shh! Just wait. There's Junius.

Look, baby. there's your brother.

But Governor, there is nothing to eat.

Look what they have brought.

Fish...

Venison...

Corn...

And corn.

Goose...

-Let's have a feast! -Show what you have made..

I have made a shoebox.

I made these beads.

I made this placemat.

I have made this basket.

I make... make... make this tray.

I made the decoration for the table.

Hello.

- Hello. - We all thank our Indian friends...

For giving us the gift of maize.

We will always call it Indian corn.

You have taught us to raise a grain...

...that will forever keep famine from our doors.

I came to talk to you about Reuben. I came to see about transferring him.

That's your privilege.

Where is he?

He's up there on the stage. One of the Indians.

I like the fall

The mist and all

I like the night owl's...

...lonely call

I like the gray

November day

And bare...

...dead bough

Dead boughs...

That coldly sway

I like...

I like...the...

Against...

Against...

the pane

I... I like...

The rain.

From up in the sky, sky, sky

Down to the ground, ground, ground

See the snow fly, fly, fly

With never a sound, sound, sound

Out in the snow, snow, snow

A sleigh will go, go, go

Oh how we'll sing, sing, sing

Our voices will ring, ring, ring

Where children play, play, play

Play in the snow... all... day

Look out the window...

...and see it's as pretty as pretty can be

- Very good, Rose. - Hello Daddy.

Your feathers are coming out of your hat.

- Dr. Clark. - Hello Mrs. Spencer.

We brought him. He's in the car. He's afraid to get out.

Miss Hansen. Would you come here a minute, please?

This is Mr. and Mrs. Spencer.

How do you do?

They brought their boy. He's out in the car.

Would you like to go out and see him? His name is Earl.

Yes.

Come with me.

- Hello Earl. -Hi.

Want to come with me?

I say no.

No?

That means...

That means there's nothing to be afraid of. You can come with me if you want to.

How old are you, Earl?

Eleven.

When is your birthday?

Only... only next February.

- There are a lot of nice things here. - Yeah.

You're going to enjoy it.

- Yeah. - Will you come with me now?

- Go on. - Come on. Come on, darling. It's all right, come on.

- "Darling"? - Yes, "darling".

Come on. I know you're awfully old to be called that.