Amy (1981 film)

Amy
Amy
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Vincent McEveety
Written by	Noreen Stone
Produced by	Jerome Courtland
Starring	Jenny Agutter; Barry Newman; Kathleen Nolan; Chris Robinson; Lou Fant; Margaret O'Brien; Nanette Fabray
Cinematography	Leonard J. South
Edited by	Gregg McLaughlin
Music by	Robert F. Brunner
Production; company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	March 20, 1981;
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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 leaves her possessive, wealthy husband 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
Ronnie Scribner as Walter Ray
Seamon Glass as Mr. Watkins

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]

By January 1981, the film's title was changed to Amy and given a theatrical release as Walt Disney Productions felt that 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.^[4]

Home media

Amy was originally released as a double bill on a re-release of Alice in Wonderland.^[5] The film came to video cassette in October 1981.^[6] Disney released a manufactured-on-demand DVD of the film as part of their "Disney Generations Collection" line of DVDs on June 28, 2011.^[7]

References

^ "Amy". BFI Film & TV Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
^ "Amy". movieretriever.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Amy (1981)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
^ "Amy (film)". d23.com. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
^ Arnold, Gary (April 16, 1981). "Disney's Arduous 'Amy'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
^ "Disney Films on Cassette". Albuquerque Journal. October 23, 1981. p. 69.
^ "Now on DVD". disneydvd.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2012.