The Miracle Worker (1962)

Set in the 1880s in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the film follows the intense struggle between the wild, uncommunicative Helen and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Helen’s family has been unable to reach her or teach her, allowing her to grow up spoiled and unmanageable. When Anne arrives, she faces not only Helen’s resistance but also the family’s pity and low expectations.

Through sheer will, patience, and unconventional methods, Anne gradually teaches Helen the concept of language using sign language spelled into her hand. The breakthrough moment comes when Helen finally connects the tactile sign for "water" with the actual substance, opening her mind to the world around her.