409:
that she is healed would bring shame and ruin to
Margaret. She is actually coached to continue acting as deaf-blind, and does so for about a year; however, in that time she makes several slips (some deliberate). Esther's reporter friend discerns the truth and meets Esther privately, whereupon she tells him everything. He plans to write up the story, then take Esther away and marry her. But a few hours later, as he completes the story at the newspaper office, word comes to him that Esther has suddenly died. The official story is that she mistook a bottle of very strong sedatives for mild sleeping pills. When Harry confronts Margaret she reveals she knew of the meeting as he had left his handkerchief behind. She maintains she did not kill Esther, and continues the charade. The story can never be printed because Margaret and the charity managers command extreme wealth to fund a coverup. Even if the story were printed and people believed it, it would smear Esther's name and disillusion the people who believe in the Costello charity, and other, honest charities, and their message of hope. The novel closes with Margaret, robed in black, giving an impassioned speech at a convention, as millions of attendees open their wallets.
277:
physical. As
Costello makes progress with Braille and sign language, she is seen as an example of triumph over adversity. Carlo gets wind of Margaret's new life and re-enters the scene. He views Esther as a source of cheap financial gain and arranges a series of exploitative tours for her under a mercenary manager Frank Wenzel. One day when Margaret is absent from the Landi apartment, Carlo rapes the now 16-year-old Esther. The shock restores the girl's sight and hearing. When Margaret learns of her husband's business duplicities and the rape, she consigns Esther to the care of a priest and a young reporter who loves her. Margaret then kills Carlo and herself.
476:
wrote, "It wouldn't be a Joan
Crawford picture without plenty of anguish...And her fans will have their usual good time...this plot enables Miss Crawford to run a full-course dinner of dramatic moods, from loneliness to mother love, from pride in the girl to passion with her husband, and finally to
408:
The novel focuses mainly on the falsehoods behind large-scale charities and the self-serving natures of those involved. When Esther recovers her sight and hearing, her promoters worry that this will put an end to the
Costello Fund. They convince her that the rape was her fault, and that to reveal
276:
With her marriage to womaniser Carlo Landi in ashes, wealthy and childless
Margaret Landi finds an emotional outlet in patronizing a 15-year-old deaf, mute, and blind Irish girl named Esther Costello. Esther's disabilities are the result of a childhood trauma and are psychosomatic rather than
405:'s husband, writer-publicist John Macy, who was close to Keller's age. A relationship between Macy and Keller has long been a subject of speculation. Esther's reporter friend was reminiscent of Keller's highly publicised attempt to elope with reporter-secretary Peter Fagan.
31:
451:
wrote: "The fascinations of mass hypnosis, at the huge Esther
Costello rallies in America, are suavely indulged by David Miller's Iuxuriating direction. Indeed, this scene – very reminiscent of the Communist rally in
502:
488:
was released on DVD by Turner
Classics (under license from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) on 25 November 2014, as part of the "Joan Crawford in the 1950s" collection.
477:
smouldering rage...Somehow she pulls it off. This may not be your kind of movie but it is many women's kind of movie and our Joan is queen of the art form."
1140:
401:'s co-workers suing for libel due to perceived parallels between Helen's story and Esther's. In particular, the book seemed to slur the character of
1115:
1110:
1095:
835:
1105:
745:
1130:
1125:
709:
913:
1100:
497:
257:
57:
985:
1135:
1090:
801:
233:
828:
1120:
1085:
953:
889:
677:
447:
929:
541:
467:
noted, "Miss
Crawford, Mr. Brazzi, and Mr. Patterson and all the minor players are professional throughout."
1041:
1001:
845:
472:
237:
88:
47:
881:
603:
821:
789:
353:
1057:
1017:
1009:
905:
873:
434:
347:
151:
1080:
897:
463:
394:
323:
261:
136:
74:
937:
637:
1025:
961:
767:
741:
715:
705:
265:
162:
1049:
969:
807:
865:
380:
30:
698:
329:
293:
245:
116:
102:
1074:
993:
794:
402:
374:
305:
299:
287:
249:
241:
126:
106:
98:
857:
454:
398:
253:
84:
813:
1033:
945:
413:
368:
341:
317:
311:
36:
921:
671:
783:
335:
429:
The film was the 11th most popular film at the
British box office in 1957.
719:
778:
772:
761:
458:– hits the only true note to be found in this florid Crawford vehicle."
621:
Anderson, Lindsay; Dent, David (8 January 1958). "Time for New Ideas".
638:"The popular cash and culture in the postwar British cinema industry"
817:
438:
the film was "in the money" at the
British box office in 1957.
655:
Billings, Josh (12 December 1957). "Others in the money".
503:
List of films featuring the deaf and hard of hearing
217:
209:
201:
191:
168:
158:
142:
132:
122:
112:
94:
80:
63:
53:
43:
23:
697:
670:
604:"Unsung Aussie Actors – Ron Randell: A Top Twenty"
268:. The film is a story of large-scale fundraising.
685:(276): 99. 1 January 1957 – via ProQuest.
829:
8:
836:
822:
814:
29:
20:
546:British Film Institute Collections Search
644:. Vol. 32, no. 3. p. 259.
518:
7:
589:
577:
565:
1141:Films scored by Lambert Williamson
362:Harry Hutchinson as Irish publican
359:Maureen Delaney as Jennie Costello
14:
602:Vagg, Stephen (10 August 2019).
365:Tony Quinn as Irish pub customer
252:. It was produced by Miller and
393:The film is based on a book by
260:was based on the 1952 novel by
1116:Films directed by David Miller
672:"The Story of Esther Costello"
542:"The Story of Esther Costello"
498:List of American films of 1957
371:as Esther Costello, as a child
1:
1111:Films based on British novels
1096:British black-and-white films
625:. London, England. p. 9.
530:. 8 January 1958. p. 30.
1106:1950s English-language films
978:The Story of Esther Costello
802:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
796:The Story of Esther Costello
785:The Story of Esther Costello
774:The Story of Esther Costello
763:The Story of Esther Costello
486:The Story of Esther Costello
229:The Story of Esther Costello
68:The Story of Esther Costello
24:The Story of Esther Costello
696:Quirk, Lawrence J. (1968).
412:A key support role went to
1157:
700:The Films of Joan Crawford
470:William K. Zinsser in the
383:as man in pub (uncredited)
852:
678:The Monthly Film Bulletin
592:, pp. 441–44, 448–50
448:The Monthly Film Bulletin
177:6 November 1957
28:
16:1957 film by David Miller
1131:Films about blind people
1126:Fiction about mariticide
344:as Matron in Art Gallery
264:. It was distributed by
221:$ 1,075,000 (US rentals)
1101:Columbia Pictures films
526:"Top Grosses of 1957".
473:New York Herald Tribune
882:More About Nostradamus
736:Lash, Joseph (1997).
704:. The Citadel Press.
1058:The Best Place to Be
1018:Captain Newman, M.D.
1010:Lonely Are the Brave
657:Kinematograph Weekly
435:Kinematograph Weekly
256:. The screenplay by
35:Original theatrical
1136:1950s British films
1091:British drama films
914:Top o' the Morning
844:Films directed by
790:TCM Movie Database
740:. Addison-Wesley.
395:Nicholas Monsarrat
320:as Mother Superior
302:as Esther Costello
262:Nicholas Monsarrat
232:is a 1957 British
137:Lambert Williamson
75:Nicholas Monsarrat
1068:
1067:
986:Happy Anniversary
747:978-0-201-69468-0
738:Helen and Teacher
580:, pp. 868–69
568:, pp. 732–38
290:as Margaret Landi
266:Columbia Pictures
225:
224:
163:Columbia Pictures
1148:
1121:Films about rape
1086:1957 drama films
1050:Bittersweet Love
1042:Executive Action
970:The Opposite Sex
838:
831:
824:
815:
751:
724:
723:
703:
693:
687:
686:
674:
667:
661:
660:
652:
646:
645:
633:
627:
626:
618:
612:
611:
599:
593:
587:
581:
575:
569:
563:
557:
556:
554:
552:
538:
532:
531:
523:
397:that nearly had
389:Production notes
332:as Father Devlin
326:as Paul Marchant
184:
182:
33:
21:
1156:
1155:
1151:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1146:
1145:
1071:
1070:
1069:
1064:
938:Saturday's Hero
866:The Great Heart
848:
842:
758:
748:
735:
727:
712:
695:
694:
690:
669:
668:
664:
654:
653:
649:
636:Thumim, Janet.
635:
634:
630:
620:
619:
615:
601:
600:
596:
588:
584:
576:
572:
564:
560:
550:
548:
540:
539:
535:
525:
524:
520:
511:
494:
483:
444:
427:
422:
391:
386:
381:Wilfred Bramble
377:as Signor Gatti
314:as Frank Wenzel
283:
274:
258:Charles Kaufman
194:
187:
180:
178:
171:
154:
147:
145:
105:
101:
87:
72:
70:
58:Charles Kaufman
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1154:
1152:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1073:
1072:
1066:
1065:
1063:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1014:
1006:
998:
990:
982:
974:
966:
958:
950:
942:
934:
926:
918:
910:
902:
894:
886:
878:
870:
862:
853:
850:
849:
843:
841:
840:
833:
826:
818:
812:
811:
808:Review of film
805:
804:
792:
781:
770:
757:
756:External links
754:
753:
752:
746:
732:
731:
726:
725:
710:
688:
662:
647:
628:
613:
594:
582:
570:
558:
533:
517:
516:
515:
510:
507:
506:
505:
500:
493:
490:
482:
479:
464:New York Times
443:
440:
426:
423:
421:
418:
390:
387:
385:
384:
378:
372:
366:
363:
360:
357:
356:as Susan North
351:
345:
339:
333:
327:
321:
315:
309:
308:as Harry Grant
303:
297:
296:as Carlo Landi
294:Rossano Brazzi
291:
284:
282:
279:
273:
270:
246:Rossano Brazzi
223:
222:
219:
215:
214:
211:
207:
206:
205:United Kingdom
203:
199:
198:
195:
192:
189:
188:
186:
185:
174:
172:
169:
166:
165:
160:
159:Distributed by
156:
155:
150:
148:
143:
140:
139:
134:
130:
129:
124:
120:
119:
117:Robert Krasker
114:
113:Cinematography
110:
109:
103:Rossano Brazzi
96:
92:
91:
82:
78:
77:
65:
61:
60:
55:
51:
50:
45:
41:
40:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1153:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1060:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1003:
999:
996:
995:
994:Midnight Lace
991:
988:
987:
983:
980:
979:
975:
972:
971:
967:
964:
963:
959:
956:
955:
954:Twist of Fate
951:
948:
947:
943:
940:
939:
935:
932:
931:
927:
924:
923:
919:
916:
915:
911:
908:
907:
906:Flying Tigers
903:
900:
899:
895:
892:
891:
890:Billy the Kid
887:
884:
883:
879:
876:
875:
874:Drunk Driving
871:
868:
867:
863:
860:
859:
855:
854:
851:
847:
839:
834:
832:
827:
825:
820:
819:
816:
809:
806:
803:
800:
798:
797:
793:
791:
787:
786:
782:
780:
776:
775:
771:
769:
765:
764:
760:
759:
755:
749:
743:
739:
734:
733:
729:
728:
721:
717:
713:
711:9780806500089
707:
702:
701:
692:
689:
684:
680:
679:
673:
666:
663:
658:
651:
648:
643:
639:
632:
629:
624:
617:
614:
609:
605:
598:
595:
591:
586:
583:
579:
574:
571:
567:
562:
559:
547:
543:
537:
534:
529:
522:
519:
513:
512:
508:
504:
501:
499:
496:
495:
491:
489:
487:
480:
478:
475:
474:
468:
466:
465:
459:
457:
456:
450:
449:
441:
439:
437:
436:
432:According to
430:
424:
419:
417:
415:
410:
406:
404:
403:Anne Sullivan
400:
396:
388:
382:
379:
376:
375:Victor Rietti
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
350:as Mr. Wilson
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
319:
316:
313:
310:
307:
306:Lee Patterson
304:
301:
300:Heather Sears
298:
295:
292:
289:
288:Joan Crawford
286:
285:
280:
278:
271:
269:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
250:Heather Sears
247:
243:
242:Joan Crawford
240:and starring
239:
235:
231:
230:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
190:
176:
175:
173:
167:
164:
161:
157:
153:
152:Romulus Films
149:
141:
138:
135:
131:
128:
127:Ralph Kemplen
125:
121:
118:
115:
111:
108:
107:Heather Sears
104:
100:
99:Joan Crawford
97:
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
69:
66:
62:
59:
56:
52:
49:
46:
42:
38:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1032:
1024:
1016:
1008:
1000:
992:
984:
977:
976:
968:
960:
952:
944:
936:
930:Our Very Own
928:
920:
912:
904:
898:Sunday Punch
896:
888:
880:
872:
864:
858:Penny Wisdom
856:
846:David Miller
795:
784:
773:
762:
737:
699:
691:
682:
676:
665:
659:. p. 7.
656:
650:
641:
631:
622:
616:
607:
597:
585:
573:
561:
551:18 September
549:. Retrieved
545:
536:
527:
521:
485:
484:
471:
469:
462:
460:
453:
446:
445:
433:
431:
428:
411:
407:
399:Helen Keller
392:
348:Robert Ayres
336:Sidney James
275:
254:Jack Clayton
238:David Miller
236:directed by
228:
227:
226:
193:Running time
170:Release date
89:David Miller
85:Jack Clayton
67:
48:David Miller
18:
1034:Hail, Hero!
1002:Back Street
946:Sudden Fear
730:Works cited
414:Ron Randell
369:Janina Faye
354:Sally Smith
342:Bessie Love
330:Denis O'Dea
318:Fay Compton
312:Ron Randell
197:127 minutes
81:Produced by
44:Directed by
1081:1957 films
1075:Categories
1026:Hammerhead
922:Love Happy
810:at Variety
509:References
425:Box office
324:John Loder
234:drama film
218:Box office
181:1957-11-06
144:Production
71:1952 novel
54:Written by
590:Lash 1997
578:Lash 1997
566:Lash 1997
514:Citations
420:Reception
123:Edited by
779:AllMovie
492:See also
442:Critical
210:Language
133:Music by
95:Starring
64:Based on
799:at the
788:at the
608:Filmink
528:Variety
338:as Ryan
213:English
202:Country
179: (
146:company
1061:(1979)
1053:(1976)
1045:(1973)
1037:(1969)
1029:(1968)
1021:(1963)
1013:(1962)
1005:(1961)
997:(1960)
989:(1959)
981:(1957)
973:(1956)
965:(1956)
957:(1954)
949:(1952)
941:(1951)
933:(1950)
925:(1949)
917:(1949)
909:(1942)
901:(1942)
893:(1941)
885:(1941)
877:(1939)
869:(1938)
861:(1937)
744:
720:440791
718:
708:
642:Screen
37:poster
962:Diane
623:Times
455:Trial
768:IMDb
742:ISBN
716:OCLC
706:ISBN
553:2024
461:The
281:Cast
272:Plot
248:and
777:at
766:at
481:DVD
73:by
1077::
714:.
683:24
681:.
675:.
640:.
606:.
544:.
416:.
244:,
837:e
830:t
823:v
750:.
722:.
610:.
555:.
183:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
