Anne Bancroft is dead. Wow. Most remembered for her role in The Graduate, people tend to forget that she had a varied and quite successful career both on screen and on stage. She was in the Miracle Worker in 1962 . She gave a monumental performance that won her an Academy Award. From a review of the movie:
As Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke could not have been better. The battle of wills and wits between the two is engrossing, becoming quite involved and very interesting. The lengthy dining room struggle alone would make any movie worth watching – it is worthwhile even beyond the interesting action itself, as it brings out aspects of human nature and human learning that go beyond even Helen’s own trials.
As for The Graduate, people today tend to forget what a big deal it was to go see that movie in 1967. Tame by todays standards, it was risque for that time. I remember my parents making a HUGE deal out of hiding it from us kids that they were going into town to see the movie. They did not want us kids to know that they were going to see a “dirty” movie. I still think it is a great movie and from the standpoint of hindsight, I think the story is great. If you got the same offer as young Benjamin, you’d probably take Mrs Robinson on her offer too.
Anyway, now I really feel old. She was a great actress and may God give her rest and peace.
