by Hal Erickson
synopsis
A Circle of Children is an A-number-one TV adaptation of Mary MacCracken's autobiographical book. Recently separated from her husband, Mary (Jane Alexander) doesn't want to be just one more wealthy, useless divorcee. She plunges into volunteer work at a school for autistic children, where her presence is resented by brilliant but testy special-ed teacher Rachel Roberts, who considers MacCracken merely a dilettante. Ms. MacCracken proves her worth--to the teacher as well as herself--through her efforts to communicate with an 8-year-old victim of autism (Matthew Laborteaux). This Emmy-winning film was followed up by the equally superb Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part Two (1978).
characteristics
- Special-Education
- Starting-over
- Self-discovery
- Teacher
- Teaching
- Volunteer
- Underdogs
- Nervous-breakdown
- Mental-illness
- Communication
- Autistic
- Crumbling Marriages
- Divorce
- Lunacy
- Emotional-problems
