Bill

Actually I think I should apologize to Micky Rooney for personally thinking of him as I first encountered him. Andy Hardy. Even with his rolls in Boy's Town, National Velvet and The Human Comedy, I could never take him as a serious actor. Watching his performance as "Bill" was one of the truly outstanding portrayals I ever saw. I now saw Mickey as a consummate artists of his trade. I'm sorry it took me fifty years to really see it. The story of Bill and the Bills' like him is happening all over the world. Just this year, the county I live in closed the County Home. There were two people who were just the type that "Bill" was. Thinking of this story makes be wonder what will become of them. I would like to see the movie replayed again to help folks to be more aware that our communities have this problem. Mickey Rooney played this with such warmth, skill and awareness that I say THANK YOU for your eye opening characterization of Bill.

This was such a great movie and Mickey Rooney Was wonderful. We also loved the sequel "Bill On His Own".I don't understand why it hasn't been played on television once in a while. I would love for my younger kids and grandkids to see this! It was heart breaking but shows what a person can do if they try.

I saw this movie for the first time when I was about 12 years old. I had grown up around older people, but no one with disabilities. At the beginning of the movie I remember feeling sorry for Bill, however, by the end of the movie I felt sorry for the people who didn't know Bill or have a Bill in there life. After watching this movie, I became more aware of the people around me with disabilities and befriended several. I finally began working with the developmentally disabled in my 30's and my life has never been richer. This movie was such an eye opener for me and I highly recommend it to everyone. I've watched this movie with my eldest nephew and plan to watch it with the other children in my family so that they know people with disabilities are just as capable and deserving of respect and not to be frightened of. This is a MUST see for EVERYONE!!!!

"Bill" is a wonderful TV-movie, one of the best ever made. It doesn't have flashy sets; it doesn't have special effects; it's set in Minnesota and Iowa in the dead of winter, not very exciting or scenic places. What it does have is one of Mickey Rooney's best performances, and unarguably one of the most sweet, poignant and winning characters he's ever played. He won the Golden Globe for his performance, and it's easy to see why.

The film is based on Barry Morrow, an independent filmmaker who happened to run across Bill, an older man who was thought to be mentally challenged, and started doing a documentary on his life. Along the way Barry discovered that Bill was as smart as anyone else, but that he'd been locked up in a mental institution since he was 5 years old and treated as if he was mentally handicapped. Bill's early life isn't touched on in more than a random way, but what we do hear is terrifying; abuse of a normal child on a grand scale. Abuse so bad that Bill can only survive by acting like the rest of the inmates. When Barry takes Bill back to the institution to film a segment, Bill's reaction is pitiable.

Barry is played by Dennis Quaid in one of his early roles, and he's great in some scenes, merely passable in others. Luckily, the great scenes outnumber the passable ones. The rest of the cast are good with the exception of Largo Woodruff, who plays Barry's wife. She is alternately pouty, nasty, spoiled-rotten or smiley, with no subtleties in-between. She is the only drawback to the film; if she had only downplayed some of her more dramatic scenes she would have been much easier to take. However, she doesn't harm the movie in any real way; it's all Rooney's film and he's the reason to watch it. A sequel was made several years later with Mickey reprising his role and Helen Hunt playing the college student who took Bill under her wing. It is more of a routine TV movie; Mickey is good but the story doesn't have the magic of the first.

This film deserves to be seen more than it is. It's especially right for the Christmas season, since the real Bill loved to play Santa. This is a family staple in our house and we watch it every Christmas, marveling at just how magical "Bill" is.

I remember watching this movie the first time it aired on TV. I believe it aired on CBS. I loved it! And the sad part was I never watched it again. I never see the movie being played on any network or TV station.

Twenty years later I'm listening to radio "shock jocks" OPIE & ANTHONY. They mentioned the movie. Making fun of the movie when Bill touches most of the chicken at the family dinner. I couldn't stop laughing. I had to get a copy of this movie. Hello eBay! Now, thanks to eBay, I'm able to watch this classic over and over. My friend loves to watch it to. We can repeat most of the lines.

Why is this movie a classic? The hair piece? Bill making his first cup of coffee? Bill playing with Clay on the floor? Bill's two dollar good luck piece? Crack mined old man? The chicken touching? The social worker threatening to send Bill back to Grandville? Bill trying to use a pay phone? I would have to say all of the above.

Since I've watched the movie over 100 times I'm now an expert on Bill. He has a nice way about him. He's kind. He loves all religions. He doesn't care if you make tons of money or if you're a homeless person. He has this quality I can't pinpoint. You just have to love Bill. Understand where he came from. But don't ever mention Grandville to Bill or he will bolt! During the movie Bill does wear one ugly hair piece. The piece reminds me of the one Norman Bates used in "Psycho" when he played his mother.

This movie will make you cry and laugh. Really laugh! Editor's note: This movie plus the second Bill movie called "Bill On His Own" are required movies to watch if you listen to Opie & Anthony. These jocks are now heard coast-to-coast via XM RADIO.