I was 18 year old when the TV drama "Bill" aired in 1981. The movie was promoted as Mickey Rooney playing a retarded man. No other info was given. It aired two nights before Christmas. It was awesome. You got to hear that it was an Iowa story, that happened at Iowa City. The Bill TV movie beat every show that night in ratings.The next day, every morning talk show and news show was talking about it. Barry and Bill were overnight celebrities.
I am 50 years old now, and just purchased the documentary. The documentary is very moving, very touching, and the music score really is a gem. The story is a living testament on how human beings should treat each other. So many lessons can be learned from this movie, and at the same time entertains the heck out of you.
Anyone that has seen the movie "Forrest Gump" and has said to themselves that the Forrest Gump story could never happen will find out that they were wrong. It did happen, even before Forrest Gump was a story. In Bill Sackters case, it is not a story. It is true. That's what makes this story so special. This is a must see. I truly mean that.