Plot
James is a new speech teacher at a school for the deaf. He falls for Sarah, a pupil who decided to stay on at the school rather than venture into the big bad world...
Release Year: 1986
Rating: 7.1/10 (7,361 voted)
Director:
Randa Haines
Stars: William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie
Storyline James is a new speech teacher at a school for the deaf. He falls for Sarah, a pupil who decided to stay on at the school rather than venture into the big bad world. She shuns him at first, refusing to read his lips and only using signs. Will her feelings change over time?
Writers: Mark Medoff, Hesper Anderson
Cast: William Hurt
-
James Leeds
Marlee Matlin
-
Sarah Norman
Piper Laurie
-
Mrs. Norman
Philip Bosco
-
Dr. Curtis Franklin
Allison Gompf
-
Lydia
John F. Cleary
-
Johnny
Philip Holmes
-
Glen
Georgia Ann Cline
-
Cheryl
William D. Byrd
-
Danny
Frank Carter Jr.
-
Tony
John Limnidis
-
William
Bob Hiltermann
-
Orin
E. Katherine Kerr
-
Mary Lee Ochs
John Basinger
-
Alan Jones
Barry Magnani
-
Tom Schuyler
Taglines:
Love has a language all of its own.
Release Date: 3 October 1986
Filming Locations: Beaver Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada
Gross: $31,853,080
(USA)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The film's box office takings shot up by an unprecedented 164% after Marlee Matlin's Oscar win for Best Actress.
Goofs:
Miscellaneous:
The DVD back lists a main character as "John" Leeds, when the name should be "JAMES" Leeds.
Quotes: James Leeds:
Do you think there's someplace where we can meet that's not in silence and not in sound?
User Review
Beautiful and Touching
Rating:
Hollywood is full of overly wrought love stories in which the conflict seems
contrived merely to create drama or comedy or both. In Children of a Lesser
God the love is so simple, and the conflict so believable, that it feels
less like watching a movie, and more like watching friends walk through
their own personal story. The attraction between Matlin and Hurt is
obvious, but genuine, and is filled with the kind of "touches" that make it
feel real.
It is also a visually beautiful film. Each shot is set like a still
photographer capturing an image. The overwhelming beauty of the New
Brunswick coast creates a background for the film that leaves one with the
feeling of watching a moving painting.
Matlin has unfortunately not since been offered anything near this piece in
which to display her amazing talent. It is a shame that a woman who could
stand alongside Katherine Hepburn and Jodie Foster as all time great
actresses is not having the opportunity to display that talent because of
her hearing disability.
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