Children of a Lesser God | 
 enlarge | Director: Randa Haines
Actors: William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco, Allison Gompf
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:  39 reviews
Sales Rank: 6072
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 118
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5 x 0.6
MPN: D018394D
ISBN: 0792169719
UPC: 097360183948
EAN: 9780792169710
ASIN: B0000507P9
Theatrical Release Date: October 3, 1986
Release Date: December 12, 2000
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Amazon.com
Mark Medoff's tough play about deafness is sweetened and softened in this 1986 film adaptation directed by Randa Haines (Wrestling Ernest Hemingway). William Hurt plays a teacher newly hired at a school for deaf children, and Marlee Matlin is the deaf and withdrawn janitor who captures his attention. Romantic and heartfelt, the film makes its audience care very much about its two leading characters, and wince when Hurt's well-meaning instructor allows Matlin's handicap to become a problem. Haines develops some interesting visual ideas to underscore the isolation of Matlin's world, particularly a lovely refrain that finds Matlin swimming alone at night. The drama is cut somewhat by the bouncy energy and good humor of Hurt's students. Piper Laurie is very good in a supporting role as Matlin's mother. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...
 Remarkable October 14, 2008
Children of a Lesser God. Directed by Randa Haines
A very interesting study of Mute and deaf people. Rand Haines (Antwone Fisher) Directed this film where we encounter the problems of these unfortunate brothers and sisters finding themselves as they start growing and could not communicate. James Leeds (William Hurt) a teacher with unconventional approach way of teaching was warned by the school administration . John went his way and done his best that his students can communicate better in life with success. In his way came a young beauty by the name of Sarah, a very intelligent 25 year old mature woman who trusted no body. After graduation she decided to remain at the facility as a cleaner. Sarah ( Marlee Matlin - mute and deaf herself) abandoned by her mother for being deaf and mute because she could never learn to communicate with her, was in a way a loner, even sexually molested when she was a teenager. James fell in love with her and the two stuck together until....
A very great film. It can be easily watched a second or a third time, good photography, setting etc.
Marlee Matlin received an Oscar for her performance in Children of a Lesser God.
 A film with a lesser effect... August 28, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I see a lot of potential when I think back over the film that was `Children of a Lesser God'. Now, I have not seen the play but I hear that it is much harsher, much more emotionally gut punching if you will. When I watched `Children of a Lesser God' I expected to get that, that warm feeling of unease in my core, the feeling that everything is not as it should be but instead I got a much softer and much more refined experience. I'm not saying that a sweet and effective love story is a bad thing, but aside from the major plot point regarding Sarah Norman's hearing disability the film is your generic love story with nothing really to distinguish it from every other love story out there.
Boy meets girl; boy likes girl; girl is standoffish; girl falls for guy; guy and girl have fight; boy and girl make up.
I wish I could say that there was more to it than that.
That isn't to say that as a love story it doesn't work well, for the wonderful performances by the two leads help elevate the film and carry it into our hearts; I just can't help myself from thinking that it could have been so much more. I really relish in films that sink into the grit and rawness of a situation, but aside from one beautifully acted scene of aggression and emotional frustration the film is rather cheery and light; and to me that takes away from the point of the film.
The film follows James Leeds, a teacher in a school for the deaf who pushes his students to learn to speak, as he falls in love with a pupil who decided to stay at the school and work as apposed to venturing out on her own. She is calloused towards him and his attempts to speak to her rather than sign, taking it as an insult to her disability, but she soon warms to him and they start a love affair that tests their relationship in ways they never knew possible. Leeds ideas conflict with Sarah's morals and scar her emotionally, but his persistence in the preservation of their relationship helps keep them together.
I definitely feel as though the acting here is the saving grace, for both William Hurt and Marlee Matlin work hard to elevate the cliched material they are given. Much has been made over Marlee's Oscar win being sentimental and undeserved, but the fact of the matter is that her performance is very strong despite her material. William Hurt is maybe even stronger, for he doesn't have a gimmick to work with and yet still manages to crawl inside his character. I am kind of stunned that Piper Laurie received an Oscar nomination when her performance is not that noteworthy, but it isn't bad either so I can't be too upset over it. At least she didn't win.
In the end `Children of a Lesser God' is a fine film, but it is not what it could have been. It manages to make you care about the characters but it fails to make you care about the important lessons with regard to disability that the film claims to center around. The film is too concerned with the love affair to make the disability anything more than a side-point.
Children of a Lesser God July 9, 2008
This was a great film. It is well worth watching. It makes you think!
Children of a Lesser God fan April 27, 2008
I saw this movie back in 1988, and i loved it. I decided to become a sign language interpreter. The movie is excellent, I strongly recomend it to everybody. The performances were oscar winners and the story very emotional. I enjoyed the movie and I'm enjoying learning sign language.
children of a lesser God April 19, 2008
Terrific movie. Its no wonder that Marlee won an academy award for her work.
The seller is great. Immediate shipment and received as indicated.
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