Children of a Lesser God

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For the play on which this film was based, see Children of a Lesser God (play).
Children of a Lesser God

DVD cover
Directed by Randa Haines
Produced by Chris Bender
JC Spink
Written by Mark Medoff (play)
Hesper Anderson
James Carrington
Starring William Hurt
Marlee Matlin
Piper Laurie
Philip Bosco
Music by Michael Convertino
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 3, 1986
Running time 119 min.
Language English
ASL
IMDb profile

Children of a Lesser God is a 1986 film that tells the story of a speech teacher at a school for deaf students who falls in love with a deaf woman who also works there. It stars William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, and Philip Bosco.

The movie, directed by Randa Haines, was adapted by Mark Medoff, Hesper Anderson and James Carrington (uncredited) from Medoff's Tony Award-winning play, which ran on Broadway from 1980-1982.

In her debut role as Sarah Norman, Matlin won the 1986 Academy Award for Best Actress. Almost completely deaf in real life since the early age of 18 months, she is the youngest actress to have received an Oscar for Best Actress (she was 21 at the time). She has since gone on to become an established film and television star and remains active in charities for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing around the world. The film also garnered further Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (William Hurt), Best Supporting Actress (Piper Laurie), Best Picture, and Best Writing for an Adapted Screenplay.

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[edit] Plot summary

Matlin plays Sarah Norman, a deaf and troubled young woman working at a school for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in New England. An energetic new teacher, James Leeds (William Hurt), arrives at the school and encourages her to set aside her isolated life of frustration by learning how to talk. As she already uses sign language, Sarah resists James's attempts to get her to talk. Romantic interest develops between James and Sarah and they are soon living together, though their differences and mutual stubbornness eventually strains their relationship to a breaking point, as he continues to want her to talk, and she feels somewhat stifled in his presence. Sarah leaves and goes back to her mother's house, in the process reconciling with her once estranged mother. However, she later returns to James, as both realize they need each other.

[edit] Production

The movie was shot primarily in and around Saint John, New Brunswick with the Rothesay Netherwood School serving as the main set.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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