...and Your Name Is Jonah (1979 TV Movie) User Reviews

A fine exploration of deafness

[jjnxn-1 · 8/10 · 27 April 2013]

Made at a time when the handicapped were much less understood this is a fine examination of one child and family's struggle out of misdiagnosis.

Sally Struthers much better known for her comedic work is excellent as the mother lost in a maze of frustration of how to help her deaf child find his place in a hearing world after three years of incorrect institutionalization.

Some of the methods she pursues are arcane but they provide a snapshot of what treatment procedures were at the dawn of the 80's. Both entertaining and informative with many fine performances and a profoundly moving last half hour.

Jonah's breakthrough with sign language

[sbkruest · 7/10 · 22 December 2006]

I saw this movie when it first aired on TV and for some reason, I've remembered parts of it for all of these 27 years.

Primarily, I remember Jonah's frustration with trying to communicate, especially when he saw the hot-dog man in the park and used his index finger, folded into his other hand, to try to show Sally Struthers what he meant. He dragged her back to the place where he saw the hot-dog man, but of course, he was gone.

Later, he had his "Helen Keller" moment with the word/sign "tree." And right after that, he dragged the guy who taught it to him to a hot-dog man and gave the sign he had before. The signer-guy then taught him the right sign and he happily did it to his mom. So cool.

And I still remember the sign for tree.

A heartwarming movie about a handicapped Child

[zelda1964 · 10/10 · 17 April 2005]

Thinking back on this movie, I loved Sally Struthers' performance as the "champion" mother. She tries her best to know and understand deafness. I felt a tug at my heart, when Jonah is cruelly tied up on a table and looks at her pitifully. Struthers is the strong parent and only wants to see him fairly treated.She tries everything to study and help her son grow.In his silent world of deafness, Jonah befriends a fellow who helps him break out of the shell and deal with life. He discovers Sign Language, and is set free from barriers that push him away from family.The saddest scene was when Grandpa collapses and dies right in front of Jonah. This film was moving and I love it.

Why hasn't this been released on DVD yet?

[Holmzb124 · 10/10 · 31 July 2005]

I remember seeing this as a 9 year old kid and to this day the movie hasn't left me. Some of the scenes I remember are when Jonah's Grandpa died working at his produce stand, Jonah taking his brother's Spider man doll and putting him in the oven (he was totally afraid of Spider Man) and Jonah taking a spill on his bike when a car almost hit him. I do remember the deaf man helping out and Jonah giving him the positive reinforcement as he learned more and more sign of the language.

I, too, remember poor Jonah being tied up to the table while Sally Struther's watched helplessly at him. It made my cry then, and just thinking about it now makes my eyes water. Still, it's not to be meant as a depressing movie but a testament of courage and hope. A must have and I hope it gets a DVD release soon.

The story of a deaf, misunderstood/ misdiagnosed child.

[yngnreckless · 10/10 · 19 October 2006]

This is a beautiful, heartwarming story that will capture your heart in a way few movies can.This is the story of Jonah, a little boy who was misunderstood by all who knew him. It stars James Woods and Sally Struthers as parents faced with an enormous challenge. This is a definite must see family movie! I first saw this movie when it came out in 1979 as a child myself and have not been able to get this amazing film out of my head in all the years since. I related to Sally Struthers and her willingness to do everything she can to ensure her son a normal life and keep her family together in the face of untold adversity. If you can find a copy, watch it with your kids, they'll love you for it! I loved the positive message the movie portrayed and the broad range of emotions it brought out in me. This movie has it all, laughter, tears, anger, excitement, love, hardship, hate,and obstacles. I'm sure you'll enjoy this definite 10.

Jonah

[kytynj · 9/10 · 17 December 2009]

Having been an interpreter and worked at the Ohio School for the Deaf many years ago, I now find myself becoming "Jonah", as my hearing deteriorates and I try to pretend i can hear. What a very very poignant movie to re-watch at this point in my life. We are who we are - we do what we need so that we can live a good full life. How lucky we are that there have been children/people who have had the opportunity for total communication. How fortunate my chosen profession was interpreting - learning about total communication so I could not only help myself, but others.

Kytyn

Wonderful

[richard.fuller1 · 10/10 · 15 January 2006]

It was a wonderful movie, the story about the young deaf boy who was misdiagnosed as mentally handicapped and was institutionalized. Later they would realize they had been wrong, but Jonah had now grown up, unable to hear, in an environment of damaged individuals.

Perhaps because I was a child, I observed Jeff Bravin more (his only other appearance was on 3-2-1 Contact. Does anyone know if he was really deaf?) I do recall the death of the grandpa and how Jonah couldn't grasp what had happened. No one could tell him. He went back to the market looking for the grandfather, and when he couldn't find him, Jonah became lost.

The police caught up with him and since no communication was possible, this is what led to Jonah being strapped down as everyone has noted.

And Spiderman.

Yep, Jonah was scared by those pages of characters whom he couldn't understand what they were doing, so as someone else noted, the Spiderman doll had to go into the oven.

I remember James Woods, as the father, couldn't deal with it and left (don't all the TV dads abandon their responsibilities?) and I remember Sally getting very frustrated trying to teach Jonah to read.

She would say "truck."

He would repeat "uhh."

"Truck."

"Uhh."

"Jonah, does 'uhh' sound like 'truck'!?!" She must have been on the verge of giving up.

In the end, all they seemed to be able to do was what Annie Sullivan would do with Helen Keller; just keep forcing the words until one connects. Just find the connecting word.

For Helen Keller, it was the first word she spoke before her illness: "water." For Jonah, in a truly wonderfully setup way, it would be food: "hotdog." Comic books were no problem after that.

Later, Jonah would find a turtle shell and wanted to keep it.

He understood the turtle was dead and gave it to his grandmother, in memory of his grandfather.

If you find it cheap on video, grab it up. You'll be glad you did.

And Your Name Is Jonah

[yngnreckless1 · 10/10 · 3 February 2005]

I saw this movie in the 70's and I was but a child then and remember this movie almost word for word, scene by scene. That is how much this movie truly touched my heart. I am looking for a copy of this movie and ask that anyone with information on where I can find one please e-mail me. I fear this movie has been shelved for life and that would be such a waste. I have an 11 year old son and wish very much for him to view this masterpiece of a movie. I feel a movie like this can teach him a lot in terms of life and how to be thankful for all the haves rather than the have no ts. This movie should be shown in every classroom, in every school around the world.

Sincerely, Maria Horton

A truly wonderful film that will touch your heart!

[TonyLeone32360 · 10/10 · 7 November 2012]

This is just a warm, beautiful story that the entire family will enjoy. I saw it originally back in 1979. Sally Struthers is wonderful in it as Jonahs mother. In the beginning Jonah has been misdiagnosed as being mentally retarded. But he is only deaf. His mother and father (James Woods) struggle to make sense of it all. They blame each other and then themselves. Jonah is trapped in a world he does not understand. Only through love and his mothers determination is Jonah helped to understand this crazy world we live in. It makes you feel for the handicapped and understand how they are misunderstood and discriminated against. Grab the tissues for the end as if this one does not make you cry, you have no heart. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone!

Beautiful and sad...

[RosanaBotafogo · 9/10 · 22 May 2020]

A lot of prejudice involved, scenes that translate the pain of so many people who went through it, unbelievable and abominable ... Poor production, but the quality becomes insignificant given the message it transmits, the history of people with disabilities in the last century, in a period not so so distant, and unfortunately very contemporary ... Beautiful and sad...