A new speech teacher at a school for the deaf falls in love with the janitor, a deaf woman speechless by choice.A new speech teacher at a school for the deaf falls in love with the janitor, a deaf woman speechless by choice.A new speech teacher at a school for the deaf falls in love with the janitor, a deaf woman speechless by choice.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 6 wins & 13 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first film directed by a woman (Randa Haines) to be Oscar nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
- GoofsThe DVD back lists a main character as "John" Leeds, when the name should be "JAMES" Leeds.
- Quotes
James Leeds: Do you think that we could find a place where we can meet - not in silence and not in sound?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: Colorizing: Hollywood's New Vandalism (1986)
- SoundtracksJump (For My Love)
by Marti Sharron, Stephen Mitchell (as Steven Mitchell) & Gary Skardina
Performed by The Pointer Sisters
Courtesy of RCA Records
Featured review
revelation of a new language
James Leeds (William Hurt) is the new speech therapist at a school for the deaf. He has limited signing skills and is intrigued by Sarah Norman (Marlee Matlin). She was the school's most promising student but she is now the school's janitor. He tries to teach her to speak but she rejects him. She is filled with anger but eventually she allows him into her world.
It's the acting debut for Marlee Matlin and it's the first time I watched deaf acting. It was a revelation because she gives it so much emotions. She's doing acting like the old silent stars. It's amazing how visceral the fights become. It's a relatively simple romance but it's the signing that is so important. It broke down barriers at the time and literally gave cinema a new visual language.
It's the acting debut for Marlee Matlin and it's the first time I watched deaf acting. It was a revelation because she gives it so much emotions. She's doing acting like the old silent stars. It's amazing how visceral the fights become. It's a relatively simple romance but it's the signing that is so important. It broke down barriers at the time and literally gave cinema a new visual language.
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- SnoopyStyle
- May 2, 2015
- How long is Children of a Lesser God?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $10,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $31,853,080
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,909,084
- Oct 5, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $31,853,080
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Top Gap
By what name was Children of a Lesser God (1986) officially released in India in English?
Answer