- Actors: Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, Charles Bickford, Agnes Moorehead, Stephen McNally
- Directors: Jean Negulesco
- Writers: Allen Vincent, Elmer Harris, Irma von Cube
- Producers: Jerry Wald
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
- Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Warner
- Release Date: Jan 31 2006
- Run Time: 102 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000BYA4JC
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #17,202 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
Jane Wyman won a Best Actress Oscar for her strong performance in this touching drama of a deaf-mute girl (Wyman) and a doctor (Lew Ayres) who works closely with her. The story (based on Elmer Harris's play) seems intent on dumping one grievance after another onto the poor character, from rape to community pressure to give up the resultant baby, plus a terrible loss sustained somewhere in there as well. But Wyman and director Jean Negulesco manage to make the film more than the sum of its perils, and the texture and atmosphere of the town is particularly effective. --Tom Keogh
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An understated, yet magnificent film,
By Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Johnny Belinda (VHS Tape)
I hadn't seen this film in 30 years, but watched it again last evening. I was mesmerized by several aspects of this classic (and ahead of its time) 1948 movie. Jane Wyman won the Oscar in this role where she makes not a single sound, not even in the throes of pregnancy. She is a deaf mute and never speaks, but imbues her character with a poignant tenderness and yearning which is extremely moving. There is no doubt that Wyman is an extremely underrated actress, because the pathos in this performance is moving indeed. Lew Ayres gives possibly his best performance here. For other reviewers who say he's the weakest part of the movie, I don't agree; perhaps they need to see him in the classic 1930 offering, "All Quiet on the Western Front." In that film, Lew was gorgeous to look at it, but couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. Here, he's vastly improved and deliberately underplays a character who is caring, decent, but essentially stoic and very still. I admit there isn't a lot of chemistry between Wyman and Ayres, but he projects a dignity and decency which shines through. Agnes Moorehead and Charles Bickford deliver outstanding supporting performances. Their interplay and dialogue is interesting and they contribute to the flowing plot. Aside from Wyman's stellar performance, the most interesting aspect of the film is that it is not dated in the least. The subjects of rape, an illegitimate baby and pre-marital sex were hardly common themes in movies of that era, and this film handles it with aplomb and class. The weakness of the film is that Belinda is assailed from all sides constantly; her lot in life is hard enough to begin with, but she is thrown one vicious curve after another. But not to worry, all comes out all right in the end. This movie is worth watching solely for Wyman's outstanding performance. Watch her eyes and how she conveys such beautiful emotion in them. I have renewed respect for Jane Wyman after watching this moving drama.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An All-Time AWESOME Film!,
By KathyBeeBee "Bookworm KathyBeeBee" (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Johnny Belinda (VHS Tape)
Johnny Belinda has been my absolute FAVORITE film for at least 40 years! Jane Wyman's performance is one not to be missed. Other reviewers on this forum have noted her expressive face, body language, growth; the ground-breaking subject matter (sexual assault and dignity in the face of bigotry); and the outstanding supporting cast. All come together to create a timeless story, told in an amazing performance.The ONE possible flaw may be with the "Perry Mason-style" theatrics in the courtroom. However, it's so minor as (and so VERY 40's!) that it detracts nothing from this outstanding film.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saw it on tv in 1986,
By "easy789" (Pittsburgh) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Johnny Belinda (VHS Tape)
This movie made me cry as a kid, Rosanna Arquette was amazing in it, it's a great movie, I wish it was on DVD. Rosanna has real talent as an actress, this is a moving epic, and like I said, should be on DVD. Dennis Quaid was good as well, what an awesome heartwrenching great movie.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Movies & TV > Classics > Drama
- Movies & TV > Drama > Classics
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
