What the Deaf Man Heard Movie Review 1998

Sly comedy starts off in the '40s with 10-year-old Sammy (Muniz) winding up alone in the small town of Barrington, Georgia after his single mother (Peters) vanishes. Since she told him to keep silent, Sammy continues to obey her--even when he's taken in by kindly bus station manager Norm (Skerritt). Soon everyone believes Sammy is deaf and mute and this doesn't change as Sammy grows to adulthood (Modine) as the local handyman. In fact, everyone is happy to confide in Sammy so he knows everyone's secrets--not always a happy situation. Based on the novel "What the Deaf-Mute Heard" by G.D. Gearino.

Distribution

Movies Unlimited, 3015 Darnell Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154, Phone: (215)637-4444, Toll-free: 800-668-4344, Fax: (215)637-2350, Email: movies@moviesunlimited.com, URL: http://www.moviesunlimited.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 107 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Physical Problems, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Not-So-True Identity

Screenplay

Robert W. Lenski

Cast

Matthew Modine, Tom Skerritt, Judith Ivey, Claire Bloom, James Earl Jones, Jerry O'Connell, Anne Bobby, Stephen Spinella, Jake Weber, Bernadette Peters, Frankie Muniz

Cinematography

Eric Van Haren Noman

Director

John Kent Harrison

Music

J.A.C. Redford

Producer

Richard Welsh, Hallmark Hall of Fame