Movie: Children of a Lesser God.

[Helidore1983]

Has anyone seen this movie back when it was released at this time in 1986? If you remember it, what are your thoughts? It is a bi-bi approach to teaching deaf to speak or what is it? In case you're interested, I'm writing an assimilation paper for my Communications Studies class and the rough draft of it is due Nov. 6. I'm working on it tonight and however long it takes me to finish it, as my two partners on it are nowhere to be seen.

I saw the 1986 version, I borrowed it from my local library recently because I love all of the movies that deal with ASL and I love Marlee Matlin. The movie is about a school that has hired a teacher to work with profoundly deaf students to teach them to speak instead of signing. He tries all different ways to get the students to learn to use their voices, by sitting them on speakers to feel vibration, and teaches them how to do a musical type thing, its really interesting. He falls in love with Marlee Matlin (I don't remember her name in the movie) who works at the school, and went to the school when she was younger, and she actually refuses to speak, because she hates her voice (in the movie). She has a really bad relationship with her mother, who she ends back up with the teacher and she have a bad fight. I don't really remember all the details, but it was definatley a movie worth watching.

 

[Kaitin]

Interesting replies. Pete.

In the past I don't like the movie. But I don't say it because many of my hearing friends love the movie and don't understand my feeling. I'm glad to read replies about the negative between James and Sarah. AND I enjoy reading replies espeically from deaf/HoH about the positives of James and the movie - before I didn't think of all the points. The positive replies are more interesting than saying "Oh! So romantic!" - the movie is more than romance.

 

[pek1]

Interesting replies. Pete.

In the past I don't like the movie. But I don't say it because many of my hearing friends love the movie and don't understand my feeling. I'm glad to read replies about the negative between James and Sarah. AND I enjoy reading replies espeically from deaf/HoH about the positives of James and the movie - before I didn't think of all the points. The positive replies are more interesting than saying "Oh! So romantic!" - the movie is more than romance.

I honestly don't believe that romance had all that much to do in the film. I think, Kaitin, I'd go so far to suggest you ask your hearing friends if they like it when people yell in their faces, as it was that way in the movie. Yes, I speak almost clearly, but do stumble over my words on occasion. I would not speak clearly if a teacher like that used his mouth on me.