I saw Johnny Belinda for the first time last night. Even before I saw it, I knew it would hold some interest for me. I've always been interested in sign language(I'm teaching myself), so the story of a deaf mute would be intriguing, if only for the fact that there would be an opportunity for me to practice my understanding of signing. Fortunately, the movie has more to offer than just that.
Belinda Macdonald (Jane Wyman) lives in a small Canadian fishing village with her father (Charles Bickford) and aunt Aggie (Agnes Moorehead). Deaf since childhood, she is called 'The Dummy' by everyone in the village. No one believes she has any capability to learn, and no attempt is made to teach her anything. When the new doctor, Dr. Richardson (Lew Ayres) sees Belinda, he realizes that even though she can't hear, it doesn't mean she can't think. He secretly teaches her sign language, as well as reading and writing. Things improve for Belinda, until the town bully rapes her(no graphic scenes. This was 1948. Just a violent kiss, Belinda's terrified face, and a fade out) She becomes pregnant. At first, her father thinks Dr. Richardson is the father, but learns it was someone else. Belinda can't say who, because she has blocked the rape from her mind. She has a boy and names him Johnny. Belinda is a caring mother, but the townspeople don't believe 'The Dummy' can provide for him. They try to trick her into giving him up to his father and his new wife. (Unknowingly, because they believe the doctor is the father.) When that doesn't work, the father tries to take Johnny by force. Fearing that he wants to hurt Johnny, Belinda shoots him, and finds herself on trial for murder.
The acting is wonderful in this movie. the main cast (Wyman, Ayres, Bickford, Moorehead) all got nominated for Academy awards, with Wyman winning Best Actress.
Bickford plays Belinda's father as gruff, but not uncaring. He doesn't believe Belinda has enough intelligence to learn anything, but he allows the doctor to 'waste' his time trying to teach her. When he sees she can learn, he is eager for her studies to continue. One touching scene is when Belinda first signs 'father'. He is excited and overjoyed.
Moorehead is slightly flaky, and seems resentful of Belinda. She is civil, but no more than that to her. Even after Belinda learns to sign and lip read, she refuses to believe Belinda can understand. She does redeem herself, after Belinda becomes pregnant, doing everything she can to help her during the pregnancy and labor.
The only false note I found was in Lew Ayres performance. He seemed to be reciting lines, rather than becoming the character he played.
In the tradition of saving the best for last, I'll discuss Jane Wyman's performance now. She truly surpassed herself in this role. I can't say the other nominees for Best Actress weren't as worthy, but I can't argue with her win. I've never been a big fan of silent movies. It always seemed as if the actors overcompensated in facial expressions to make up for the absence of dialog (I haven't seen many silent films, so if my impression is wrong, I'm sorry). Wyman also had to do the entire film without opening her mouth, but she was subtle and natural. A whole range of emotions were played out on her face. When she first discovered the signs for words, it was similar to the scene in The Miracle worker, where Helen Keller first learns 'water'. She displayed the emotions of fear, joy, bewilderment and fierce protectiveness all with her body language and the expressions on her face.
I found the movie to be frustratingly slow at times. First, it had to establish the relationship of Dr. Richardson to the new town. Then, Belinda's education, her pregnancy and shunning from the townspeople. Then it dealt with the shooting and trial. Each event was given detailed treatment, which made them take long enough for me to want them to hurry to get to the climatic scene. What saves the film is that each event is truly interesting, and gives ample time for me to admire Wyman's performance.
For anyone who's wondering, the sign language is accurate, as far as I know (and I'm no expert). Some signs were different from the ones I learned, but I figured they were either regional differences, or perhaps just older versions of the signs.
I was expecting an interesting film, and hoping for a good one. Johnny Belinda delivered big time.
A patient compassionate doctor teaches a deaf-mute girl to communicate. After the young lady is brutally raped by a local villager the bucolic populac...More at Family Video
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