Decades after its release, Children of a Lesser God has obtained a rather complicated reputation in cinema history. It’s one of the first Hollywood narrative features about the Deaf community. However, the film was entirely centered on a hearing speech teacher who interprets all the sign language in his own perspective for a hearing audience. It highlighted the disproportionate violence against people with disabilities, but behind the scenes, the relationship between the two leads was allegedly abusive. It’s because of this that the film has a rather tainted legacy. Still, there is something to be said about the way it depicts intimacy. Then-newcomer Deaf actress Marlee Matlin gives a terrific, passionate performance that makes the romance something to fall for. Cinema has moved past Children of a Lesser God when it comes to representation, but it was genuinely moving in spite of all its flaws.
"A touching and universal love story."
— Variety Staff
Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who works at the school as a member of the custodial staff. In spite of Sarah's withdrawn emotional state, a romance slowly develops between the pair.
At his new school, hearing speech teacher James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a Deaf custodian that chooses not to speak, leading to an unexpected romance between them.
The entire film comes from the point of view of hearing speech teacher James Leeds, which isn’t bad, but considering the film was all about the Deaf community, it would have been nice if the film challenged Leeds’ (and likely, its audiences’) perspective more.
Marlee Matlin deserved her Oscar for this!
Other
1 nomination
