I have an unusual insight into this film that the average viewer won't have--my own daughter is deaf and we are a bilingual family--using sign language routinely in our home. However, despite this, I generally don't like films about handicapped people as often they just seem trite or contrived. That's why I actually expected not to like JOHNNY BELINDA--I incorrectly assumed it was a film that would make deaf people look noble or too sympathetic to be real. Wow was I wrong!! Instead, I saw that the film was exceptionally well-made in every way and was a great film regardless of your background. Plus, for 1948, it was an amazing film that dared to push the envelope of the Production Code. Although there is the general notion that the Code was 100% rigid and never allowed films to take risks, this film is a prime example that the Code COULD be in place and delicate topics such as rape could be addressed in American films. For this, it deserves kudos for being a brave and ground-breaking film.
I also was happy to see that when Belinda (Jane Wyman) was taught sign language, the signs that the doctor (Lew Ayers) haltingly taught her were nearly perfect. Ayers was NOT supposed to be an expert but in the film he learned many signs from a book--and that's exactly how he signs. While slow (which is to be expected), he and Wyman use actual signs and they could easily be read and understood (something NOT true in many films showing sign language).
Now as I alluded to in the first paragraph, the film isn't an overly saccharine in how it portrays deafness but is amazingly realistic--even using politically incorrect terms such as "dummy" or showing that many treated deaf people like they were mentally feeble! As far as the acting goes, Belinda's father (Charles Bickford), Belinda and the doctor play their parts very well--the writing was great and couldn't have been better and all three had the best performances of their careers. However, the writers also were exceptionally brave and deserve a huge round of applause, as the film chooses to address the vulnerability of a deaf person circa 1900--as Belinda is raped and becomes pregnant. Because she only just learned to communicate, she has no idea WHAT happened to her and cannot explain it to those who care about her! How all this is worked out is super-compelling and make this a great film--nearly deserving a score of 10. I think all too often films are given 10 and since I rarely do so, consider this before you see the film--it probably would have gotten a 10 if I wasn't such an old crank!
I also was happy to see that when Belinda (Jane Wyman) was taught sign language, the signs that the doctor (Lew Ayers) haltingly taught her were nearly perfect. Ayers was NOT supposed to be an expert but in the film he learned many signs from a book--and that's exactly how he signs. While slow (which is to be expected), he and Wyman use actual signs and they could easily be read and understood (something NOT true in many films showing sign language).
Now as I alluded to in the first paragraph, the film isn't an overly saccharine in how it portrays deafness but is amazingly realistic--even using politically incorrect terms such as "dummy" or showing that many treated deaf people like they were mentally feeble! As far as the acting goes, Belinda's father (Charles Bickford), Belinda and the doctor play their parts very well--the writing was great and couldn't have been better and all three had the best performances of their careers. However, the writers also were exceptionally brave and deserve a huge round of applause, as the film chooses to address the vulnerability of a deaf person circa 1900--as Belinda is raped and becomes pregnant. Because she only just learned to communicate, she has no idea WHAT happened to her and cannot explain it to those who care about her! How all this is worked out is super-compelling and make this a great film--nearly deserving a score of 10. I think all too often films are given 10 and since I rarely do so, consider this before you see the film--it probably would have gotten a 10 if I wasn't such an old crank!