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Hurry Shop - What the Deaf Man Heard
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List Price: $9.98
Our Price: $17.95
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Manufacturer: Hallmark
Starring: Matthew Modine, Claire Bloom, Judith Ivey, James Earl Jones, Jerry O'Connell
Directed By: John Kent Harrison
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9781574926460
Format: Closed-captioned
ISBN: 1574926462
Label: Hallmark
Manufacturer: Hallmark
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Hallmark
Release Date: 1999-01-12
Running Time: 98
Studio: Hallmark
Theatrical Release Date: 1997-11-23
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Comment: It seemed like I no sooner ordered my product and it was delivered! Excellent service and Excellent product! Perfect in every way.
Customer Rating:
Summary: You'll laugh and you will be touched.
Comment: This was a charming movie with an tremendous cast. Set in a time were this is your side of the tracks and this is our side of the tracks this is story of a young boy who obeys the last thing his mother tells him: "I don't want to hear another sound from you but your snoring." Suddenly finding himself abandoned in a strange town our character decides to maintain his illusion
until he sizes up the situation.
He finds this armor serves him well and eventually he becomes an un-official sounding borad for the towns people telling him their secrets thinking that they were safe. Finally a chain of events happen to which the cat gets out of the bag and there is a dramtic change of events.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Little pitchers have big ears...
Comment:
Hallmark Hall of Fame's charming What the Deaf Man Heard, based upon the novel What the Deaf-Mute Heard by G.D.Gearino and teleplay by Robert Lenski, follows the misadventures of Sammy Ayers (young Sammy is played by Frankie Muniz, adult Sammy by Matthew Modine), who grows up deaf and orphaned in a small Southern town. Sammy was traveling with his mother (Bernadette Peters) when she suddenly disappeared, leaving him alone and frightened. Her last words to him were, "Not a word," and Sammy takes this as Gospel, refusing to utter a single syllable to the townsfolk who try to help him. Naturally, they think that he is a deaf-mute, and bachelor bus depot owner Norm Jenkins (Tom Skerritt) takes him in.
As Sammy grows into adulthood, he does simple odd jobs around the community. People are kind to him, yet treat him as invisible due to his "deafness" and speak openly about town gossip and family secrets. Sammy becomes caught up in the illegal dealings and "holier than thou" posturing of the oily Tolliver Tynan (Jake Weber), and at the same time is attracted to Tolliver's sister Tallassee (Anne Bobby). There is also a subplot involving Archibald Thacker (James Earl Jones) and his sons, who are producing moonshine, and Sammy feels that he has to step in before things get out of hand.
This is a charming film about family above all, and the many seasoned actors (Modine, Skerritt, Jones, Peters) turn in memorable performances. What the Deaf Man Heard really captures the period feel during flashbacks, and the small Southern community is practically a cast member. This is one of my favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations since all of the elements come together so well, and is perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, not bad at all.
Comment: What the Deaf Man Heard (John Kent Harrison, 1997)
G. D. Gearino's debut novel was turned into a Hallmark Hall of Fame telemovie a few years back, and I finally got round to watching it. I'm a big fan of Gearino's, and it's possible I was avoiding it simply because I didn't know whether someone adapting it for film-- especially something made for television-- would do it the justice it deserved. What the Deaf Man Heard, though, is a delight.
Sammy Ayers (Matthew Modine, as a grown-up), as we open, is fleeing with his mother from her old life. We find out pretty quickly this is standard operating procedure, but something goes wrong this time-- at a layover, his mother is abducted and murdered, leaving Sammy asleep on the bus. When they get to the end of the line, Sammy (Frankie Muniz, as a kid) is understandably concerned with his current situation, and decides the best approach is to play deaf-mute, even after being taken in by a kindly storeowner (Tom Skerritt) and his wife. As he gets older, it becomes harder to reveal his secret, so he goes through life pretending. Itinerant junk dealer Archibald Thacker (James Earl Jones) suspects there's more to Sammy than meets the eye, however...
It's a fun little movie-- nothing special, nothing great, but well-adapted and competently acted by a surprisingly high-powered cast who do the material justice. If you liked the book, don't worry, it's good. If you've never read the book, what are you waiting for? *** ½
Customer Rating:
Summary: Clever
Comment: The cast really seemed fluid, I loved the wit, the message and wish there were more quality movies like this today. The anti-use of swearing is a really great feature as well. The plot was terrific. I am surprised that I didnt find it until quite a while after it was released. Wonderful movie.
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