Children of a Lesser God: A Review

 CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD

The sound of silence is penetrated in Children of a Lesser God, the adaptation of Mark Medoff's play. With strong performances from the cast, Children of a Lesser God gives us an intelligent view of the struggles not just of deafness itself but of within that world.

Idealistic and enthusiastic teacher James Leeds (William Hurt) has come to teach at a school for the deaf. His unorthodox methods are looked on with suspicion by school head Curtis Franklin (Philip Bosco). James believes that the deaf should attempt to speak as much as possible. 

One deaf person who is firmly against such a thing is Sarah Norman (Marlee Matlin). A former student turned janitor, Sarah is highly intelligent but also highly hostile. She is particularly hostile to the hearing but more open with the deaf at the school, both students and teachers. James is convinced that Sarah can eventually speak despite being totally deaf. He is met with an intense opposition from Sarah, who will not speak.

James finds himself attracted to Sarah separate from his savior complex. For her part, Sarah finds herself slowly drawn to James too. He also wants there to be a reconciliation between Sarah and Mrs. Norman (Piper Laurie). He learns that it was not Mrs. Norman who cut off the relationship. He also learns that prior to going to the school for deaf, Sarah was treated no different than her sister Ruth. However, Sarah was also sexually active, more than likely in a way to fit into the hearing world.

Eventually, Sarah and James become lovers. Despite their romance, Sarah is enraged that James got his students to use their voices at a Christmas pageant. The ups and down of their romance leads to Sarah leaving her employment and moving in with James. For once, James finds himself the odd man out when he accompanies Sarah to meet her sociopolitical idol, who like her is also totally deaf and only signs. Will these two lovers bridge the divide between their different views on speaking or not?

If Children of a Lesser God is remembered today, it is because Marlee Matlin had two historic records with her Best Actress Oscar win. At twenty-one, she is of this writing the youngest Best Actress Oscar winner. She is also the first deaf actress to win an Academy Award (Troy Kotsur being the second and first man to win for CODA, which costarred Matlin). Any suggestion that Matlin won for anything outside of her performance is wrong.

Matlin is strong as Sarah. She is angry, defensive but also in her own way free. Matlin has a hard act to pull off in Children of a Lesser God. In another actor's hands, Sarah might have come across as merely sullen. Matlin though, gives her a pained vulnerability behind that abrasive exterior. There is a scene when she talks about how she let herself get used by her sister's male friends. Obviously not speaking but signing her dialogue (with William Hurt speaking her words), Matlin nonetheless manages to move the viewer.

In the scene where she storms off after seeing James' students sing, we are left to wonder where her anger is directed. Is she angry that the students used their voices, going against her belief that deafness is nothing to be "cured" of? Is she angry that she, whether by inability or by choice, will not be able to do as the students do? It is, I think, left open to interpretation.

Matlin also has a wonderful moment with Laurie when she finally goes to see her. Matlin is able to more than hold her own against a veteran like Laurie as well as William Hurt. That speaks to Matlin's skill as an actress. Near the end of the film, we do hear Matlin speak in a roundabout way. Her pained shrieks of "I'M NOT AFRAID! HEAR MY WORDS! HEAR MY VOICE!" shake the viewer with their raw emotion. Finally breaking her longstanding vow not to speak, we see just how much she has within her that cry out to come out but come out on her terms with her hands. 

It is not just Matlin who excels in the scene where she tries to not bring up the past. Laurie, who was nominated for her small role, is equally moving as she admits mistakes and asks for forgiveness. They manage to not only heal the wounds of the past but become friends. It was a wise decision by director Randa Haines and screenwriters Madoff and Hesper Anderson (the former co-adapting his stage play of the same name) to let their relationship build over time. You do see the evolution of Sarah and Mrs. Norman from regret to genuine love.

I think Hurt, who like Matlin and Laurie was nominated for his performance, had a slightly harder task. One might think that because Hurt is not deaf, he would have an easier job communicating. In reality, he has to metaphorically translate what Matlin is saying without making it sound like literal translation. I think that the majority of audiences are not deaf and do not have an understanding of American Sign Language. As such, we would not understand what Matlin or the other deaf performers are saying. Hurt is the only one who can fill us in.

This is a tall order for anyone to fill: to make speaking American Sign Language out loud sound natural. Hurt does not miss in Children of a Lesser God. He maintains that balance between his own performance and serving as the voice for the deaf performers. His James Leeds is caring but also carrying something of a savior complex. He never questions the rightness of whether the deaf should try to speak. Perhaps he, as a hearing person, figures that speaking would be better for them. Sarah does not agree. That makes up part of their conflict in Children of a Lesser God. 

The romance is another part of their conflict. I found the pool scene where they consummate their passion lovely to look at, if a bit too poetic for my taste. These are not just rivals but lovers, and both Hurt and Matlin carry the characters' troubled romance well.

Philip Bosco was equally strong as the somewhat sneering but well-meaning school head. He was a voice of negativity, but he did genuinely care for Sarah and did not want her hurt in any way.

Viewers should not ignore that Marlee Matlin is deaf, but they should also not focus on it. Children of a Lesser God has good performances and an interesting story. I think it does start feeling longer than the one hour forty-five-minute runtime it has. On the whole though, that is a minor flaw. Children of a Lesser God is worth seeing, its tale of a distinct love affair capturing the viewers' attention.

DECISION: B-