Les secrets du silence

Before Hallmark developed their own channel I remember seeing this on a Sunday night on CBS. The cast this variety of great performers such as Bernadette Peters, Tom Skerritt, Judith Ivey, Matthew Modine, Jake Weber, Jerry O'Connell, and the scene stealer James Earl Jones. Sammy Ayers has the town convinced he's a deaf mute and after twenty years of pulling off the charade things come to a head. How could someone pull off such a con is amazing and takes a lot of self discipline plus a lot of luck. Even in that day and age Sammy would have been turned over to social services. The show stealer is Barrington's, GA own answer to Fred Sanford Archibald Thacker played by James Earl Jones as the local junk merchant. With most of the townsfolk not realizing he has been laughing all the way to the bank until he buys it due to his side job. Growing up Sammy has been antagonized by one Tolliver Tynan the spolied entitled son of the town's leading citizen. Because Tolliver's father was smart financially after his death people assumed the apple didn't fall from the tree. Boy were they wrong. MR. Tynam's placed the estate in a trust which was wise. Tolliver starts to use church funds to invest in his sure fire investment schemes only to fall short. What the clueless one failed to grasp is that most people could see right through him. Finally things catch up and he has to pay the piper. From there it gets worse for him.

For me, Hallmark Hall of Fames are like the Super Bowl, the main event is nice to watch, but the commercials are the real reason to tune in. What can I say, I like cheez. However, "What the Deaf Man Heard" is a rare exception. This is a movie that captured my attention. I laughed, I cried, it was better than CATS. I don't believe it's on video, but CBS plays it again every so often. Check it out.

I thought this movie was clever, entertaining, humorous, sweet and well-acted! There are a few confusing, unrealistic, and odd moments, but I think it's well worth seeing! Hallmark Hall of Fame makes another winner! (With me, anyway.) =)

I thought this was a great made-for-tv movie. Although they probably could have cut down on the running time by about 30 minutes, the movie was still good. Matthew Modine, Tom Skerrit, James Earl Jones, and Judith Ivey all delivered great performances. I give it 4 stars. It's good family entertainment.

The real bonus here is the stellar cast! Not a bad one in the bunch!! Judith ivey always seems like your best friend. Peters was hilarious in The Jerk. JEJ was amazing in strangelove, star wars, lion king, and so many others. This film is listed as a comedy, but it sure starts out pretty dark! When a small boy is separated from his mother on a bus trip, he grows up in the town at the end of the route. But he decides to pretend to be deaf and mute, as it has helped him recently. Will he ever feel comfortable enough to talk freely? He has learned many secrets, large and small, by acting deaf and mute all these years. This was ten years after modine made full metal jacket. Good stuff! But it aint no comedy! Directed by john harrison. Has won a TON of film fest awards.