[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Of 2025Holiday Watch GuideGotham AwardsCelebrity PhotosSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Les secrets du silence

Original title: What the Deaf Man Heard
  • TV Movie
  • 1997
  • PG
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Les secrets du silence (1997)
ComedyDrama

Arriving in a new town, a child pretends to be deaf-mute to protect himself - a ruse which works so well that for twenty years he is custodian to all the town's secrets.Arriving in a new town, a child pretends to be deaf-mute to protect himself - a ruse which works so well that for twenty years he is custodian to all the town's secrets.Arriving in a new town, a child pretends to be deaf-mute to protect himself - a ruse which works so well that for twenty years he is custodian to all the town's secrets.

  • Director
    • John Kent Harrison
  • Writers
    • G.D. Gearino
    • Robert W. Lenski
  • Stars
    • Matthew Modine
    • Claire Bloom
    • Judith Ivey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    1.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Kent Harrison
    • Writers
      • G.D. Gearino
      • Robert W. Lenski
    • Stars
      • Matthew Modine
      • Claire Bloom
      • Judith Ivey
    • 18User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 1 win & 8 nominations total

    Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast32

    Edit
    Matthew Modine
    Matthew Modine
    • Sammy Ayers
    Claire Bloom
    Claire Bloom
    • Mrs. Tynan
    Judith Ivey
    Judith Ivey
    • Lucille
    James Earl Jones
    James Earl Jones
    • Archibald Thacker
    Jerry O'Connell
    Jerry O'Connell
    • Reverend Perry Ray Pruitt
    Bernadette Peters
    Bernadette Peters
    • Helen Ayers
    Tom Skerritt
    Tom Skerritt
    • Norm Jenkins
    Anne Bobby
    Anne Bobby
    • Tallasse Tynan
    Stephen Spinella
    Stephen Spinella
    • Percy
    Jake Weber
    Jake Weber
    • Tolliver Tynan
    Frankie Muniz
    Frankie Muniz
    • Young Sammy
    Andy Stahl
    Andy Stahl
    • Finis
    Tyler Noyes
    • Young Tolliver
    Hallee Hirsh
    Hallee Hirsh
    • Young Tallasse
    Teagle F. Bougere
    Teagle F. Bougere
    • Abraham Thacker
    Lance Reddick
    Lance Reddick
    • George Thacker
    Danny Kamin
    Danny Kamin
    • Judge
    • (as Daniel Kamin)
    Patrick Garner
    Patrick Garner
    • Drunk
    • Director
      • John Kent Harrison
    • Writers
      • G.D. Gearino
      • Robert W. Lenski
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    7.01.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7ksf-2

    great cast !

    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.
    9Spiffy-Tiffy

    pretty good

    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.
    8kevin_robbins

    What the Deaf Man Heard is an underrated and unique drama that's definitely worth watching.

    I recently watched What the Deaf Man Heard (1997) on Tubi. The story follows a young boy who arrives in a small Georgia town on the same bus his mother disappeared from. He hopes to find clues about her past so he can be reunited with her or his family one day. When he arrives, the townspeople mistakenly believe he is deaf and mute, and he doesn't correct them. He lives in the town for twenty years under this guise, listening and trying to uncover clues about his mother's disappearance and find direction in life.

    Directed by John Kent Harrison (You Know My Name), the film stars Matthew Modine (Platoon), Claire Bloom (Clash of the Titans), James Earl Jones (Star Wars), Jerry O'Connell (Stand by Me), and Tom Skerritt (Alien).

    This movie was a pleasant surprise and far exceeded my expectations. It's a true Hallmark classic, filled with charming characters, authentic situations, and a compelling storyline. The cast is stellar from top to bottom, with everyone delivering strong performances. The concept itself is unique, and there are standout moments, like the land sale scene and the courtroom closing, which really impressed me. It's the kind of story that keeps you invested, wanting to see what happens next, and the conclusion is satisfying. There's very little to dislike here.

    In conclusion, What the Deaf Man Heard is an underrated and unique drama that's definitely worth watching. I would score this a 8/10 and strongly recommend it.
    10kiyakid

    I taped 'What the Deaf Man Heard' one night when it was on late.

    I taped ' What the Deaf Man Heard' on night when it was on late, a few days later, I watched it and found it to be an EXTREMELY good movie, which I have yet to date, taped over. It is a really good watch, and Matthew Modine is a really good actor, I recommend it to anyone.
    LuckyDragon

    Watch what you say, you never know who may be listening!

    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.

    More like this

    The Water Is Wide
    7.0
    The Water Is Wide
    To Dance with the White Dog
    7.3
    To Dance with the White Dog
    Dessine-moi une famille
    7.4
    Dessine-moi une famille
    Ellen Foster
    6.9
    Ellen Foster
    The Summer of Ben Tyler
    6.8
    The Summer of Ben Tyler
    Old Man
    7.1
    Old Man
    Plainsong
    6.6
    Plainsong
    Away and Back
    6.2
    Away and Back
    Run the Wild Fields
    7.1
    Run the Wild Fields
    Le choix de Gracie
    7.4
    Le choix de Gracie
    Decoration Day
    7.3
    Decoration Day
    Still Mine
    7.4
    Still Mine

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Présentateur vedette: La légende de Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film holds the record for the highest-rated made-for-television movie on any network since 1991.
    • Goofs
      Norm Jenkins finds Sammy's suitcase and learns his identity but doesn't tell anyone about the suitcase. Yet the entire town knew and used his full name, presumably starting soon after his first day in Barrington, and the police never searched for his mother after that first day even though his name was known.
    • Quotes

      Sammy Ayers: [narrating] To my knowledge it is the only trial in the history of American jurisprudence that was over in just two spoken words.

      Sammy Ayers: [speaking out loud] I... I do.

    • Connections
      Edited into Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 23, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Hallmark Hall of Fame Featured Presentation
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hallmark Hall of Fame: What the Deaf Man Heard (#47.1)
    • Filming locations
      • Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
    • Production company
      • Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h(120 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.