Johnny Belinda (1948)

88% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
83% of users liked it
(1,307 ratings)

After years of dumb-blonde and best-friend roles, Jane Wyman proved her skills as a dramatic actress -- and won an Academy Award in the bargain -- in Johnny Belinda. Adapted from a stage play by Elmer Harris, the story takes place in Nova Scotia, where deaf-mute Belinda (Wyman) leads a lonely… More After years of dumb-blonde and best-friend roles, Jane Wyman proved her skills as a dramatic actress -- and won an Academy Award in the bargain -- in Johnny Belinda. Adapted from a stage play by Elmer Harris, the story takes place in Nova Scotia, where deaf-mute Belinda (Wyman) leads a lonely existence on the hardscrabble farm of her father Black Macdonald (Charles Bickford) and her aunt Aggie (Agnes Moorehead). Newly arrived doctor Robert Richardson (Lew Ayres) takes a special interest in Belinda, vowing to ease her road in life by teaching her sign language. Despite initial resistance from her father and aunt, Belinda quickly learns how to communicate with others, opening a whole, wonderful new world for her. But things take a sorry turn when local lout Locky (Stephan McNally) corners poor Belinda after a village dance and rapes her. If the ending seems a bit ambiguous, it is because director Jean Negulesco intended it that way, allowing the viewer to draw his or her own conclusion regarding Belinda's future relationship with her mentor Dr. Richardson. Upon accepting her Oscar, Jane Wyman commented on the fact that she accomplished this feat through the simple expedient of "keeping my mouth shut." But there is nothing simple or facile in Wyman's astonishing performance as Belinda, which far outclasses the actresses who repeated the role in the two TV remakes. Also worthy of praise is the lush musical score by Max Steiner, one of his best post-Casablanca efforts. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Jean Negulesco
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Sep 14, 1948 Wide
On DVD: Jan 31, 2006

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Jean Negulseco's melodrama is a moody, well-crafted if outdated saga with a star-making performance from Jane Wyman as a deaf-mute girl, who's raped and bears an illegitimate child.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Try all you want to make yourself jaded over this, but in the end poor little Belinda wins us all over in the end.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Powerful Jane Wyman performance and Oscar caliber production overall.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
A touching, moving film that takes its time and doesn't rely on strident melodramatics to tell its story.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Spencer S

As a child this film, so bold and brass for its time, scared me with its depiction of the rape of a deaf girl. Still tragically complicated and ultimately a cultural masterpiece, Johnny Belinda not only possesses the qualities that made the exceptional Miral Worker a phenomena, but… More
As a child this film, so bold and brass for its time, scared me with its depiction of the rape of a deaf girl. Still tragically complicated and ultimately a cultural masterpiece, Johnny Belinda not only possesses the qualities that made the exceptional Miral Worker a phenomena, but also the ruthless libel that has occured all throughout history, and is fairly missing from the movies of the time.
Steven C

While the ending to "Johnny, Belinda" is surprisingly understanding and Jane Wyman's star making and Oscar winning performance is lovely, it's still a pretty dumb movie. The way deafness is handled in the picture is quite silly, and the events (rape and murder and… More
While the ending to "Johnny, Belinda" is surprisingly understanding and Jane Wyman's star making and Oscar winning performance is lovely, it's still a pretty dumb movie. The way deafness is handled in the picture is quite silly, and the events (rape and murder and misunderstanding in Canada) comes out a wash. See this film for the acting and a portrait on how misunderstood conditions were handled on screen back in the 40s.
jay n

jane is great in this atmospheric drama
Byron B

I also seem to be attracted to movies about people with disabilities or special abilities. This movie shows how recently people didn't understand deafness. One teacher takes the time to show that Belinda can communicate, that Belinda is a whole human being who can take care of… More
I also seem to be attracted to movies about people with disabilities or special abilities. This movie shows how recently people didn't understand deafness. One teacher takes the time to show that Belinda can communicate, that Belinda is a whole human being who can take care of herself in many ways, and that she will protect her son like any mother would.
cody f

A nice little film about a young country doctor who meets a deaf girl,teaches her sign language and how to write.Then she gets raped.

Cast

            Jane Wyman as Belinda McDonald

            Lew Ayres as Dr. Robert Richardson

            Charles Bickford as Black McDonald

            Agnes Moorehead as Aggie McDonald

            Stephen McNally as Locky McCormick

            Jan Sterling as Stella McCormick

            Rosalind Ivan as Mrs. Poggety

            Dan Seymour as Pacquet

            Mabel Paige as Mrs. Lutz

            Ida Moore as Mrs. McKee

            Alan Napier as Defense Attorney

            Monte Blue as Ben

            Douglas Kennedy as Mountie

            James Craven as Interpreter

            Richard Taylor as Floyd McQuiggen

            Richard Walsh as Fergus McQuiggen

            Joan Winfield as Mrs. Tim Moore

            Ian Wolfe as Rector

            Holmes Herbert as Judge

            Jonathan Hale as Dr. Gray

            Ray Montgomery as Tim Moore

            Barbara Bates as Gracie Anderson

            Franklin Farnum as Juryman

            Creighton Hale as Bailiff

            Charles Horvath as Churchgoer

            Harry "Snub" Pollard
            
            Frederic Worlock as Prosecutor

            Blayney Lewis as Dan'l
See full cast