JOHNNY BELINDA
US, 1982, 95 minutes, Colour.
Richard Thomas, Rosanna Arquette, Dennis Quaid, Candy Clark.
Directed by Anthony Page.
Johnny Belinda is an updated remake of the classic 1948 film directed by Jean Negulesco. This version, based on the original play and screenplay, is firmly set in the atmosphere of the '80s - the southern states, a backwoods community, opportunities for development, unemployment. Richard Thomas, sympathetic and engaging as the hero, is a nutritionist who befriends the seemingly retarded Belinda, discovering that she is deaf and helping her to come alive. Rosetta Arquette portrays Belinda (Jane Wyman won an Oscar for her performance in this role in 1948) as a straggling waif who gradually comes to life. Roberts Blossom is much more sympathetic than Charles Bickford in the role of the father. Dennis Quaid is very good as the brutal Kyle. The film has an authentic atmosphere, is attractive in its colour and warmth - as well as having a sense of the tragic and the violent. Direction is by Englishman Anthony Page, director of a number of telemovies in Hollywood.
1. The classic status of the original film? Its impact in its time? Awards? The value of a remake for the '80s audience?
2. The '80s style of the film? The updating of the story, the treatment for the television audience? The styles of home viewing for the telemovie?
3. The atmosphere of the '80s: the town, backwoods, way of life, modern yet away from the cities? The atmosphere of the score?
4. A sense warmth, the treatment of the characters, the themes - hope, yet cruelty and ugliness?
5. The time span of a gear in Bill Richmond's life: his driving into the town, his giving of a year of his service to the town, the needs of the town, its isolation, his work, the growing of crops, overcoming of poverty, yet the pride of the people, their change with the programme, Belinda and her retarded isolation, learning, coming to life, the rape and her pregnancy, the birth, marriages, deaths?
6. The audience sharing Bill's perspective on the town and the characters? His driving into town, the first encounter with Belinda and her not hearing the vehicles on the road, Bill's work with Julie, the hopes for the programme, settling into the town (caravan, supermarket), Bill's past and his not wanting to commit himself in relationships, his skill at his work, the hostile reaction, his hoping to persuade Mc Adam to join him, the criticisms of Leon (and the scene with his tantrum about getting the needle), perseverance, clashes with Kyle and his friends, the growing of the crops? The caution about Belinda, discovering that she was deaf, the hostility of her father, teaching her the sign for a flower and her delight in this, the sign for a book and her running away? His learning sign language, her response to it, her signing 'father' to her own father and his response? His signing 'daughter'? Bill's joy? The dance, the friendship with Julie, taking her home after Kyle's performance? Dance with Belinda and Bill's joy at her going to the dance? The day after and her withdrawal. his trying to cope with what had happened? Taking her to the doctor about her deaf ness, discovering the pregnancy, his helping her, communicating to her that she was pregnant, Julie and Bill helping her with the birth, his joy at the child? The discussions with the father and getting him to stop wondering who the father was? His decision to leave, telling Belinda and her being hurt, the crisis with Kyle, the siege and the shooting? His expressing his love for Belinda - and their going away to a future? A genial hero. humane, credible?
7. Audience response to Belinda - the scraggy waif, deafness, retarded, the scenes of her hard work, her father using her? Her curiosity towards Bill? Her response to the gift of the flowers and the sign language, her reaction against the book, her intelligence in using the sign for 'book', her growth in learning, her signing 'father' to her father and his joyful response? Going to the dance, hurt. walking along the road, being chased by Kyle, the effect of the rape? Her crying out loud? The aftermath and her withdrawal? The visit to the doctor - and the information about her deafness? Her response to learning she was pregnant. not associating it with the rape, the harsh experience of the birth, her happiness with the child her mother-instincts and looking after the child, the hostility towards Kyle looking at the baby in the supermarket. her being hurt with Bill's leaving? The siege, the protection of the baby, her shooting Kyle? The end and the prospect of a happy life?
8. Mc Adam and his harshness, suspicion of Bill, holding on to Belinda, not wanting her to be hurt, expressing his love for her in sign language, taking her to the dance, the reaction to the rape, his noting Kyle's response to the baby. the clash with him and his death?
9. Julie and her work in the town, helping Bill, the relationship with Kyle from high school days, the dance and her liking for Bill, wanting him to spend the night. helping in the birth of the baby, marrying Kyle, the clashes, the discussion about the adoption of the baby and her reaction to his revelation?
10. Kyle as the lout around the town. his wanting to win e.g. at the darts game, taking Julie for granted. his friends, his reaction against Bill's coming to change their lifestyle, the dance and his drink, following Belinda and the rape, his reaction to the baby, the clash with Mc Adam and the fight and the death, his wanting to adopt the baby, gathering his friends, the brutality of the siege, the violence of his death?
11. Themes of friendship, love, transformation?
12. The perennial value of the story - the '40s version, updated? The universal themes and their humane interest?
