VOICES
US, 1979, 107 minutes, Colour.
Michael Ontkean, Amy Irving, Alex Rocco, Barry Miller, Herbert Berghof, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by Robert Markowitz.
Voices is a very attractive love story, stronger and more credible than usual. A New Jersey three generation, all male family is interestingly sketched and tensions explored. One son, Drew (Michael Ontkean) dreams of being a singer and works for it - he also falls in love with a deaf girl (very attractively played by Amy Irving). Their falling in love and facing very real communication difficulties are presented sympathetically and with force (especially by the girl's mother, Viveca Lindfors). The film highlights the silent handicap of deafness in a moving way for its hearing audience and, in the context of the love story, makes it emotionally memorable. A superior soap opera romance.
1. An appealing and satisfying romance? The background of soap opera and love stories, stories of handicap and audience sympathy? How well did the film combine these conventions for satisfying entertainment?
2. Audience identification with the Rothman family, with Drew, with Rosemarie? An emotional involvement with the personalities, the issues? The film as a vehicle for emotional learning?
3. The importance of the Jersey background, the comparison with New York? The home, poverty and wealth, shops, clubs? The ordinary family life of the Rothmans? The comparison with the world of Rosemarie Lemon - the school for the deaf, the dance and entertainment world? The film's presenting an ordinary and authentic world which people could understand and identify with?
4. The importance of the musical background, Drew's songs and their being interspersed throughout the film? The lyrics and their reference to the love story, their relevance - insight? Dance and its importance, dance to music listened to? The importance of silence and the film's use of silence to communicate the realities for deaf people?
5. The interest in the story of the Rothman family? As representing an American family, typical? The three generations in themselves and in comparison? The various images of America? The influence of each generation on the other?
6. The portrait of Nathan Rothman - his European origins., a gentle old man, his work, his relationship with Frank and his disapproval of him, his love for his grandsons? His dedication to his work, his supporting with money, with advice? His getting old and the boys' response to him? The happiness together, the regrets and sadness? A persuasive picture of old age?
7. Frank Rothman and his eagerness to succeed, his comparisons with his father, his attitudes towards his sons, loving them and sparring with them continually? The loss of his wife, his inability to have a steady job, his gambling and the initial contacts, his racing tip and spending all the money, making the family indebted to gangsters? His being bashed? His disappointment with himself, in the eyes of his father, in the eyes of his sons? His hardness on them especially Drew? The bonds of unity in the family despite disappointment and exasperation?
8. Raymond Rothman and his being a small-time thug around the district, his holding up cars and taking money from the drivers, school? The gang that he was with, his smoking, drugs, money? The bashing for not being able to pay up? Drew and his acting as a father to Raymond, criticising him, going out to defend him?
9. The opening and the talk behind the credits, the male talk, the breakfast situation, getting up to face the day, the talk about work, money, sex? The family and the evening across the water from the New York skyline, exasperation and love? The happiness of the family together at the end?
10. The character of Drew painted within this context? His place within the family, relationships, his work and the dry cleaning, driving? The various contacts and shops? His sense of responsibility? His ambitions about singing, practising? His making the record. taking it to the manager and arguing with him, his singing in the club, the sleazy aspect of the club and his helping the topless dancer? The encounter with the negro financier of the new club and taking the job? How well did the film establish his character, his background, his attitudes towards life, his hopes?
11. The glimpse of Rosemarie, his following her, the humour of the encounter with her, the bus, the train? The nature of the attraction? His talks with Raymond? His rediscovering her, the discovery that she was deaf? The effect on her, the audience? His attempts to communicate with her, his visit to her home - words, lip-reading, sounds? The devices in her home e.g. the light for the telephone and the door? His attraction towards her but balking, the failure of the various meetings, his continued hope? Her hopes, disappointments?
12. The significance of her mother's visit, the encounter with Drew? Her mother's criticism, wanting to help her daughter? Rosemarie’s defiance of her mother and disappointing her?
13. The effect of meeting Rosemarie on Drew, his books for learning sign language, his practising (and the family's apprehensions and jokes about his being deaf, talking loudly)? His visiting Rosemarie at home, taking her out? The build-up of communication between them? The rain and his bringing her home, her seeing the family, especially the grandfather, the contrast with her own background?
14. How well did the film build up the reality of Drew and Rosemarie trying to communicate, exasperation, hopes? Seeing her at work and her ability, her capacity for mime?
15. Drew's pushing her for the dancing audition, her reliance on him, the irony of his being late because of his father being bashed, her mistakes and the audience feeling the intensity of the difficulties for her and her trying to dance, Drew's arrival, his push, her success? The attitude of the people holding the audition?
16. Drew and Rosemarie building up their love, the family supporting them, the possibility of a future?
17. Drew's success in singing, the family at the club, a future for him? The interspersing of the sequences of his lovemaking with Rosemarie? The future for them together?
18. The value of the film as a contemporary love story, a portrait of people, the feeling and sentiment, the issues of the handicap of the deaf?
