The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Robert Ellis Miller

Writers:

Carson McCullers (novel)
Thomas C. Ryan (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 July 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

...and from this man who could not speak or hear, the girl heard many things.

Plot:

Sentimental story centers around a deaf-mute, Singer, and Mick, a teenager who lives in the house where he rents a room...

Plot Keywords:

Deafness | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Alan Arkin	...	John Singer
Sondra Locke	...	Mick
Laurinda Barrett	...	Mrs. Kelly
Stacy Keach	...	Blount (as Stacy Keach Jr.)
Chuck McCann	...	Spiros Antonapoulos
Biff McGuire	...	Mr. Kelly
Percy Rodrigues	...	Doctor Copeland
Cicely Tyson	...	Portia
Jackie Marlowe	...	Bubber
Johnny Popwell	...	Willie
Wayne Smith	...	Harry
Peter Mamakos	...	Spirmonedes
John O'Leary	...	Beaudine
Hubert Harper	...	Brannon
Sherri Vise	...	Delores

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-8 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Selma, Alabama, USA

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

Director Joseph Strick dropped out of the film early in the production and was replaced by Robert Ellis Miller.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Cheers: The Heart Is a Lonely Snipehunter (#3.14)" (1985)

A Message To All Of Us

This is, as promoted, simply a nice story about a really good guy: a deaf mute who helps some people and, in the end, desperately needed someone to help him.

Alan Arkin is memorable as the deaf mute and Sondra Locke, in her first screen role, also shines as the second lead. A pity Locke was never given roles this meaty since then. Percy Rodriguez also is memorable here.

Since this is good storytelling, from a best-selling book by Carson McCullers, all the characters here stand out. It's not a fast-moving film yet it is an involving story in which the viewer winds up caring about these people. Yes, the ending is sad and shocking but, in this case, a good ending because it makes you reflect more on what perhaps you and I neglect to do: to remember that everyone needs encouragement from time to time, even the encouragers.

This movie a throwback to some of the nice films of the 1940s, except that, despite being rated "G," there were several instances of profanity in here, including one usage of the Lord's name in vain. Still one for the whole family.