In post-war Cape Breton, a doctor's efforts to tutor a deaf/mute woman are undermined when she is raped, and the resulting pregnancy causes scandal to swirl.
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Title: Johnny Belinda (1948)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Jane Wyman | ... | Belinda McDonald | |
| Lew Ayres | ... | Dr. Robert Richardson | |
| Charles Bickford | ... | Black MacDonald | |
| Agnes Moorehead | ... | Aggie MacDonald | |
| Stephen McNally | ... | Locky McCormick | |
| Jan Sterling | ... | Stella McCormick | |
| Rosalind Ivan | ... | Mrs. Poggety | |
| Dan Seymour | ... | Pacquet - Storekeeper | |
| Mabel Paige | ... | Mrs. Lutz | |
| Ida Moore | ... | Mrs. McKee | |
| Alan Napier | ... | Defense Attorney | |
Learn more
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Dr. Robert Richardson, a dedicated young general practitioner, seeks to establish himself in an isolated fishing village on Cape Breton Island off the Nova Scotia coast. The population is poor and the struggling physician generally gets paid for his efforts in barter. When he meets Belinda McDonald, a young deaf mute callously dismissed by family and neighbors as "the dummy," he alone senses her innate intelligence. He overcomes the initial skepticism of her flinty, gruff father and indifferently cold aunt, who operate a hardscrabble grist mill and farm, and devotes himself to teaching the young girl sign language and lip-reading. Hopes are even raised that she might even eventually qualify for a medical procedure that might improve her condition. Her optimism is crushed, however, when she raped by Locky McCormick, a brutish local fisherman. Traumatized, she is unable to communicate the outrage to her family, who are baffled and angry when they learn she is pregnant. The local gossips... Written by duke1029
Taglines:
There was temptation in her helpless silence...and then torment See more »Genres:
DramaCertificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Aggie McDonald: Wouldn't be here if I hadn't, would I?
Dr. Robert Richardson: Is your sister better?
Aggie McDonald: Yes.
Dr. Robert Richardson: Did she have a good doctor?
Aggie McDonald: Don't have any. Doesn't believe in them.
Dr. Robert Richardson: Well, that's the right attitude as long as one can afford it.
See more »
(uncredited)
Music by Alexander Muir
Played during opening narration
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Widely considered to be the first Hollywood film to openly tackle the subject of rape. See more »Goofs
The adoption papers from the council misspell the possessive "its" as "it's." See more »Quotes
Dr. Robert Richardson: Hello, Aggie. You got back all right?Aggie McDonald: Wouldn't be here if I hadn't, would I?
Dr. Robert Richardson: Is your sister better?
Aggie McDonald: Yes.
Dr. Robert Richardson: Did she have a good doctor?
Aggie McDonald: Don't have any. Doesn't believe in them.
Dr. Robert Richardson: Well, that's the right attitude as long as one can afford it.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Also shown in computer colorized version. See more »Soundtracks
The Maple Leaf Forever(uncredited)
Music by Alexander Muir
Played during opening narration
See more »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
14 September 1948 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Johnny Belinda See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
I had always written Jane Wyman off as just the ex-wife of Ronald Reagan and the matriarch of the Falcon Crest clan, but this movie really changed my mind about her. I was completely blown away by her performance as a deaf-mute. It is very easy to fall into stereotypes when playing physically challenged roles (especially in 1948), but Wyman underplays her part with great skill. She rises above the melodrama of the film without saying a single word and everything can be seen in her eyes. This film is truly a shining moment in her career.