If You Could See What I Hear (1982)

A light comedy/love story based on the life of blind musician Tom Sullivan.

Director:

Eric Till

Writers:

Stuart Gillard (screenplay written by), Tom Sullivan (novel)

Stars:

Marc Singer, R.H. Thomson, Sarah Torgov

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marc Singer	...	Tom Sullivan
R.H. Thomson	...	Will Sly
Sarah Torgov	...	Patti Steffen
Shari Belafonte	...	Heather Johnson (as Shari Belafonte Harper)
Douglas Campbell	...	Porky Sullivan
Helen Burns	...	Mrs. Ruxton
Harvey Atkin	...	Bert
Barbara Gordon	...	Molly
Sharon Lewis	...	Helga
Lynda Mason Green	...	Sharon
Tony Van Bridge	...	Dr. Roger Wells
Jack Creley	...	Dean Franklin
David Gardner	...	Jack Steffen
Gary Reineke	...	Phil Lucas
Bob Warner	...	Sergeant

Storyline

Tom Sullivan is in many ways a typical student attending a Boston area college, he, showing his immaturity, partaking in, often leading, mainly harmless student hijinks with his pipe smoking friend, Will Sly. He funnels many of his energies into his music as a singer/pianist. Tom also happens to be blind, which he's been since a newborn due to being provided too much oxygen while in an incubator. Tom is independently minded, and wants to be treated just like any sighted person. Like most men his age, he is also in the pursuit of the opposite sex, in the process of which he finds that he falls in love easily. Through all these activities, Tom is affected by real life including the temporariness of college life, some not being able to get over their own prejudices of being sighted in their dealings with him, and coming to the realization that there are some things more difficult to do in life when one is blind.

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Plot Keywords:

piano player | blindness | massachusetts | disability | overcoming adversity | 

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Taglines:

The true story of a born winner!

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au-delà du regard

Filming Locations:

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 5,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,408,000, 25 April 1982, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$8,693,512

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cypress Grove, Shelter Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

As stated in the end credits, the little girl Sullivan saved from drowning was not his girlfriend's little sister, as portrayed in the film, but actually his own daughter.

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Goofs

During the skydiving incident, Tom's friend takes off in a jeep on natural ground, but we hear the tires squeal as though he's on pavement.

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Quotes

[Will and Tom are a convertible, and it's raining]
Will Sly: I figured for ten weeks of sun, surf, and sex, we wouldn't need a top.
Tom Sullivan: Well, if the surf and the sex are as good as the sun, we're in big trouble.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Stinkers of 1982 (1983)

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Soundtracks

Something Else Again
Written by Chris De Burgh

User Reviews

This movie was great! One to watch again and again!

I also saw this on cable in 1983 and can't believe it is not currently available on DVD or video. It is a fun movie with alot of laughs, and at the same time a "heartwarming", feel-good movie. Very memorable from my teen years, but it is timeless in its comedy. Marc Singer plays the blind real-life Tom Sullivan. I remember one scene in particular that was hilarious: Tom (Marc Singer) was the most sober (and blind, too) of the group after they had been out all night drinking, he is behind the wheel and gets pulled over by a police officer. I have to see this movie again! What can we do to get it to be released on DVD/video???