Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Silent Tongue

  • 19931993
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Silent Tongue (1993)
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Western
Mad with grief after the death of his Kiowa wife, Talbot awaits death under a tree with her body beside him. She begins to haunt him because he won't burn her. His father, who bought him the... Read allMad with grief after the death of his Kiowa wife, Talbot awaits death under a tree with her body beside him. She begins to haunt him because he won't burn her. His father, who bought him the wife, thinks her sister might reason with him.Mad with grief after the death of his Kiowa wife, Talbot awaits death under a tree with her body beside him. She begins to haunt him because he won't burn her. His father, who bought him the wife, thinks her sister might reason with him.
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sam Shepard
  • Writer
    • Sam Shepard
  • Stars
    • Alan Bates
    • Richard Harris
    • River Phoenix
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sam Shepard
  • Writer
    • Sam Shepard
  • Stars
    • Alan Bates
    • Richard Harris
    • River Phoenix
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 23User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos65

    Arturo in "Silent Tongue"
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    River Phoenix in Silent Tongue (1993)
    River Phoenix in Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    River Phoenix in Silent Tongue (1993)
    Silent Tongue (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alan Bates
    Alan Bates
    • Eamon McCreeas Eamon McCree
    Richard Harris
    Richard Harris
    • Prescott Roeas Prescott Roe
    River Phoenix
    River Phoenix
    • Talbot Roeas Talbot Roe
    Dermot Mulroney
    Dermot Mulroney
    • Reeves McCreeas Reeves McCree
    Sheila Tousey
    Sheila Tousey
    • Awbonnieas Awbonnie…
    Jeri Arredondo
    • Velada McCreeas Velada McCree
    Bill Irwin
    Bill Irwin
    • Comicas Comic
    David Shiner
    • Straight Manas Straight Man
    Tantoo Cardinal
    Tantoo Cardinal
    • Silent Tongueas Silent Tongue
    Tommy Thompson
    • Medicine Show Band Performeras Medicine Show Band Performer
    Jack Herrick
    • Medicine Show Band Performeras Medicine Show Band Performer
    Bland Simpson
    • Medicine Show Band Performeras Medicine Show Band Performer
    Clay Buckner
    • Medicine Show Band Performeras Medicine Show Band Performer
    Chris Frank
    • Medicine Show Band Performeras Medicine Show Band Performer
    Arturo Gil
    Arturo Gil
    • Little Person Acrobat #1as Little Person Acrobat #1
    Joseph S. Griffo
    Joseph S. Griffo
    • Little Person Acrobat #2as Little Person Acrobat #2
    • (as Joseph Griffo)
    Billy Beck
    Billy Beck
    • Petrified Manas Petrified Man
    Phillip Attmore
    • Boy Tap Danceras Boy Tap Dancer
    • Director
      • Sam Shepard
    • Writer
      • Sam Shepard
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Thing Called Love
    6.4
    The Thing Called Love
    Dogfight
    7.4
    Dogfight
    Little Nikita
    5.9
    Little Nikita
    I Love You to Death
    6.4
    I Love You to Death
    Dark Blood
    6.3
    Dark Blood
    Running on Empty
    7.6
    Running on Empty
    My Own Private Idaho
    7.0
    My Own Private Idaho
    Circle of Violence: A Family Drama
    6.2
    Circle of Violence: A Family Drama
    A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon
    5.5
    A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon
    Sneakers
    7.1
    Sneakers
    Far North
    4.8
    Far North
    The Mosquito Coast
    6.6
    The Mosquito Coast

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Although filmed in the spring of 1992, the movie did not have a theatrical release until 1994.
    • Quotes

      Prescott Roe: He just stands over her corpse like a lost soul, watchin, speakin' tongues, guarding, as though she were still in the world.

      Eamon McCree: Well, he'll soon get over that business. You know how the heart goes. Give him time. After all, 'twas only his first wife.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Red Rock West/Clifford/Threesome/Silent Tongue/The Blue Kite (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Little Acrobat's Song
      Music and Lyrics by Tommy Thompson and Jack Herrick

    User reviews23

    Review
    Top review
    Underwhelming (and silly) Western, though Phoenix is terrific
    This much maligned and very strange Western is ambitious and interesting in places, but also pretentious, convoluted, silly and frequently boring. Shepard's direction is reasonable, and the main theme effective, but the ghost scenes are accompanied by a poor, pounding score and increasingly daft camera-work. The acting is similarly inconsistent: Mulroney is dire in a well-written minor role, and Bates overacts dreadfully, but Harris is fairly good and Phoenix unforgettable (if underused) in his final role. His first scene is particularly potent and moving. Indeed, whenever River is on screen the movie comes to life: his eccentric turn partly compensating for the long periods of poorly scripted shouting.

    Despite some striking imagery, unusual subject matter and unwanted status as River's swansong, the film's expected cult status hasn't materialised, perhaps because it is plot less and pointless. Filmed for French TV in 1992, but not released until 1994, it grossed just $61,274 in the US. For a better, similarly offbeat modern take on the Western, try Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man. Silent Tongue is for Phoenix completists like myself only.
    helpful•4
    6
    • rick_7
    • Jun 27, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1995 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Netherlands
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ghost Rider - Indian Magic
    • Filming locations
      • Chaves County, New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Belbo Films
      • Canal+
      • Mire
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $61,274
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $18,227
      • Feb 27, 1994
    • Gross worldwide
      • $61,274
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Silent Tongue (1993)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Silent Tongue (1993) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.