Product Details

• Actors: Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Richard Monette, John Evans (II)
• Directors: Patricia Rozema
• Format: NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nelson Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: December 20, 1990
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300983781
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,546 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Item Name: I've Heard the Mermaids Singing; Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless, May 2, 2004

By 

J Keistler "[e-mail]" (Lake Jackson, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I've Heard The Mermaids Singing (DVD)

I first saw this movie on VHS 'way back in the 80's when it was on VHS. Finally out on DVD!

I've watched so many thousands of movies. Some are hated, some are loved, some just stab right through you. This is one of those.

After watching it the first time I had to have it, bought it from the rental store.

Can someone be defined as a 'loser' if they don't know or acknowledge it? The character of Polly Vandersma defines this. In today's PC environment she is might be defined as completely lacking the self-awareness we grasped in the 70's. Polly doesn't fit in, in the way we all want to. She doesn't fit in the working world at all, working as a clerical temp yet lacking the essential skills. Yet, here she is working for a small gallery selling abstract art. "A cute awareness" indeed!

The woman who owns the gallery appears to possess the qualities that Polly would want to admire and emulate. She is beautiful, graceful, educated and oh, so articulate. Trouble is, Polly discovers a past lesbian relationship when a young artist appears. The larcenous collaboration between these two becomes pivotal when Polly, in her childlike honey, confronts this.

Polly's hobby is photography, a form of self-expression for her, and again, she lacks the sophistication to realize the artistic value of her work. It has never appeared to her that her photos might be worth showing to others. This work appears as a revelation to her employer and her employer's lover in the end.

After seeing this movie dozens of times, the kind condescending attitude of her employer has changed my attitude toward her. I've come to find her a quite sad character. She knows enough to appreciate art, yet also is aware that she hasn't the talent to create what she appreciates. There is such a shock when she sees the body of Polly's work, when Polly doesn't grasp their signficance!

The character of Polly appeals to all of us in her awkwardness, in her lack of 'sophistication' by society's standards. She has an inherent honesty and goodness that are childlike, a frank admiration for her employer that is tragically destroyed. I think we all enjoy seeing the pomposity of others exposed, the 'emperor having no clothes'.

I wore out three VHS copies of this, loaning it out to people. I don't watch this movie too often, though I know every scene. One has to be in the right mood for it. It is perfect on a rainy day, for someone in a dreary mood. To describe it as unique seems inadequate. There truly is nothing else like it--it's an event. I've enjoyed watching people watching this movie, seeing their reactions. The character of Polly has so many universal traits; some people will laugh awkwardly, some will nod in recognition.

I am so very delighted that this movie has finally made it DVD where it will receive the permanence it deserves. There is a running commentary in the special features by Rozema that I wish I'd seen years before. Though this film is set in the late 80's it is contemporary enough that it doesn't seem dated. The performances are amazing, the casting flawless. This was Rozema's first film, and I still feel is her best. A keeper.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best movie I ever saw by accident..., June 5, 2002

By 

scott welles (los angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I've Heard the Mermaids Singing [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I got lucky; after sitting through a truly forgettable flick at my college town's local theatre, I shrugged and elected to sit through the second half of the double-feature and take my chances. Good thing I did.

"I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" makes my short list of favorite movies (which is ironic, given that the list consists mostly of the likes of "Die Hard" and "The Terminator"...). It's clearly a microscopic budget (possibly a student film), but a great example of how to tell really good stories with no money.

Sheila McCarthy, in what is arguably my favorite female lead role ever, plays Polly, a sweet, kooky character who's deeper than she (or anyone else) imagines, basically the Canadian Walter Mitty, and she plays every scene to perfection. She was able to break my heart with a single look in the more dramatic scenes, and yet she also pulls off the best Groucho Line ever spoken by someone other than Groucho himself (she starts to say it with complete and utter naivete, then catches herself before it's too late -- priceless reaction shot!)

This is generally touted as a lesbian film, but the gender and orientation of the characters is almost arbitrary; I think it's more about the truth of artistic vision versus the appearance of sophistication -- compare and contrast Polly and the Curator, the film's yin/yang pair and you'll see what I mean.

The dream sequences are marvelously evocative, given the miniscule budget, and both the cinematography and music are as good as one could hope for. (There's a wonderful score in the coastline sequence, and again in the closing credits, that sounds as wide as a thunderclap and as deep as the heartbeat of God; I really wish there was a soundtrack album!)

Check this movie out; if you've only seen Sheila McCarthy as the blonde reporter in "Die Hard 2," this is the perfect place to see what you've been missing. (And why haven't we seen more of her since??)

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last!, March 19, 2004

By 

G N Redwood (Richmond, Surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I've Heard The Mermaids Singing (DVD)

I have waited years for this to come out on DVD. One of my favourite films of all time (if not my favourite), I've only had a very poor copy I taped from the television years ago. When it was first shown at the Cannes film festival, the critics gave it a standing ovation (totally unheard of). A beautiful story, wonderfully acted and filmed. A truly magical experience, so why did we have to wait for so long? - second hand tapes have been changing hands for quite large sums, so its obvious there was a demand for it.
Slightly mysterious, but very grounded, the story is touching in many ways. The basics are spelt out in the other reviews below, so I won't repeat them. But I will repeat my praises for it- this is a MUST HAVE independant Canadian film, rarely seen at the Cinema anywhere, and surely one of the best films missed by most people.

BUY IT NOW.