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37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
JANE WYMAN, one of the great actresses of all times......, October 16, 2001
Jane Wyman was perhaps the most underrated and unappreciated actress of the 20th Century, while actually delivering some of the greatest performances seen on the screen. She never seems to be the recipient of those Lifetime Achievement awards that fly in all directions, nor is she subject matter for 'Biography' or 'Intimate Portrait' (though she also has the distinction of being the only divorced wife of an American President in US history).... yet I can think of no other star more deserving of accolades and awards. She demonstrated none of the overblown histrionics of Bette Davis, nor the phony, cloying 'sweetness' of Joan Crawford; she was not in the position of respect she attained in the movie industry because of Lana Turner or Ava Gardner glamour and beauty. Every performance from Wyman was an underplayed masterpiece, and her Academy Award winning role in "Johnny Belinda" was no exception. She never tried to over-shadow her co-stars Charles Bickford, Agnes Moorehead, and Jan Sterling...all of whom were letter perfect in their parts...and Moorehead, at least, must have admired her greatly because I can think of at least five Wyman movies right off the top of my head where Agnes was along for the ride! Yes, she won the Oscar for her superb, poignant performance in "Johnny Belinda," but she could have just as easily won it earlier for "Lost Weekend" or "The Yearling"...or a few years later for "The Blue Veil" (my personal Wyman favorite, but impossible to find on video) or "So Big" or "Magnificent Obsession" or its sequel, the much better "All That Heaven Allows." Long before she spent the decade of the 80's as the indomitable Angela Channing on TV's "Falcon Crest," Jane Wyman had already proved herself one of the greatest actresses of all times in countless movies......it's about time she was appreciated and honored for that, and buying a copy of "Johnny Belinda" would be a good place to start!
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A sensitive and brilliant film, June 24, 2001
Jane Wyman deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Belinda, the deaf-mute who becomes a mother after being raped. It is such a wonderful performance, as Belinda grows in knowledge and life experiences, helped along by Lew Ayres as a kind-hearted doctor who comes to Cape Breton Island after some problems in his own personal life. The two of them grow together, and overcome some severe obstacles before they can find happiness. Charles Bickford as Belinda's father and Agnes Moorhead as Belinda's aunt also give stellar performances. Ahead of its time in terms of subject matter (treatment of the handicapped and the stigma of rape), this film holds up well after all of these years. One of my long-time favorites, and a true classic.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ahead of It's Time, February 22, 2006
This review is from: Johnny Belinda (DVD)
Many who have reviewed this near-masterpiece have neglected to say just how special this film was to 1948 audiences. Jane Wyman was known as the girl-next-door type, playing girlfriends and wives, but rarely taken seriously as a topnotch actress. Her one shot came with "The Yearling", as the stern, but understanding mother to Claude Jarmon, Jr. Her performance in "Johnny Belinda" was seen as a revelation, with her Oscar pretty much assured. The film itself garnered 13 Academy Award nominations, winning only the one for Jane Wyman.
The DVD has a greatly sharpened picture - near perfect, in fact. But the sound is a vast improvement, not muffled as it was on the VHS tape, and certainly better than what was offered by Turner Classic Movies for years. However, for the most recent televised airing, the new restored version was used.
The only disappointment is the lack of extras on the DVD. Somewhere in the vaults, there had to be more info about the making of the film or Oscar highlights. Get with it, Warner Brothers!
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