沉寂之桥

讲述了MargDuffield(LeeRemick)istheMainewifeofAl(JosephSommer)whosedaughterPeg(MarleeMatlin)isdeaf.PegshusbandiskilledinacaraccidentonthewaytovisittheMainehouse,andtheDuffieldstakeinPegssixyearolddaughter,Lisa,whilePegrecovers.SinceLisaisaspeakingchild,MargthinksofherthewayshewantedPegtobe,andseeksguardiancustody.RemicksroleissecondarytoMatlins,thoughsheispresentedasatragicfigure,particularlyasAlrefusestohelpherplantogainLisa.Pegsdeafnessissaidtobefromachildhoodcaseofspinalmeningitis,andtheteleplaybyLouisaBurns-Bisogno,withstorybyLouisaandTomBisogno,reducesRemicktoatextbookmotherwhoisself-hatingfromguiltandthereforecannotloveherowndaughter.Inamemorablescene,PegangrilysignsherexittoMarg,sinceMarghasrefusedtolearnsignlanguage,thoughPeghaslearnedtospeakforhermother.ThetreatmentusestheTenneseeWilliamsplay,TheGlassMenagerie,fortherapy,tohelpPegovercomehergriefandalsoMarg`loseherunicornhornandembraceherdaughter.WhilstPegchoosingtoactinthisplaymayseemanoddchoiceforsomeonegrieving,whatismorenoticableisthatMatlinisfartoomoreglamouroustobebelievableasLaura.TheBisognosincludeMichaelOKeefeasDan,PegsdeceasedhusbandsbestfriendanddirectorofActorsTheatrefortheDeaf,toofferPeganewromanticinterest,andthankfullysherebukeshisprotestationsoflove.Althoughhisopinionmaybeinfluencedbyhis`crush,DantellsPegthatbeingdifferentisbetterthanbeingnormal,sincethenormalonesareas`commonasweeds.ThisphilosophyreadsasratherNietzschean,onthelevelofartistsnotbeingrestrictedtothecommonmoralcode.DirectorKarenArthureitherhasthosesigningalsospeakingorthosesigningbeingtranslatedfortheaudience,thoughinonescenethesoundoflappingwavesdrownsoutthedialoguebetweenDanandPeg.ShealsogivesMatlinsomegoodmoments,onebeingherscreamofhorrorwhenshehearsthenewsofthedeathofherhusband,andanotherwhenshechasesRemickdownaflightofsteps,hittingher.