Jane Wyman won a Best Actress Oscar for her strong performance in this touching drama of a deaf-mute girl (Wyman) and a doctor (Lew Ayres) who works closely with her. The story (based on Elmer Harris's play) seems intent on dumping one grievance after another onto the poor character, from rape to community pressure to give up the resultant baby, plus a terrible loss sustained somewhere in there as well. But Wyman and director Jean Negulesco manage to make the film more than the sum of its perils, and the texture and atmosphere of the town is particularly effective. <I>--Tom Keogh</I>
Viewer Reviews Johnny Belinda starring Jane Wyman is a gentle and important film. Wyman gave the performance of her career (she won the Oscar for best actress)she is so vulnerable and real as a mute who is raped and no one believes her. Parts of the film are dated and overblown but Johnny Belinda is still a good film, check it out sometime.
