Children of a Lesser God (1986): Cast, Ratings & Box Office
Children of a Lesser God is a 1986 romantic drama directed by Randa Haines, starring William Hurt, Piper Laurie and Philip Bosco. It is based on Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff. It runs 1 hour 59 minutes and earned $31.9 million worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Actress in a Leading Role. Critics gave it 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 59m (119 min)
- Director
- Randa Haines
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Children of a Lesser God About?
The premise of Children of a Lesser God without spoilers, adapted from Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
James Leeds, a passionate speech therapist, meets Sarah Norman, a captivating deaf woman who resists communication. Their connection deepens into an unexpected romance, forcing James to confront his own limitations and Sarah to face the pain of her past. As they navigate their relationship, they must overcome obstacles related to communication and personal history, ultimately exploring the complexities of love and understanding.
Children of a Lesser God Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- school for the deaf
- deafness
- f rated
- 1980s
- god in title
- academia drama
- haines and laurie
- teacher of the hearing impaired
- based on a stage play
- cigarette smoking
- reference to johann sebastian bach
- skinny dipping
+38 more Show fewer
- female nudity
- school
- teacher
- love
- janitor
- redheaded woman
- title directed by female
- fight
- argument
- quickie
- listening to classical music
- classical music
- falling in love
- playing cards
- playing poker
- poker
- loud music
- playing basketball
- basketball
- sex
- pool
- new job
- ferry
- listening to music
- female rear nudity
- brief nudity
- nudity
- troubled past
- dancing
- record player
- source music
- electronic music score
- f word
- cat
- teacher student relationship
- male female relationship
- student
- school superintendent
Children of a Lesser God Cast
William Hurt leads the cast, with Piper Laurie and Philip Bosco. Directed by Randa Haines; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Randa Haines
Also Starring in Children of a Lesser God
· 6 moreMore from Randa Haines
More films directed by Randa Haines: The Ron Clark Story, Dance with Me, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and Something About Amelia.
Children of a Lesser God Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Children of a Lesser God 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 81% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 78%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 80 Metascore
User score 7.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 69% User score
See on TMDB
Children of a Lesser God Plot Summary
What happens in Children of a Lesser God from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In a charming New England school designed for the deaf and hard of hearing, an energetic teacher named James Leeds shakes things up with his vibrant enthusiasm. His focus soon falls on Sarah Norman, who once excelled academically but now finds herself working as a janitor. At first glance, Sarah’s tough exterior hides a profound bond with the deaf students, a connection that James is eager to develop. His pursuit of Sarah is persistent; he stealthily arranges secret meetings and patiently waits outside her workplace, though she consistently rebuffs his advances. Undaunted, he eventually secures a dinner invitation, where he is captivated by the grace of Sarah’s movements, echoing unheard melodies.
Full summary
The whole story of Children of a Lesser God, scene by scene
Children of a Lesser God Box Office
Children of a Lesser God grossed $31.9 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$31.9M
- US & Canada
- $31.9M
Children of a Lesser God Awards & Nominations
Children of a Lesser God won 1 Oscar, including Actress in a Leading Role. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1987, with 1 win from 5 nominations.
1 win10 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Oscars 1987 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Actress in a Leading Role – Marlee Matlin
- Nominated Actor in a Leading Role – William Hurt
- Nominated Actress in a Supporting Role – Piper Laurie
- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)
-
Golden Globes 1987 3 nominations- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – William Hurt
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actress) – Marlee Matlin
-
DGA Awards 1987 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Randa Haines
-
BAFTA 1987 1 nomination- Nominated Best Adapted Screenplay
Children of a Lesser God Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 featurettes.
- Featurette Marlee Matlin Wins Best Actress | 59th Oscars (1987)
- Featurette Marlee Matlin | Behind the Oscars Speech
How Well Do You Know Children of a Lesser God?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the teacher that arrives at the school for the deaf?
Cars in Children of a Lesser God
20 cars on screen, including the 1960 Chevrolet C-10 Apache and the 1981 Plymouth Reliant K.
-
1960 Chevrolet C-10 Apache Important role -
1981 Plymouth Reliant K Minor role -
unknown Minor role -
Allis-Chalmers ACC 50 Background role
Children of a Lesser God Also Known As
24 alternative titles, including “Gottes vergessene Kinder” and “Figli di un Dio Minore”.
- Also known as
-
- Gottes vergessene Kinder
- Figli di un Dio Minore
- Les Enfants du silence
- Hijos de un dios menor
- Bohem zapomenuté děti
- ילדים חורגים לאלוהים
- Filhos do Silêncio
- Egy kisebb Isten gyermekei
- Деца, забравени от Бога
- 失宠于上帝的孩子们
- 작은 신의 아이들
- Bortom alla ord
+12 more Show fewer
- Дети тишины
- 愛は静けさの中に
- Dzieci gorszego Boga
- Filhos de Um Deus Menor
- Başka Tanrının Çocukları
- Kærlighed uden ord
- Kjærlighet trenger ingen ord
- Te Amaré en Silencio
- Sanaton rakkaus
- รักนี้ไม่มีคำพูด
- Діти меншого Бога
- Fills d’un déu menor
Seen Children of a Lesser God?
Movies Like Children of a Lesser God
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Children, Children of Nature and Little Children.
Children of a Lesser God FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Children of a Lesser God, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Children of a Lesser God?
Children of a Lesser God runs 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).
When was Children of a Lesser God released?
Children of a Lesser God was released on October 3, 1986.
Who directed Children of a Lesser God?
Children of a Lesser God was directed by Randa Haines.
More films by Randa Haines Who is in the cast of Children of a Lesser God?
Children of a Lesser God stars William Hurt, Piper Laurie and Philip Bosco, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Children of a Lesser God make at the box office?
Children of a Lesser God grossed $31.9 million worldwide.
How is Children of a Lesser God rated?
Children of a Lesser God has 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 80 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.
Is Children of a Lesser God based on a book?
Yes. Children of a Lesser God is adapted from Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff.
What awards did Children of a Lesser God win?
Children of a Lesser God won 1 award from 10 nominations, including Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars 1987.
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