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Deaf Major 
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TITLE |
Dead
Silence (1997) |
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DIRECTOR |
Daniel
Petrie, Jr.
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NOTES |
A busload of
deaf children is taken hostage by three escaped prisoners.
A welcome return for Marlee Matlin but this is basically a
thriller and one that pulls out all the stops.
The three escaped convicts take the busload of deaf children
with their deaf teacher and an interpreter hostage. Pursued by the
police they take refuge in an old factory.
The FBI is called in, represented by James Garner, well past
retirement age. He's old enough to know it all and is in conflict with
the younger FBI agents. Against the protests of Garner the District
Attorney brings in the State Police. With political correctness
Garner's second in command is black but isn't given much dialogue.
Likewise Marlee Matlin is shown at one of the factory windows
communicating to them with sign language but this advantage is lost in
a number of plot twists.
Strangely near the end when everyone is released and the
surviving prisoners caught (one is killed by another) Matlin
who has played a minor role is kept 'on hand' so in the final
twist she can be 'a woman under threat'.
One of the children has asthma.
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Notes
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