The great Marlee Matlin, Academy Award-winning actress, activist, and author, made history as the first Deaf individual to win an Oscar for her spellbinding performance as Sarah Norman in the 1986 adaptation of Children of a Lesser God. Thrust into the spotlight, she immediately took the challenge to show the entertainment industry her undeniable talent but also her dedication to bringing more awareness to the deaf community with her roles, activism, and books. However, her success wasn’t without its obvious roadblocks.
Buy Marlin Marlee: Not Alone Anymore Blu-rayMarlin Marlee: Not Alone Anymore, an illuminating film by Shoshannah Stern, isn’t your typical documentary. It’s an immersive (with open captions) experience and a groundbreaking portrait that allows Matlin to tell her story, with the warts and all.
With pain and eventual triumphs, Matlin describes her sudden fame, her struggles of being a deaf actor amongst a hearing world, her high-profile (and often harrowing) relationship with the late actor William Hurt (her costar in Children), her stint with addiction, being stereotyped in an industry that never seems to stop doing so, and being a parent and a grandparent.
It’s also a call for acceptance, meaning that diversity, equality, and inclusion are still needed in any occupation, not just in entertainment. Because after all, disability isn’t a crutch; it’s a statement. You can’t undermine people for their differences. They are human too, and that is what Maltin continues to fight for. That is the essence of true humanity.
If you’re looking for an important film about an important figure in history, then this one is for you. It should give you and others something to think and reflect about. It’s entertaining, educational, and essential for understanding a community with so many stories to tell and voices to express.
Special features include outtakes, Q&A with Stern and Matlin moderated by writer Esther Zuckerman, and theatrical trailer.
