From Our Vaults
British director Mike Newell helmed Amazing Grace and Chuck (aka “Silent Voice”), an anti-nuclear drama, starring William Petersen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Gregory Peck as the U.S. President.
Grade: B- (*** out of *****)
The film’s release came in a critical historical context, amid the deterioration of United States-Soviet Union relations, escalation of hostile political rhetoric and public concern about nuclear threat in the 1980s.
Amazing Grace hit theaters just one month before Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev announced the perestroika reforms.
Chuck Murdock, a boy of 12 from Montana and the son of a military jet pilot, becomes anxious after seeing Minuteman missile on a school field trip. The experience is intensified by nightmare of a fork dropping after being told that the speed and effectiveness would be done “before a dropped fork hits the floor.”
Chuck protests nuclear weapons by refusing to play baseball, which results in the forfeit of a Little League game by his team.
“Amazing Grace” Smith, a fictional Boston Celtics player, catches the story in his newspaper and decides to emulate Chuck, saying he will no longer participate in professional basketball unless there are no more nuclear weapons. This gives it nationwide coverage, inspiring more pro athletes from across the globe to join the protest against nuclear weapons.
Smith then moves to Montana to meet with Chuck and buys an old barn, which is renovated into residence. Though uncertain, Smith’s agent Lynn decides to support him and Chuck.
Chuck and Smith face physical harm and economic threats to quit the protests. Eventually the US President (Peck, well cast) meets with Chuck, admiring his resolve, while explaining the practical difficulties. Chuck is not swayed and continues his protest.
Corrupt businessman Alexander Jeffries fears the movement will destroy his influence and threatens Lynn and Smith. While on flight to San Francisco, Smiths plane is blown up, and his death gains media attention. Chuck begins vow of silence, taken up by children across the world. The vow of silence disturbs national leaders and pressure mounts against the President.
Meanwhile, Lynn and the pro athletes realize Smiths plane was owned by Jeffries, and they display his name on Goodyear Blimps. The FBI trace the plane to Jeffries, but cannot provide evidence he had the plane bombed.
The President demands that all of Jeffries business practices and ownerships ceased and that he will be put under surveillance. He then meets with the Soviet Union leader and they decide to dismantle nuclear arsenals as quickly as possible.
Pro athletes return to work, children begin speaking, and Chuck returns to Little League. The season opener is attended by family, athletes, the press, the President and the Soviet Leader.
In the end, they hold a salute for Amazing Grace, before the first pitch.
Despite being timely, the movie failed to find appreciative viewers, though it was good to see Gregory Peck in what would become one of his last big-screen roles of a long, prolific, and distinguished career.
Newell, too, would go on to direct better and more popular films, such as
for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Donnie Brasco (1997), and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).
Cast
Jamie Lee Curtis as Lynn Taylor
Gregory Peck as President
William L. Petersen as Russell
Lee Richardson as Jeffries
Joshua Zuehlke as Chuck Murdock
Alex English as Amazing Grace Smith
Frances Conroy appears as Pamela, Alan Autry and Michael Bowen play Miami Dolphin team mates George and Hot Dog, respectively, and Red Auerbach has cameo as himself.
Credits:
Directed by Mike Newell
Written, produced by David Field
Cinematography Robert Elswit
Edited by Peter Hollywood
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by Tri-Star Pictures
Release date: May 22, 1987 (US)
Running time: 114 minutes
Budget $5.4 million
