The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
G

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

... and from this man who could not speak or hear, the girl heard many things.

1968 • 123 min • Drama

Synopsis

Singer is a deaf-mute whose small world brings him in contact with a young girl, Mick, who cherishes a seemingly hopeless dream of becoming a concert pianist. At first hostile, Mick soon becomes friends with Singer, hoping to enlarge his small world. Three other central characters come to Singer for help also, each of them seeing in him a powerful force.

Our family guide

Best from age 12
88
Movie Knight Score
51 reviews
  • 100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
  • 75 Audience · 50 · 49%

John Singer, a deaf-mute, moves to a new town where he becomes a confidant for several troubled residents, including a young girl with musical dreams. The story explores themes of loneliness, understanding, and the varied needs people project onto others, set against a backdrop of complex human relationships.

Violence & peril
1/10
Language
1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking
3/10
Romance & sensuality
2/10
Scary moments
2/10

Heads up

  • Discussions of suicide and despair.
  • Characters deal with poverty and racial discrimination.
  • Occasional mild language and alcohol consumption.

What it models well

  • Empathy and understanding
  • The search for connection
  • Finding your voice
  • Dealing with loneliness

Talk about it after

  • How people project their hopes and fears onto others.
  • The challenges and triumphs of communication.
  • Understanding different forms of loneliness.
  • Prejudice and social justice in the community.

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Robert Ellis Miller • Crew: Thomas C. Ryan

Trailers & clips

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - Trailer

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

**_Loneliness and the need to connect with others in the Deep South_** This was based on Carson McCullers’ first novel, which she wrote when she was only 23 years-old. It’s a Southern Gothic reminiscent of Brando’s “The Fugitive Kind” mixed with a little of James Mason’s “Lolita.…

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Gallery

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter stillThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter stillThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter still

Details

TMDB audience
7.5/10 (50)
Age rating
G
Status
Released
Budget
$1,000,000