Children of a Lesser God is a 1986 film, which tells the story of a speech teacher at a school for the deaf who falls in love with a sign language-using Deaf woman. It stars William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie and Philip Bosco.

The movie was adapted by Hesper Anderson and James Carrington (uncredited) from the play by Mark Medoff. It was directed by Randa Haines .

It won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Marlee Matlin) and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (William Hurt), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Piper Laurie), Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

Marlee Matlin, herself deaf in real life, is the youngest actress to have received a Best Actress Oscar.

In Children Marlee plays Sarah Norman, who works at a school for the Deaf. There is a new teacher come to the school who is skilled in sign language; his name is James Leeds (William Hurt). Having met Sarah and gotten to know her, he wants to convince her that she needs to be out in the hearing world where the rest of people are. She refuses to step out of the Deaf world. A romantic relationship ensues between James and Sarah and he moves her into his house. They argue about the hearing and Deaf worlds. He really wants to help her adapt to the hearing world, but she truly wants to stay in the Deaf world and her stubbornness affects their relationship.

The movie was made in 1986. Marlee remains famous as an actress and has guest-starred in various TV shows and gotten involved in charities for deaf and hard-of-hearing people throughout the world.