Silence Golden In ‘Breaking Through’

Mon., Dec. 30, 1996

John Martin New York Times Syndicate

Everyone knows that the hardest part of acting can be the time an actor or actress spends on screen without lines.

Witness Kellie Martin (“Christy”) in ABC’s “Breaking Through” at 9. It’s a deliberate tearjerker, which Martin rescues with a credible, touching and near-silent performance.

Martin plays a young girl rescued from an abusive father (Thomas Kopache) who has virtually kept her locked in a room most of her life. Deaf and unable to speak, she is placed in the protective custody of a compassionate social worker (JoBeth Williams) who is recovering from her own personal tragedy.

The story, “inspired by actual events,” again shows how the child-welfare system as well as the courts are unable to bend when it comes to extraordinary cases.

We’ve seen this scenario repeatedly in TV movies, and it unfolds in predictable fashion: Prosecutors have little interest in the case because they fear the girl will be an ineffective witness, as funding cuts force her out of the school for the deaf where she is placed.

Martin overcomes these cliches and creates a character that you believe and care about, which is about as much as you can ask for in a TV movie these days.

Highlights

“Madonna: Innocence Lost” (1994), FOX at 8: This dramatic biography spans the singer’s life story from her childhood to her triumphant “Like a Virgin” performance at the 1985 MTV awards. Madonna is played with effective abandon by heretofore unknown actress Terumi Matthews.

The movie depicts a Madonna who wouldn’t think twice about sleeping with someone purely for professional gain, but it does not paint her as a human trampoline. It begs to be an inspirational story of Madonna’s rise, but it mostly gives one reason to hope that she someday gets her well-deserved comeuppance.

“The Metropolitan Opera Presents,” KSPS at 7: Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” is performed, with Carol Vaness, Susanne Mentzer and Cecilia Bartoli in the starring roles.

“Dangerous Minds,” ABC at 8: The series tries a little tenderness in this affecting episode in which Cornelius (Vicellous Reon Shannon) asks Callie (Tamala Jones) on a date. James (Cedrick Terrell) cuts a deal with Louanne (Annie Potts) that gives him a chance to play basketball.

“Batman” (1989), NBC at 8:30: They should have stopped right here as far as I’m concerned. None of the subsequent Batfilms surpasses the original with Caped Crusader Michael Keaton pitted against Jack Nicholson as The Joker in director Tim Burton’s moody masterpiece.

“Ladies Home Journal’s Most Fascinating Women of ‘96,” CBS at 10: Jamie Lee Curtis hosts this special that spotlights Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Dana Reeve (wife of actor Christopher Reeve), Bette Midler, Gloria Estefan, Oprah Winfrey, astronaut Shannon Lucid, Olympic gold medalists Dot Richardson and Lisa Leslie, boxing champion Christy Martin and other distinguished women.

Cable Calls

“Biography,” A&E at 5 and 9: If you’re over 50, you know the place Arthur Godfrey holds in the early days of television, and you won’t want to miss the first-run bio. The hour covers his phenomenal rise as a television personality - at one point he accounted for 12 percent of CBS’ annual revenue - as well as his infamous arrogance, temper and moodiness. Included is an interview with Julius La Rosa, the bandleader Godfrey fired in the middle of a live telecast.

“Desperately Seeking Susan” (1985), COM at 9: Madonna was never better cast than in this comedy-drama about a bored housewife (Rosanna Arquette) who seeks excitement by hooking up with a kooky young woman (Madonna) she’s read about in a newspaper’s personals listings.

xxxx Huskies in bowl “Football,” ESPN at 5: The University of Colorado Buffaloes (9-2) collide with the University of Washington Huskies (9-2) in the Holiday Bowl, played in San Diego.

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