A mute girl is left on the Waltons’ doorstep, and in teaching her sign language they realize that she is quite capable of learning. The guilt-stricken mother of the girl attempts to convince her husband that she is not a “throwback” and should not be given up, but it takes a near tragedy (Elizabeth getting locked in a trunk in an abandoned shack and the girl using sign language to communicate her peril to the others) to change his mind.
Warm, surprisingly intense opening to the series sets its tone right away. Olivia is now played by “Miss” Michael Learned (to distinguish her gender) with a great balance of firmness and compassion. The (mostly outdoor) photography is lush, with a classy cinematic quality to it (like so many filmed series of the time). The Waltons children (all played by the same actors as in The Homecoming) are all woven effectively into the plot, especially the youngest girl, Elizabeth, who is pivotal to the climax.
Lots of resonance here, particularly with what we know about the treatment of children with developmental disabilities then and now. Okay, it is awfully quick for the Walton kids to teach the girl a complete sign-language vocabulary, but hey, they do have a lot of free time there on Walton’s Mountain!
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