‘What the Deaf Man Heard’

This 1997 TV movie, based on G.D. Gearino’s novel, creates a beautifully textured, eminently believable view of the complex layers of life in a small Southern town. Matthew Modine heads a notable cast that includes Tom Skerritt, Judith Ivey, Claire Bloom, James Earl Jones (pictured) and Bernadette Peters, all of whom have approached their parts with care and sensitivity (CBS Sunday at 9 p.m.).