80 Steps to Jonah

I saw this on Cable years and years ago, and I think of it so often. It's like losing a good friend by moving away. I hate that I can't play it any time I want. I think I will write to the cable companies and find out how to request that it play. Every other movie plays over and over. This one should too. I take offense to the writer who said this was a bad Elvis-type movie. Wayne Newton was young then, and probably hadn't even been compared to Elvis at that time. This is a cute little family movie that makes you feel like there may be a little good in the world after all. Nowadays, you don't get too much of that. I sure hope I am able to get a copy of this movie. I would love to sit and watch it with my Grandson. Thank you for your time.

I feel that there was excellent casting in this picture. Wayne Newton handled the lead quite well - he played it with heart, but resisted the temptation to make it overly sentimental. Not afraid of being upstaged by animals or children, he worked well with them to tell us a beautiful story. Brought to the foreground was how independent people with disabilities can really be. The music, too, was a definite plus!

Police chases after a speeding car which crashes. The car is stolen and one of two men gets killed. Mark Jonah Winters (Wayne Newton) is found in the driver seat, but he claims to be only a hitchhiking passenger. The police officers don't believe him. He crashes the ambulance and escapes. He finds himself in a camp for blind children who mistake him for their new handyman. Blind Tracy Rutledge (Diana Ewing) takes a liking to him.

Jonah is really dumb for rushing away from the gas station. There are a couple of issues with the story. Wayne Newton is doing some mumbling acting until he starts singing. He's trying to be Elvis. This is an odd mix of a kiddie movie, a melodramatic young romance, and a high stakes police fugitive hunt. Mostly, this fails as a Wayne Newton vehicle. He doesn't do well especially if he expects to be the next Elvis.

I uploaded my full recording of 80 Steps To Jonah at google video...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3888172006497514701 Shows up in flash player at that link but if you click the download link you'll get a much clearer mp4 version (330MB)

I put it on my computer from an old VHS tape recording when I saw it years ago on TV. Then I converted it to wmv and mp4 formats for viewing.

Also have some musical scene clips from the movie up at you tube. Includes the scenes where Wayne Newton & kids sing With A Little Seed And Some Love. Also Wayne Newton playing guitar and singing If I Could Be To You What You Are To Me. And scene where Wayne's music is 'Night Rushes In'

I watched this movie when I was about 12 years old. I was spending the night with my Grandmother in the late 70's and we happened to be up late talking. This movie came on the late night movie and it has stuck in my memory. My Grandmother and I both loved this movie and we went through many tissues. My Grandmother passed away about 8 year ago and one of my many fondest memories with her was the night we watched this movie together. I would love to see this movie again. I have only saw it once and it made a great impact on me. Any recomendations to where I may be able to rent it would be greatly appreciated. I would definitely rate this a must see movie. (They don't make em' like this anymore.)