"I always use Dances with Wolves for this purpose.  The Costner
character has to learn how to communicate with a different culture and
in a different language."

You know, I wouldn't have thought of Dances with Wolves in that context,
but thinking about it, it's a dang good choice.
My vote would go to Children of a Lesser God. William Hurt as a new,
hearing teacher in a deaf school, who has to learn to deal with the
culture of the deaf, and finds himself falling in love with Marlee
Matlin and having to adjust his own life to deaf culture.

--
When I was a kid, I used to watch a show called "Adventures in Science",
which was hosted by a guy named Dr. Science. Now, what are the odds of
that?

"Approved by Saint Isadore, patron saint of the internet"
http://www.bonestructure.net

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Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the
University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu