Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Singer Elvis Presley made some real bad movies during the period of his life when he was appearing in movies, but those bad movies come across as great when compared to "80 Steps to Jonah", a failed attempt to make singer Wayne Newton a movie star. In fact, this movie often comes across as if it were a (bad) parody of a Presley movie. Though Newton did manage to show some acting chops years later with various small parts in movies, in his big screen debut he comes across as extremely underwhelming, with no flair or color to his performance. However, he isn't really to blame for the movie's failure. The script is pretty awful, extremely padded out and is filled with various clichés and plot turns you have seen many times before in other movies and television shows. And the songs are so sugary sweet that you'll be washing out your mouth with a strong drink. It's no wonder that its distributor, Warner Brothers, has pretty much buried this movie.

In Nevada, chubby singer Wayne Newton (as Mark Jonah Winters) is arrested for manslaughter, following a car accident. Considering the opening crash, Mr. Newton is amazingly agile. He escapes from the police and takes refuge at a home for blind children, obtaining the place of an anticipated handyman (who never appears). Blind camp counselor and budding sculptress Diana Ewing (as Tracy) is attracted to Newton and sculpts his bust. The young blind children become attached to Newton. They plant a garden, sing songs and trot together. There is also a dog, who is put under a doghouse when the cameras are turned away...Meanwhile, investigators search the area...Presently known for his Las Vegas appearances, Newton has been a successful entertainer for 50 years. Considering this film, you'd be hard-pressed to explain his long-lasting appeal. A TV and recording star prompted to "youth" but always more popular with their parents, Newton is most unconvincing. Possibly, this would have looked better on television...Apparently, the effort was to fashion Newton as a feature film star. Otherwise, it's difficult to explain why Gerd Oswald and the filmmakers didn't simply offer Sal Mineo the leading role. Billed as a "special guest star," Mr. Mineo drives the 1969 Charger in the opening. Mineo's main scene is later, in a flashback. As usual, he's excellent. The other "special guest star" is Mickey Rooney. Also appearing later (in one scene, with Mineo), Mr. Rooney can overplay at times and does so here as a wildly drunk driver...The kids are alright. The stand-out role is given to Erin Moran (as Kim), who makes an memorable impression. Previously a regular on the adventure series "Daktari!", she will go on to greater TV glory on the nostalgic "Happy Days" series. There isn't much for the other children to do, although young veteran Butch Patrick (as Brian) has a good scene pretending to be blind; he's the kids' sighted helper. Newton is given an accomplished supporting cast, with Jo Van Fleet (as Nonna) getting the most screen time. The cast is probably the best reason to take "80 Steps to Jonah", today.*** 80 Steps to Jonah (11/17/69) Gerd Oswald ~ Wayne Newton, Diana Ewing, Jo Van Fleet, Erin Moran

I saw this movie in the early 70s and have never forgotten it. It's a touching story with both serious and funny characters. Wayne Newton is great in his role as Mark Jonah Winters. The music throughout adds a lot to the story. The movie is entertaining and also teaches lessons in loyalty and justice. I highly recommend this movie!

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!