Places in the Heart

1984

1h 51m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

163

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2 Videos

18 Images

Drama

In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding struggles to survive with two small children, a farm to run, and very little money in the bank - not to mention a deadly tornado and the unwelcome presence of the Ku Klux Klan. Edna is aided by her beautician sister, Margaret; a blind boarder, Mr. Will; and a would-be thief, Moze, who decides to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.

Directors

Robert Benton

Writers

Robert Benton(writer by)

Stars

Sally Field

Lindsay Crouse

John Malkovich

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Videos2

Trailer
Watch Places in the Heart (1984) Original Trailer [FHD]
Featurette
Watch Sally Field On the Family in PLACES IN THE HEART

Photos18

Top cast

Edna Spalding

Margaret Lomax

Mr. Will

Moze

Wayne Lomax

Sheriff Royce Spalding

Viola Kelsey

Buddy Kelsey

Tee Tot Hightower

W.E. Simmons

Ermine

Wylie

Deputy Jack Driscoll

Frank Spalding

Possum Spalding

Albert Denby

Texas Voice #2

Directors

Robert Benton

Writers

Robert Benton(writer by)

All cast & crew

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Review

Featured review

7/10

**_Outcasts unite as a family of sorts in the Lone Star State during the Depression_** After a tragedy, a desperate mother (Sally Field) in rural east Texas takes in a blind boarder (John Malkovich) and enlists the help of a questionable black drifter (Danny Glover) in order to make ends meet, with the possibility of a cotton crop. "Places in the Heart" (1984) belongs to the troubled farmer dramas that flooded the market in 1984. The others include “The River,” “Country” and “The Dollmaker.” I prefer this one over “The River” (which are the only two I’ve seen). It’s based on writer/director Robert Benton’s experiences growing up in the Waxahachie area, which is 30 minutes south of Dallas. The flick works up some quality human interest and would influence the soon-to-come “Mississippi Burning.” Being a slice-of-life picture based on someone’s experiences in real-life, I appreciated the subplot featuring Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, which some people complain was superfluous. There’s an effective table scene & aftermath that was done even better in the later “Little Children.” Anyway, it comes in the tradition of great American dramas like “Of Mice and Men” and “The Great Santini.” The movie runs 1 hour, 51 minutes, and was shot in Ellis County, which is just south of Dallas in northeast Texas. Waxahachie is the town and Five Points is where the cotton gin is located. GRADE: B

Wuchak11 Jun, 2024