Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Days of Heaven

  • 19781978
  • PGPG
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
58K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,668
781
Days of Heaven (1978)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:56
3 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaRomance
A hot-tempered farm laborer convinces the woman he loves to marry their rich but dying boss so that they can have a claim to his fortune.A hot-tempered farm laborer convinces the woman he loves to marry their rich but dying boss so that they can have a claim to his fortune.A hot-tempered farm laborer convinces the woman he loves to marry their rich but dying boss so that they can have a claim to his fortune.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
58K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,668
781
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Terrence Malick
    • Writer
      • Terrence Malick
    • Stars
      • Richard Gere
      • Brooke Adams
      • Sam Shepard
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Terrence Malick
    • Writer
      • Terrence Malick
    • Stars
      • Richard Gere
      • Brooke Adams
      • Sam Shepard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 236User reviews
    • 119Critic reviews
    • 93Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 13 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:56
    Official Trailer
    A Guide to the Films of Terrence Malick
    Clip 2:31
    A Guide to the Films of Terrence Malick
    Top 5 Forbidden-Love Films With 'Disobedience' Star Alessandro Nivola
    Video 2:33
    Top 5 Forbidden-Love Films With 'Disobedience' Star Alessandro Nivola

    Photos443

    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Bob Wilson in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, and Linda Manz in Days of Heaven (1978)
    Richard Gere and Brooke Adams in Days of Heaven (1978)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Gere
    Richard Gere
    • Bill
    Brooke Adams
    Brooke Adams
    • Abby
    Sam Shepard
    Sam Shepard
    • The Farmer
    Linda Manz
    Linda Manz
    • Linda
    Robert J. Wilke
    Robert J. Wilke
    • The Farm Foreman
    • (as Robert Wilke)
    Jackie Shultis
    • Linda's Friend
    Stuart Margolin
    Stuart Margolin
    • Mill Foreman
    Timothy Scott
    Timothy Scott
    • Harvest Hand
    • (as Tim Scott)
    Gene Bell
    • Dancer
    Doug Kershaw
    Doug Kershaw
    • Fiddler
    Richard Libertini
    Richard Libertini
    • Vaudeville Leader
    Frenchie Lemond
    • Vaudeville Wrestler
    Sahbra Markus
    • Vaudeville Dancer
    Bob Wilson
    • Accountant
    Muriel Jolliffe
    • Headmistress
    John Wilkinson
    • Preacher
    King Cole
    • Farm Worker
    Terrence Malick
    Terrence Malick
    • Mill Worker
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Terrence Malick
    • Writer
      • Terrence Malick
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Badlands
    7.7
    Badlands
    The Tree of Life
    6.8
    The Tree of Life
    The Thin Red Line
    7.6
    The Thin Red Line
    The New World
    6.7
    The New World
    To the Wonder
    5.8
    To the Wonder
    A Hidden Life
    7.4
    A Hidden Life
    Knight of Cups
    5.6
    Knight of Cups
    Voyage of Time: Life's Journey
    6.4
    Voyage of Time: Life's Journey
    Lanton Mills
    5.7
    Lanton Mills
    Factory
    6.0
    Factory
    Together
    6.0
    Together
    The Book of Vision
    5.0
    The Book of Vision

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The shot of locusts ascending to the sky was shot in reverse with the helicopter crew throwing peanut shells down, and actors walking backwards.
    • Goofs
      Towards the end of the movie, Bill fires three shots from a double-barreled shotgun without reloading.
    • Quotes

      Linda: Nobody's perfect. There was never a perfect person around. You just have half-angel and half-devil in you.

    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: The Wiz/Who is Killing The Great Chefs of Europe?/Girlfriends/The Big Fix/Days of Heaven (1978)
    • Soundtracks
      Enderlin
      Written and Performed by Leo Kottke

      Used by permission of Overdrive Music A.S.C.A.P. Copyright 1978

    User reviews236

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    In the Magic Hour
    Days of Heaven (1978) ****

    "Nobody's perfect. There was never a perfect person around. You just have half-angel and half-devil in you."

    This line delivered by Linda Manz in Terrence Malick's gorgeous masterpiece, 'Days of Heaven,' sums up everything you need to know about life on earth. Much of Malick's themes have been devoted to man versus nature, and the idea of perfection is not outside that realm - imperfection is the nature of mankind.

    Richard Gere, in his greatest performance, plays Bill, a hot headed, lower class worker, who in a moment of mistake accidentally kills his boss in a Chicago factory. We see that the boss is hassling Bill, but we never know why, we just see faces but no distinguishable voices over the roar of the factory. Bill, his sister (Manz) and his girlfriend Abby, played by Brooke Adams, take off for the panhandle, hitching a ride on a train. Bill and Abby tell everyone that they are all brothers and sisters, because as you know, "people talk." They find work on a farm owned by the rich farmer, played by Sam Shepard. Many other films would make the farmer the bad guy, giving him trade mark heel characteristics, but Shepard's farmer, who we learn is dying, is soulful, and yearning for love. He see's Abby, and is interested, and eventually will ask her to stay - after Bill hears the doctor tell him he has about a year to live. They decide to stay, and after some persuasion from Bill, Abby will marry the dying farmer so that they can be heir to his fortune. Suspicions arise, and hearts and lives are broken, and the Days of Heaven will come to a halting end.

    The cinematography is some of the most breathtaking ever captured on film. 'Days of Heaven' could even considered a masterpiece for its aesthetic beauty alone, if the story were not so terrific. Everything about the film is magnificent. Ennio Morricone's score is haunting and beautiful. You will remember it forever, along with Linda Manz' unforgettable narration, likely one of the greatest voice overs in film history. Many have criticized Malick's distancing techniques and muted emotions. We are always kept at arms length away. But these people don't realize that the story is a memory, a memory from the real main character - Linda. Also, in a method that Robert Bresson used, by distancing us emotionally, it leaves us to add our own emotions and imaginations in the story, heightening the power of the film, as long as you are willing not to be spoon-fed what to think.

    Terrence Malick is a filmmaker who came out of nowhere with his talents already fulfilled, and he has not stopped since. His films are filled with such heartbreaking beauty and symbolism, and he is one of the few living filmmakers who truly are creating art, rather than just entertainment. He had one of the greatest debuts ever, in the mesmerizing and haunting 'Badlands,' the deepest and most philosophical 'The Thin Red Line,' which is likely the greatest contemporary war film (as suggested by the late Gene Siskel)and the stunningly beautiful 'The New World.' His films are deep and meaningful, and to get into the underlying symbolism and themes of them here would be pointless, and better saved for a long essay.

    Days of Heaven is one of the greatest, and most beautiful films ever made. Cinema is at a low point recently, but as long as Terrence Malick is still making films, we still have some heavenly art to look forward to.

    PS - Hopefully someone like Criterion will create a new DVD, as the current one has some soundtrack problems. Imagine seeing it restored, visually and audibly.
    helpful•60
    23
    • MacAindrais
    • Jul 31, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 6, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Stay Hungry
    • Filming locations
      • Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,446,749
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,475,702
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Days of Heaven (1978)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Days of Heaven (1978)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Double Take: Celebrity Twins
    See the full list
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.