Places in the Heart (1984)

In central Texas in the 1930s, a widow, with two small children, tries to run her small 40-acre farm with the help of two disparate people.

Director:

Robert Benton

Writer:

Robert Benton

Stars:

Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris

Won 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Field	...	Edna Spalding
Lindsay Crouse	...	Margaret Lomax
Ed Harris	...	Wayne Lomax
Amy Madigan	...	Viola Kelsey
John Malkovich	...	Mr. Will
Danny Glover	...	Moze
Yankton Hatten	...	Frank
Gennie James	...	Possum
Lane Smith	...	Albert Denby
Terry O'Quinn	...	Buddy Kelsey
Bert Remsen	...	Tee Tot Hightower
Ray Baker	...	Royce Spalding
Jay Patterson	...	W.E. Simmons
Toni Hudson	...	Ermine
De'voreaux White	...	Wylie (as Devoreaux White)

Storyline

Edna Spalding finds herself alone and broke on a small farm in the midst of the Great Depression when her husband the Sheriff is killed in an accident. A wandering black man, Moses, helps her to plant cotton to try and keep her farm and her kids together. She also takes on a blind boarder, Mr. Will, who lost his sight in the first World War. She must endure storms and harsh labor to try and make her mortgage payment on time.

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Plot Keywords:

cotton | farm | storm | depression | sheriff | 

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Taglines:

The story of a woman fighting for her children, for her land, for the greatest dream there is...the future.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Texas Project

Filming Locations:

Ellis County Courthouse, Waxahachie, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$34,901,614

Company Credits

Production Co:

Delphi II Productions, TriStar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jessica Lange turned down the lead role that won Sally Field her second Oscar

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Goofs

A scene in the kitchen shows iron skillets and other cookware. It's all gray. Only new iron cookware is gray. After it's been used, if only for a month or two, it turns black.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Edna Spalding: [seeing her daughter's doll at the dinner table] Possum, put that up now.
Royce Spalding: Our Heavenly Father, bless this meal and all those who are about to receive it. Make us thankful for Your generous bounty, and Your unceasing love. Please remind us, in these hard times, to be grateful for what we have been given, and not to ask for what we can not have. And make us mindful of those less fortunate among us, as we sit at this table with all of Thy bounty. Amen.

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Alternate Versions

NBC edited 2 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in The 57th Annual Academy Awards (1985)

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Soundtracks

Cotton-Eyed Joe
Traditional American folk song

User Reviews

One of my favorite all-time films

This is the movie that gave Sally Field a much-deserved Oscar. This is also the film that gave Danny Glover and John Malcovich their first major exposure to the public. They are great in their respective supporting roles, sometimes making you laugh, other times wince with pain, other times empathize completely. See where they are now! The photography and music is perfect, especially the totally appropriate church songs. Set in a small central Texas town during the Depression, this film shows what a complete lie is perpetuated by "Gone With the Wind" and its depiction of the "happy cotton-picking slaves" prior to the Civil War. Edna Spaulding (Field), who has led a relatively sheltered life until tragedy suddenly strikes and uproots her entire family life as she has known it, must endure what the "happy" slaves once endured for years. And the final scene -- well, there is no way to say anything about it to keep from ruining it, other than: It comes totally unexpected. Roger Ebert didn't like it because it didn't fit with the rest of the movie. I couldn't disagree more. Roger often misses the point of a movie's ending. This is one scene that I could watch over and over, and it makes me tear up every time. At its core is a deeply held spiritual belief that transcends all other concerns. This is a must see movie! Make sure you see it with your kids!