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.

---

Plot Keywords:

cotton | farm | storm | depression | sheriff | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Drama

---

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

Opening Weekend USA:

$274,279, 23 September 1984

Gross USA:

$34,901,614

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$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.

---

Goofs

After the tornado and when they emerge safely from the root cellar, although there's debris everywhere nothing is wet. It will always rain in a thunderstorm big enough to spawn a tornado so everything should be soaked.

---

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.

---

Alternate Versions

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

---

Connections

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies (2006)

---

Soundtracks

In The Garden
Words and Music by Austin Miles

User Reviews

I went back and remembered

This is a great film. I remembered just how it was when I was growing up. Every scene is magnificant. This is how Texas was during this era. Edna Spaulding could have been one of my relatives. Sally Field does not act Edna Spaulding, she is Edna Spaulding.