Places in the Heart

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Places in the Heart

PG

1984

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spalding 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 stick around to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.

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Critics Consensus

Places in the Heart is a quiet character piece with grand ambitions that it more than fulfills, thanks to absorbing work from writer-director Robert Benton and a tremendous cast.

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Judy Stone

San Francisco Chronicle

Dec 8, 2025

4/4

Director Robert Benton weaves the strands of his characters' lives in a memorable and moving fashion. It's extraordinary in its grace, beauty and suggestion of reconciliation and forgiveness.

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Catharine Rambeau

Detroit Free Press

Dec 8, 2025

9/10

John Malkovich gives an Academy Award-caliber performance, and a fine cast make this an extraordinary film experience.

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Megan Rosenfeld

Washington Post

Mar 23, 2020

You must simply accept the flood of emotion and let it wash over you, because the tears are jerked by performances that are informed by intelligence and taste as well as emotional honesty.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Feb 9, 2026

3.5/4

...a slow-moving yet increasingly absorbing drama that benefits from Field’s often mesmerizing turn as the sympathetic protagonist...

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 14, 2025

4/4

Even in a year that included the formidable likes of Amadeus, Stop Making Sense, and The Terminator, this earns my vote as the best picture of 1984.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Jan 17, 2025

9/10

The performances all around are tremendous.

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judy b

@Wondereoman Dec 27, 2025

This film was so well made and realistic in portraying the hard times during the 30’s. I was not expecting to be in tears at the ending. Sally Fields is such a wonderful actress and the rest of the cast were great as well.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 6, 2025

Success in 1 hour and 51 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy 41st anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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jacob c

@RT09118617 Mar 22, 2025

Earnest and moving, with help from a very solid cast.

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 Feb 10, 2025

A fairly formulaic 30s Texan drama with all the expected characters. There’s an affair going on between minor characters which seems to be oddly shoehorned into the film but bares little purpose to the main narrative. It is well acted and a good watch. Part of my list of Best Picture nominees. Rather difficult to find these days so I rented it on Amazon Prime.

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Mike P

@RT09890132 Dec 31, 2024

After wading knee deep in all the hippy progressiveness and culture shock of the 70s with Kramer vs Kramer... Now director Robert Benton takes a hard pivot into Little House on the Prairie territory...With this classic story of a woman fighting to save her farm from greedy bankers...So this is very traditional, old school Americana...Brilliantly evoked by Benton; who gets the tone, the lingo and the sets just right... So this isn't exactly cutting edge stuff; it's a throwback; but it works beautifully nonetheless.

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Devra B

@DeeBee27 Apr 8, 2024

I loved this old fashioned movie! I can't believe it took me this long to see it. Highly recommend.

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Robert Benton

Director

Sally Field

Edna Spalding

Lindsay Crouse

Margaret Lomax

John Malkovich

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Synopsis

In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spalding 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 stick around to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.

Director: Robert Benton
Producer: Arlene Donovan
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Production Co: Delphi II, TriStar Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2014
Runtime: 1h 51m

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