Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Places in the Heart

Play trailer Poster for Places in the Heart PG 1984 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding (Sally Field) 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 (Lindsay Crouse) ; a blind boarder, Mr. Will (John Malkovich) ; and a would-be thief, Moze (Danny Glover), who decides to stick around to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Places in the Heart

Places in the Heart

What to Know

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Judy Stone San Francisco Chronicle Dec 8
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. Go to Full Review
Catherine Rambeau Detroit Free Press Dec 8
9/10
John Malkovich gives an Academy Award-caliber performance, and a fine cast make this an extraordinary film experience. Go to Full Review
Megan Rosenfeld Washington Post 03/23/2020
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. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 14
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. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 01/17/2025
9/10
The performances all around are tremendous. Go to Full Review
Peter Ackroyd The Spectator 04/07/2020
Places in the Heart is not an altogether memorable film, but what strength it possesses comes from the fact that it has the courage of its orthodox convictions. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
judy b Dec 27 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. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 6 Success in 1 hour and 51 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy 41st anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more jacob c Mar 22 Earnest and moving, with help from a very solid cast. See more Leaburn O Feb 10 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. See more Mike P 12/31/2024 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. See more TJ H 04/11/2024 I just watched Places in the Heart for about the 50th time. Love this movie. I remember seeing it in the theater in 1985. The ending knocked me out then as it still does today. I truly enjoyed this movie, but it was the ending that stayed with me - I recall telling my co-worker "I just saw the greatest ending to a movie". I think people make too much out of it - wanting it to connect somehow to the overall story. It is just a few minutes meant to help us remember that we all do things we would like to be forgiven for. As one reviewer wrote - it still packs a wallop today! See more Read all reviews
Places in the Heart

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
The Natural 83% 88% The Natural Watchlist Rudy 80% 90% Rudy Watchlist TRAILER for Rudy Race the Sun 22% 41% Race the Sun Watchlist Avalon 86% 78% Avalon Watchlist The Trip to Bountiful 100% 86% The Trip to Bountiful Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding (Sally Field) 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 (Lindsay Crouse) ; a blind boarder, Mr. Will (John Malkovich) ; and a would-be thief, Moze (Danny Glover), 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
Most Popular at Home Now