The story of a woman fighting for her children, for her land, for the greatest dream there is... the future.
Overview
In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding 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 teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.5/10
IMDb: 7.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.51/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Metacritic: 70
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Robert Benton
Production
TriStar Pictures, Delphi II Productions
Cast
Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Ed Harris, Ray Baker, Amy Madigan, Terry O'Quinn, Bert Remsen, Jay Patterson, Toni Hudson, De'voreaux White, Jerry Haynes, Yankton Hatten, Gennie James, Lane Smith, Robert Schenkkan, J.C. Quinn
Curator Review
Verdict
A sincere, well-acted Depression-era drama with real emotional pull, but it can feel schematic and a little over-engineered in its uplift. Sally Field is the main reason to watch, and the tornado sequence and final movement give the film lasting impact even when the storytelling feels tidy.
Best for
Viewers who like performance-driven prestige dramas
Fans of rural American period pieces
Audiences drawn to resilience, grief, and found-family stories
People who don’t mind a sentimental, awards-era tone
Skip if
You want gritty realism over inspirational drama
You’re sensitive to dated racial politics or paternalistic storytelling
You prefer tightly plotted narratives with minimal melodrama
You’re looking for a fast-moving or especially subtle film
Overview
Places in the Heart is one of those 1980s prestige dramas that wears its intentions plainly: it wants to honor endurance, community, and the stubbornness required to survive. Robert Benton’s film is often gentler and more polished than messy life would be, but it has a genuine emotional core, and Sally Field gives it the kind of force that can make a familiar story feel newly urgent.
Worth noting
The movie’s strongest material comes from the pressure cooker of poverty, widowhood, and social threat in 1930s Texas. The tornado sequence is the film’s most visceral passage, and the ending remains memorable because it reaches for grace without pretending hardship has disappeared. That said, some of the supporting characters and dramatic turns can feel more symbolic than fully lived-in.
Bottom line
What lingers most is the film’s balance of tenderness and survival instinct. It is not a masterpiece of realism, but it is a moving, carefully made drama that understands how much dignity can be found in simply keeping going.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Sam (2.5★) · 104 likes
Just a decent Oscar bait yet heartwarming movie. Sally Field gives a great performance. She gives a lot of emotion to the role and while I still think she’s better in Norma Rae, she still did a great job here. Because of the competition, I think she definitely deserved this one. She isn’t incredible, it’s not like I was blown away, but she does a great job. The writing is very southern and works pretty well. I don’t really have much to say, it’s just a decent movie that can feel like bait but Sally Field is great and the story works well enough.
Adriano1234 (3★) · 58 likes
You know that u have a movie addiction when even if your sick to the point of being nauseous, u can’t resist watching one lolol
I didn’t know what to watch so I just used the shuffle button on my watchlist and it gave me Places In The Heart - two thoughts came to my mind:
1. How did this movie get on my watch list 2. Will there be locusts in this movie (I’m very delirious so this question…
reed 📽️ (4★) · 54 likes
“I don't care what it takes. I don't care if it kills me. I don't care if it kills you. I'm not going to give up. And if the two of you do, you can go straight to hell.”
Sally mothafuckin Field, ladies and gentlemen 👏🏼Ms. Field does WONDERS for this movie that is lacking any kind of narrative. That’s not to say this movie is bad because it’s not. It’s quite good. It’s very tender and a quietly… more
theo (3.5★) · 46 likes
“the first time i didn’t feel it, but this time i feel it, and i can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!”
because of this movie sally fields gave perhaps the most iconic oscar speech of all time!!
Jason (3★) · 44 likes
Not sure what purpose Ed Harris’s character serves here, but this well meaning film reminds how great Sally Field can be.