Places in the Heart

Set in rural Texas during the Great Depression, Places in the Heart follows Edna Spalding, a young mother of two whose husband, the local sheriff, is killed in the line of duty. Left with little money and a mortgaged farm, she must find a way to support her family and keep the property out of the bank's hands. Help arrives from unexpected quarters: Moze, a Black drifter who teaches her to plant and harvest cotton, and Mr. Will, a blind boarder she takes in, whose presence proves valuable when a violent storm hits.

Sally Field plays Edna, with Lindsay Crouse as her sister, Danny Glover as Moze, John Malkovich as Mr. Will, and Ed Harris as Wayne Lomax. Robert Benton directed and wrote the screenplay, produced by Arlene Donovan. It is his third film as director, arriving after Kramer vs. Kramer and Still of the Night. Made for around 10 million dollars, it earned roughly 35 million worldwide, a solid return.

On IMDb the film holds 7.4 from about 15,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.2 from roughly 200 votes, indicating a generally favorable audience response. A critics' rating of 8.3 from 41 reviews places it higher than the audience scores, suggesting stronger appreciation among reviewers than among general viewers.