Days of Heaven
In 1916, a Chicago steel worker accidentally kills his supervisor and flees to the Texas panhandle with his girlfriend and little sister to work harvesting wheat in the fields of a stoic farmer.
Critics Sentiment
Locusts attack and fire destroys much of the harvest
Bill realizes Abby has fallen in love with the farmer
The film drops to its lowest point during Bill's realization of losing Abby, then soars to its visual and thematic peak with the apocalyptic locust and fire sequence.
Days of Heaven receives consistently high praise for its revolutionary cinematography and poetic approach, with reviewers divided between those who find Malick's minimal dialogue and remote characters transcendent versus those who find them frustrating. The film's visual sequences, particularly the train journey and locust fire, are universally acclaimed as cinematic poetry. While some critics struggle with the understated character development, most recognize it as a unique artistic achievement that prioritizes sensory experience over conventional narrative.
Full cast
Richard Gere
Bill
Brooke Adams
Abby
Sam Shepard
The Farmer
Linda Manz
Linda
Robert J. Wilke
The Farm Foreman
Jackie Shultis
Linda's Friend
Stuart Margolin
Mill Foreman
Timothy Scott
Harvest Hand
Gene Bell
Dancer
Doug Kershaw
Fiddler
Richard Libertini
Vaudeville Leader
Frenchie Lemond
Vaudeville Wrestler
Sahbra Markus
Vaudeville Dancer
Bob Wilson
Accountant
Muriel Jolliffe
Headmistress
John Wilkinson
Preacher
King Cole
Farm Worker
Terrence Malick
Mill Worker (uncredited)
Crew
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