Places in the Heart
Updated: 12/10/2025, 11:03:52 AM Wikipedia source
Places in the Heart is a 1984 American drama film written and directed by Robert Benton. Set in 1930s Texas during the Great Depression, the film stars Sally Field as a recently widowed woman who struggles to save her farm with the help of a blind lodger and a Black laborer. The cast also includes John Malkovich, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Danny Glover, and Terry O'Quinn. The film premiered at the 35th Berlin International Film Festival, where Benton won the Silver Bear for Best Director. Released theatrically by Tri-Star Pictures on September 21, 1984, it was both a critical and commercial success, earning $34.9 million on a $9.5 million budget. Places in the Heart received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won two: Best Actress for Field and Best Original Screenplay for Benton. The film won the People's Choice Award at the 9th Toronto International Film Festival.
Infobox
Directed by
Robert Benton
Written by
Robert Benton
Produced by
Arlene Donovan
Starring
mw- Sally Field Lindsay Crouse Ed Harris Amy Madigan John Malkovich Danny Glover
Cinematography
Néstor Almendros
Edited by
Carol Littleton
Music by
John Kander
Color process
Technicolor
Productioncompany
Delphi II Productions
Distributed by
Tri-Star Pictures
Release date
September 21, 1984 (1984-09-21)
Running time
111 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$9.5 million[citation needed]
Box office
$34.9 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Arlene Donovan
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Robert Benton
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Sally Field
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
John Malkovich
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Lindsay Crouse
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen
Award
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen
Category
Robert Benton
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Ann Roth
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
Award
Berlin International Film Festival
Category
Golden Bear
Nominee(s)
Robert Benton
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Won
OCIC Award – Competition
OCIC Award – Competition
Award
OCIC Award – Competition
Category
Won
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
John Malkovich
Result
Won
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
Robert Benton
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Sally Field
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Award
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Category
Robert Benton
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Golden Reel Awards
Golden Reel Awards
Award
Golden Reel Awards
Category
Best Sound Editing – Sound Effects
Nominee(s)
Richard P. Cirincione and Maurice Schell
Result
Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
John Malkovich
Result
Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
John Malkovich
Result
Runner-up
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
4th Place
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
John Malkovich
Nominee(s)
Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
John Malkovich
Result
Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee(s)
John Malkovich
Result
Runner-up
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Robert Benton
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematographer
Best Cinematographer
Award
Best Cinematographer
Category
Néstor Almendros
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
Award
Toronto International Film Festival
Category
People's Choice Award
Nominee(s)
Robert Benton
Result
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Young Artist Awards
Young Artist Awards
Award
Young Artist Awards
Category
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Gennie James
Result
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Arlene Donovan | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Robert Benton | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Sally Field | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Lindsay Crouse | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Robert Benton | Won | ||
| Best Costume Design | Ann Roth | Nominated | ||
| Berlin International Film Festival | Golden Bear | Robert Benton | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Won | |||
| OCIC Award – Competition | Won | |||
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Robert Benton | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Sally Field | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Robert Benton | Nominated | ||
| Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing – Sound Effects | Richard P. Cirincione and Maurice Schell | Won | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Runner-up | |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 4th Place | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Won | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | John Malkovich | Runner-up | |
| Best Screenplay | Robert Benton | Won | ||
| Best Cinematographer | Néstor Almendros | Nominated | ||
| Toronto International Film Festival | People's Choice Award | Robert Benton | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Nominated | ||
| Young Artist Awards | Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Gennie James | Nominated | |
References
- Box Office Mojohttp://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=placesintheheart.htm
- Turner Classic Movieshttps://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/18521/places-in-the-heart#credits
- AFI Catalog of Feature Filmshttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57166
- Walters 2015, p. 284.
- Müller 2003, p. 278.
- Nichols & Scott 2004, p. 768. sfn error: no target: CITEREFNicholsScott2004 (help)
- Blakely 2001, p. 40.
- Anker 2010, p. 196.
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/08/movies/how-endings-have-affected-two-recent-movies.html
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/21/movies/places-in-the-heart-benton-s-waxahachie-in-the-depression.html
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainmenthttps://www.amazon.com/Places-Heart-Sally-Field/dp/B00005NRN8
- Box Office Mojohttp://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=placesintheheart.htm
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/places_in_the_heart/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/places-in-the-heart
- RogerEbert.comhttp://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/places-in-the-heart-1984
- New York Magazinehttps://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html
- "The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners"https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1985
- "35th Berlin International Film Festival"http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1985/01_jahresblatt_1985/01_Jahresblatt_1985.html
- "BSFC Winners: 1980s"https://bostonfilmcritics.org/past-winners-1980s/
- "The 37th Annual DGA Awards"https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1980s/1984.aspx?value=1984
- "Places in the Heart"https://goldenglobes.com/film/places-in-the-heart/
- "KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89"https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1980-89/
- Mohave Daily Minerhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HfFSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sYIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6872,4472853
- "1984 Award Winners"https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1984/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/03/movies/stranger-than-paradise-wins-award.html
- Observer-Reporterhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z31iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nncNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1195,3008667
- "Juried Awards – People's Choice Awards"https://www.tiff.net/juried-awards
- "Awards Winners"https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551
- "6th Youth in Film Awards"https://web.archive.org/web/20160506135203/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms6.htm
- AFI Catalog of Feature Filmshttps://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-cheers/
- Also for The Killing Fields.
- Tied with The River.