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Days of Heaven Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 34 Reviews)

Heavenly
I first saw this movie when it was released in 1978, instantly becomming a Malick fan. The movie is georgious, understated and wonderfulling narrated by Linda Manz who was also in The Wanderers around this time, and last I read, now lives in a trailor park.
The film is subtle, beautiful, and just a joy to watch. IIn the late 60's and through the 70's I was a film nut. Not so much anymore but still try to catch good films. Malick's best film and in my top five all time.

luminousity on film
I will go out on a limb here and declare this movie the most heartbreakingly beautiful film I ever saw. I went to see it when it came out, and it continued to haunt me until I obtained my first VCR, whereupon it was one of the first movies I purchased. The story is told pretty much visually, and it is such an old story that the viewer doesn't need any more dialog than there is. One reviewer addressed the issue of Linda Manz's New York accent when the trio of protagonists is supposed to be from Chicago; but after multiple viewings, it became clear to me that these guys have been nomads since day one, so it's quite plausible to me that they, in fact, did come from New York originally (Richard Gere also has a decided Noo Yawk sound) and in the way of migrant workers, had only recently called Chicago home. The opening of the movie - old turn-of-the-century stills - is rife with the melting-pot faces that, mostly, started out in New York and went where the work was.

When I need an example of absolute perfection - my opinion - in cinematography, this is the film I would always choose. So many isolated shots come to mind - a wine glass sitting on a riverbed underwater with a fish swimming by; three old guys, conversing quietly in another language as they walk, bundled against winter; the panic of wild animals in a brushfire - as well as spooky, ghostly sights of people around a campfire at night on a rivershore; faces that you would not normally consider beautiful taking on a luminous quality because of the talent of the filming. The story almost takes a back seat to the filmwork, although it is nearly a Greek tragedy; Bill, Linda, and Abby, migrant workers scraping to survive and stay together (Bill and Linda are sister and brother; Abby is Bill's lover) escape a situation in Chicago (Bill has inadvertently killed a bullheaded boss) by jumping a train loaded down with immigrants and ride to the wheatfields of the Texas Panhandle, where they become just three more harvesters until the owner, played with a sweet vulnerability by Sam Sheppard, catches sight of Abby in the field and falls in love with her. Bill sees this in his unfocused mind as a way for his little group to advance, after he overhears a conversation between Sheppard and a doctor which suggests that the young landowner is dying. Bill persuades Abby to accept the owner's offer of marriage - which, to her credit, she seems initially reluctant to do - reasoning that she can make the guy happy for the little time he has left and then the fortune he has will be all theirs. His plan hits a snag over three things; a suspicious foreman, who loves the landowner like a son and distrusts the trio of migrants right now; the landowner seems to hit his second wind after marrying Abby; and, the biggest bad thing, Abby falls in love with her new husband. Left out frustrated in the cold, suffering unending animosity from the foreman, Bill does the only intelligent thing he can think of and leaves, only to return some time later. From there things go very badly.

This movie gives a real flavour of what the early 1900s must have been like - the serendipity of a travelling circus, apparently out of gas, who land on the owner's property and give performances in exchange for room and board (and probably gas)- these things happened then, impromptu little entertainments that seemed to have little relevance to the surroundings but which were eagerly looked for - diversions were few and far between, folks - and at one point, the newformed family group runs to meet and wave at Woodrow Wilson's passing train. The ordinary people doing the harvesting, though only touched on, are clear and real; you've seen these people in town, working, playing, fighting. And the pathos of the underclass comes out in something Linda Manz's character says halfway through in a voiceover: "You're only here once, and you should have it nice."

This movie is tragic and beautiful, with good performances, especially from Linda Manz as the hapless younger sister who is at the mercy of circumstances she is powerless to control, and who learns the cruel lesson so many like her had to learn in those days; how to survive on your own. Ms. Manz pretty much disappeared from film after that and returned to private life. Too bad - she was a breath of fresh air in a lot of ways. In fact, the only people who really advanced filmwise after this were Richard Gere and Sam Sheppard - although Gere isn't as good yet as he could be (again, my opinion) and Sam Sheppard is underused or too preoccupied with his writing. I highly recommend this movie to cinematography aficianados and to anyone who likes a good period piece told with great sensitivity and minimal dialog.




STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL!
If you are the kind of moviegoer who likes beautiful films, i.e., wonderful photography, excellent art direction and unforgetable music, don't miss this one. It's one of those movies that leaves you speechless, with tears in your eyes after contemplating such beautiful images. The story is very sad and dramatic and the three main characters led by Mr. Gere are absolutely great. Terrence Malick has made very few movies; yet,only with this unique creation, he may be proclaimed as an exquisite artist. By the way, as far as the music is concerned, don't get wrong: the main haunting theme belongs to Camille Saint-Saëns'"Carnival of the Animals" ("The Aquarium" theme); the rest of the score, as excellent, belongs to the great Ennio Morricone.

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