Product Details

• Actors: Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, John Malkovich
• Directors: Robert Benton
• Writers: Robert Benton
• Producers: Arlene Donovan, Michael Hausman
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: October 9, 2001
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005NQGQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,367 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Places in the Soul, January 16, 2002

By 

Tom Schusterbauer (West Bloomfield, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Places in the Heart [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It begins with communion. No, not a church setting, but something equally spiritual--all manner of families, black and white, poor and not so poor (remember, this is small town Texas during the Depression), sitting down to Sunday afternoon dinner, saying or singing "grace," heads down, holding hands. Circles of families, joined together in brittle and fragile unity against the winds of despair that swept through Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas during the 1930s. Moments of tender mercies.

"Places in the Heart" is a story of circles broken, families shattered, hatred and racism unleashed. After the senseless death of her husband, Edna Spaulding is left to do for herself, and for her family. Her task is clear--to do whatever she can to mend the breach in her family, to keep herself and her children together, to build a new communion.

With the help of Moses (Danny Glover) and Mr. Will (John Malkovich), Edna (Sally Fields) does all she can to keep tragedy from her door. Whether she succeeds or fails is not, it seems to me, the true heart of this film. No, the center of "Places in the Heart" is, again, communion, new circles being formed, old trespasses being forgiven, renewed belief in enduring values.

This a lovely film, generous of spirit, unafraid to wear its heart and its spirit on its sleeve. The results are moments of aching grace, deep tenderness, unabashed sentiment. This film asks you to feel, to set aside the ironic eye, the cynicism of our time. There are things, the film insists, in which we can and must believe if we are to prevail in a world that is--at best--unrelenting and--at worst--soul shattering.

Communion--"Places in the Heart" concludes with several of the most moving and spiritual minutes I have ever experienced in a film. The scene beggars description. To say that the conclusion is epiphanic is not to say enough. You have to watch and listen--and then, thanks to VCR's and DVD's, you have to watch and listen again. Watch and listen to the sights and sounds of communion, of deep, abiding faith, of circles refusing to be broken.

This past Christmas, I gave my 33-year-old son a copy of this film. He remembered it from years ago. He understood perfectly that "Places in the Heart" is a film for sacred seasons, for all seasons.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alot of Heart, October 10, 2001

By 

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Places in the Heart (DVD)

Places In The Heart is director Robert Benton's look back at life in Depression era Texas. Sally Field stars as Edna Spalding, a recent widow who struggles and fights to keep her family together by raising cotton. She enlists the help of a drifter named Mose who knows the in and outs of growing cotton. One hurdle is that Mose is black and the locals make it rough on them. Danny Glover is superb as Mose as is John Malkovich as a blind boarder, Mr. Will. Lindsay Crouse and Ed Harris are Edna's sister and brother-in-law and Ms. Crouse is excellent as she struggles with the philandering ways of her husband. But through it all, Ms. Field carries the film. She perfectly conveys the determination of a woman facing tremendous odds. she shows a strong front, but a touching vulnerability when facing set back after set back. Ms. Field deservedly won her second Best Actress award and yes we really do like her.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars OF LOSS, LOVE AND HOPE, November 2, 2003

By 

Shashank Tripathi (Gadabout) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Places in the Heart (DVD)

Few movies hit you so unabashedly in the heart with a melodramatic wallop as Bentons Places in the Heart, yet manage to avoid feeling cheap. A deeply touching slice of the depression era, worthy of all the Oscars it bagged (screenplay, best actress for Fields) plus several nominations.

Sally Field weilds absolute acting prowess as Edna Spaulding, a wife and mother of two kids who becomes widowed after a drunk accidentally shoots her husband. So she decides to make some money by planting cotton. She takes in a very friendly black man (wonderfully played by Danny Glover) who helps her get and plant the cotton, and a smart blind man (played by John Malkovich in an Oscar-nominated performance) who's a paying boarder.

These three adults and the two children form a little family together, and this is the part of "Places in the Heart" that works best.

Other characters add to the story. Lindsey Crouse was also Oscar-nominated for her portrayl of Field's sister who comes to help out after tragedy strikes early on. Ed Harris plays Crouse's husband who's having an affair with another woman, which makes for a somewhat inessential subplot. But that's a minor grouse.

Apart from the top-notch performances, the film's stunning finale is an unforgettable cinematic statement about hope. Had everyone in the room jerking a tear.

On DVD the film doesn't really look like an old movie (1984) if that bothers you. A highly recommended gem for any collection!