Review of Days of Heaven (1978) by Sv G — 24 Jun 2009
Easily one of the most beautiful films ever made, this was the film that defined Terrence Malick's loose-narrative style of crafting an atmosphere to envelop the viewer, washing over them a real sense of time and place.
Richard Gere is surprisingly good as Bill, a man who accidently kills another while working at a Factory. He then flees with his young sister Linda and his lover Abby to possibly the most gorgeous farm you will ever see in your life.
Bill learns that the wealthy landowner may have only 1 year left to live, and devises a plan for Abby to marry him, so they can inherit his riches when he passes away. Some people may dismiss some of the more extraordinary shots as filler material, the lack of emotions on display, and even criticising the narration.
But to do all of this misses the point of the narration: This is a story told from a young girl's perspective, a few years down the line, attempting to make sense of the events that took place on that farm.
It is one of those films that you must give yourself to, and become swept up in the grand beauty of it all to truly appreciate it. It was another 20 years before Terrence Malick sat in the director's chair again after this film.
One of the finest films of the 70's.
This review of Days of Heaven (1978) was written by Sv G on 24 Jun 2009.
Days of Heaven has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
