Review of Days of Heaven (1978) by Will H — 17 Jan 2009

Exquisite mood-piece about a turbulent love triangle set against midwestern wheat harvests at the turn of the century.

The film is ponderously slow. This was the intention. Director Terrence Malick used pause to convey that the characters think. Too many actors rattle off their lines without letting their characters think of them. It also conveys the slow pace of their lives.

And Malick allied the four main characters to the four elements; Earth, Air, Fire & Water. Bill (Richard Gere) is Fire - he is seen at first in front of the furnaces of a foundry where he works. We can see his temper is volatile. Abby (Brooke Adams) is water - in the very first shot she is scavenging(?) by a stream and she is seen against the backdrop of the river. Linda (Linda Manz) is Earth - in her narration she says that she is close to the "Oith". The Farmer (Sam Shepard) is Air - constantly tinkering with his weather vane, and his fields of wheat are often seen waving in the wind.