Days of Heaven - 70s Week

DAYS OF HEAVEN is probably one of the most visually arresting films of all time. It captures the beauty of the 1910’s in such an impeccable fashion that it’s hard to comprehend this level of cinematographical brilliance. Director Terrance Malick’s second film, and finest in my opinion, takes us to the wheat-fielded plains of the Texas panhandle, which is sharply contrasted from the first scenes in the film where Gere is laboring in an iron ore factory in Chicago.

Trailer Here - Days of Heaven

The film is constant reminder to us of softer times before the ‘loss of our innocence’: playing tag in the fields, gathering the whole group to pay regards to a fallen one, plucking chickens, and harvesting wheat the old fashioned way. The constant classical score throughout also give the film that simple feeling, about how life is easy and carefree. The final act in which the firestorm comes upon the plantation is so masterfully shot and put together. The amount of precision needed to capture these apocalyptic scenes is incomprehensible. And the final result is stunning. For me, it’s a reminder that all good things must come to an end (loss of innocence, destruction of nature, etc). It’s shot in such a way that it seems to be mirroring the end of the world. And it actually is a symbolic end of the world that they knew. So it definitely is fitting.

The story is simple – Bill (Richard Gere) kills his boss and flees to Texas to hide out. He brings with him his girlfriend and younger sister. They then work the fields harvesting wheat. The main rancher befriends them and he confides in them that he has a serious illness and will die soon. Bill convinces her to marry the wealthy manager in order to inherit his money after he passes. She starts to actually fall in love with him and his health becomes better, foiling Bill’s plan. From here on out there are other plot points, but I don’t want to ruin anything for whoever reads this an hasn’t seen it yet. The ending is climatic however, and well done. The story is simple and not that strong, but it doesn’t need to be, and this film works beautifully anyways. It is narrated by the young sister, which brings another aspect of innocence throughout the film.

Maybe I’m just picky, but there is one very choppy cut in the film for me. It’s right in the middle at the 44-minute mark – when they are standing in the river and then they drop a glass. There is a quick shot of the stream and then a cut to his face as they are lying down on the grass. This truly distracted me, but like I said, maybe I’m too picky.

The subtlety throughout the film is also so well done. I love the sequence when they go hunting. There’s a moment there, a look where they both completely understand each other and it’s magical to say the least. And I love the shots when they are in the gazebo and her husband sees her close to him through the hanging drapes – just another amazing example of the perfect cinematography that overwhelms this film. Watch this film for the visual spectacle that it is. The acting is excellent, but story lacks, so kick back and take in the extraordinary visuals of a time when things we simpler.





Rating: 9/10