The movie Places in the Heart came out in 1984. Written and directed by Robert Benton, the American drama is set in Depression-era Texas and follows a recently widowed woman trying to save her family farm.
Sally Field stars as Edna Spalding, who turns to a blind boarder, played by John Malkovich, and a Black farm worker, played by Danny Glover, for help growing cotton and resisting financial ruin. The story explores survival, racism, grief, faith, and the social pressures of a small Texas town.
The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and received its United States theatrical release on September 21, 1984. It was a critical and commercial success, earning seven Academy Award nominations.
Places in the Heart won two Oscars: Best Actress for Sally Field and Best Original Screenplay for Benton. It is sometimes confused with other acclaimed 1980s historical dramas, but its 1930s setting does not mean it was released during that decade. The film belongs firmly to the 1984 movie year.