5/27/2023 0 Comments Elinore pruitt stewart homesteadI saw Heartland when it was first released in 1980 and I have just seen it again. And there are images of landscapes, people and animals (particularly a starving horse, and an incredible finale on the farm, which I will not give away) that I will remember forever. Every shot seems natural, and every detail is brought to life with genuine care. You never get a sense that their dialogue was written for them (maybe it wasn't!). Yet the characterizations are more powerful than any film with a dozen writers, mainly because Ferrell and Rip Torn (an amazing actor) are so naturally earthy and mature. All the action and dialogue is subtle and honest. There's no heavy drama here, despite the fact that the two get married and try to survive a devastating winter. The house is little more than a two-room shack, and the rancher must work his fingers to the bone in order to survive. Conchatta Ferrell (a sadly underrated actress) plays a widow with a young daughter who moves to Wyoming for a job as a rancher's housekeeper. This is a beautiful film, reminiscent of Terence Malick's DAYS OF HEAVEN.
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