The Cinematography is The Story in Days of Heaven

 

On Saturday night, I went to the Brattle Theatre to see Days of Heaven. Released in 1978, it stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz and directed by Terence Malick. Nominated for four Academy Awards, the late Nestor Almendros earned an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

It was a well-deserved win for Almendros because the cinematography is the story in Days of Heaven. Never have wheatfields, turkeys and even locusts looked more beautiful. While the story is set in the Texas panhandle, Days of Heaven was filmed in southwestern Alberta not far from where my Mom grew up. The vast farmland and skyline reminded me of the times I visited the Crowsnest Pass in the late 1970's around the time Days of Heaven was released. I could also tell Days of Heaven was shot in Canada because of the use of Canadian Pacific Rail freight trains. 

If not for the picturesque scenery, the story itself is fairly ordinary. Gere and Adams star as a couple (Bill and Abby) posing as brother and sister who find work on a large farm owned by Shepherd. The farmer, who is never named, falls in love with Abby and Bill persuades Abby to pursue the farmer after overhearing the farmer has a year to live. Bill and Abby are accompanied by Bill's real younger sister Linda (Linda Manz) who also narrates the film. 

Manz was only 15 when the film was shot and would be brought in to narrate the film a year later as Malick was struggling to edit the final product. Manz's narration is a stream of consciousness yet at the same time sounds like a teenaged girl who came of age during WWI nowhere near a classroom. Sadly, Manz passed away in 2020 of lung cancer at the age of 58. 

Days of Heaven was Malick's second film after Badlands which was released in 1973. I have never seen Badlands but understand Days of Heaven is in some ways not dissimilar from his debut film and would very much like to see it. Remarkably, Malick did not make another film for 20 years until the The Thin Red Line. Malick has been more prolific in this century and is currently at work in post-production on a new film called The Way of the Wind which is now due for release next year.

As for Days of Heaven, the farmer and Abby marry while Bill and Linda move into the big house. They all seem happy except for Bill who yearns for Abby. You know the good times aren't going to last. The days of heaven are short-lived. But its images stay with you for eternity.