Places in the Heart is a 1984 drama film directed by Robert Benton. The movie is set in Waxahachie, Texas, during the Great Depression, and follows the struggles of a widow, Edna Spalding (played by Sally Field) and her family as they try to keep their cotton farm afloat.
After her husband is killed by a young black boy trying to steal their corn, Edna is left alone to raise her two children, a teenage son (played by Ed Harris) and a blind boarder (played by John Malkovich). Edna desperately needs money to pay off the bank and save her home, and so she decides to take on a difficult challenge: planting cotton.
With the help of local friends, including a wandering drifter (played by Danny Glover) and a blind man (played by Lane Smith), Edna manages to plant and harvest her crop, overcoming many obstacles.
The film explores themes of race relations, poverty, and family. Sally Field won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie, and Benton won the award for Best Original Screenplay. The film also features a notable score by composer John Kander, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination. Places in the Heart is regarded as a powerful portrait of life in the American South during the Depression, and a touching and emotional tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.