source: Heartland

There's few films in recent memory that I've anticipated seeing more than "Heartland". It has a lot going for it. The director, Richard Pearce, would go on to create four similarly quiet dramas of high caliber - Threshold, Country, The Long Walk Home and A Family Thing. Whereas the high points of all three later films were the great performances, this film is ultimately buried by a complete lack of the very same thing. Why is this? The leads themselves (Torn and Ferrell) aren't bad actors. The script, though uncomplicated, isn't unworkable. Perhaps it has something to do with Pearce's lack of experience at this point. "Heartland" was, after all, his first feature film. Despite any effort to the contrary, a huge majority of the dialogue is delivered poorly, overstated, or overacted. There are good points. Fred Murphy's cinematography, while not truly spectacular, is extremely lonely and beautiful at points. "Heartland" is at its best when the focus shifts to the scenery, the quiet moments, the simple human interactions - more with their world than with each other. The complete failure of the cast to really feel at home leaves this film feeling cold and anemic. I wanted something heartwrenching and pure like "Days of Heaven" or Pearce's own best film "Country". Instead, I was left with something distant, listless and ultimately, aimless.

I love this movie and have seen it quite a few times over the years. It does get better with every viewing. I agree with all of the positive reviews here. Yes, it's gritty and brutally realistic as life on the prairie was in those days. I found myself doing commentary as I watched it. Someone on here said Rip Torn was miscast. I couldn't disagree more. He is brilliant as the dour, miserly Clyde Stewart who says little and works like a slave/workhorse. Conchatta Farrell is fantastic as the widowed Elinor, whom Clyde hires as a housekeeper/cook (along with her 7 old daughter). Lilia Skala is excellent as distant neighbor called grandma. Also a star is the stark Montana prairie. It is both beautiful and brutal country in which to settle. There are some scenes that are both repulsive and necessary. No special effects here, what you see is real! It even has a terrificly perfect music score and a great script. Once you see Heartland, you'll never forget it. It deserves all the 10s it gets here.

"Heartland" is a wonderful depiction of what it was really like to live on the frontier. The hard work and individual strength that were needed to survive the hardships of the climate and the lack of medical care are blended with the camaraderie and the interdependence of the settlers. The drama was especially meaningful because the story is based on the diaries of real people whose descendants still live there. It was also nice to see the west inhabited by real people. No one was glamorous or looked as if they had just spent a session with the makeup or costume department. Conchatta Ferrell is just wonderful. She is an example of the strong, persevering people who came to Wyoming in the early 20th century and let no hardship stand in their way of a new life in a new land.

Heartland was in production about the same time as Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate - Heartland cost a fraction to make but is 10 times the piece of film. Heaven's Gate was "the biggest and most expensive ($40 mil in 1980!) Hollywood flops of all time, its failure resulted in the sale of the United Artists studio to MGM" -imdb entry Heartland cost a few hundred thousand dollars and benefits from great writing, direction, photography and acting. It easily draws you into the beauty, joys, hardships and sorrow of pioneer life. It's sad that Hollywood sometimes would pour millions into turkeys (based on a director's single big hit) and neglect such a wonderful story.

This western is done in a different manner than most others. Realism is the key here. Conchata Farrell comes to Wyoming to work for Rip Torn on his ranch. How this is presented makes for a most interesting slice of Americana. I would have preferred to see this on the big screen rather than on tape, but it's worth a look to see just how life was back in the real west. Cinematography is excellent. Solid 9. Torn & Farrell excel in this movie.

True, life was tough. But was it necessary to show THAT much reality? Really blowing that pig's head off was over the top. I'm hardly squeamish about movie violence. Because ...it's NOT REAL!! This was real. That pig was killed in the movie and to this day it disturbs me. They don't show homesteaders evacuating their bowels in movies, although they all did it daily. WHY was it necessary to show that horrible, graphic scene of a real living thing that obviously suffered before dying. Anyone who liked that movie is one sick puppy, and isn't a feeling, caring person! Sick stuff!!!

Portrays the day to day stark reality of survival on a ranch in the old west. Outstanding acting by both principal actors. This doesn't even feel like a movie...you feel like you're there. Animal activists should beware...many scenes are obviously not just realistic...they are real.

Excellent. Gritty and true portrayal of pioneer ranch life on the Western plains with an emphasis on the woman's role and place. A moving film, lovingly made, and based on real people and their actual experiences. Low budget, independent film; never made any money. Definitely not the romanticized, unrealistic Hollywood version of pioneer life.

This is one of the best films ever made. It is a realistic depiction of rural ranching life which was a big part of American History. The setting is 1906 Wyoming where life had not changed much since the previous century. The film keeps your interest without the added Hollywood myths. The whole family can see this movie and be intrigued about how life was like in America when it was mostly a rural nation. With this film, you will escape the present and witness the daily life of 100 years ago. In a beautiful, scenic environment you will see the hard physical work that was required to survive, as well as the constant worries and concerns of the elements and the market pressures that will make a difference between success or failure. See this movie and experience life as it was for most of our nation's history. This film is worth your time to see. My only question is - why aren't there more films like this one?