Places in the Heart

In the small Texas town of Waxahachie, 1935 was a year marked by desperation and despair as the Great Depression ravaged the community. On one fateful Sunday afternoon, Sheriff Royce Spalding (character) made his way to the rail yards in response to gunfire, only to meet an untimely demise at the hands of a cheerfully intoxicated teenager, Wylie. As news of the tragedy spread, Wylie's lifeless body was dragged behind a truckload of vigilantes, ultimately coming to rest outside the Spalding residence.

The weight of Royce's passing settled heavily upon his widow, Edna, and their children, Frank and Possum. As they struggled to come to terms with their loss, a drifter named Moses "Moze" Hadner appeared at their doorstep, seeking work in exchange for his skills as a handyman. With the farm on the brink of foreclosure and the bank's grip tightening around Edna's 30 acres, Moze's proposal seemed like a lifeline.

As Edna navigated the treacherous landscape of her new reality, she found solace in the guidance of her sister, Margaret, who helped the family through the funeral process. Meanwhile, Moze proved to be an enigmatic figure, disappearing with some silver spoons before reappearing the next morning to collect his breakfast and continue his work on the farm.

The bank's relentless pursuit of Edna's property led Albert Denby to insist that she sell the farm, citing plummeting cotton prices. However, Edna refused to budge, earning Denby's ire as he condemned her for seeking advice from a black man - Moze Hadner. In response, Denby forced Edna to take on his brother-in-law, Will, a blinded war veteran, as a paid lodger.

As the family adjusted to their new circumstances, Frank found himself in hot water after being caught smoking at school. In a poignant moment of role-reversal, Edna was compelled to discipline her son, relying on his own instructions for guidance before delivering the punishment. Moze and Possum looked on sympathetically as Edna struggled to come to terms with her new reality.

As the months passed, Will slowly warmed up to Edna's children, eventually forming a strong bond with them. In a dramatic turn of events, he proved himself to be a hero when a tornado tore through town, leaving destruction in its wake but sparing the Spalding residence. Possum found herself caught in the storm's path, only to be rescued by Will, who had bravely shielded her from harm.

As Wayne Lomax (character A) indulges in a torrid affair with married schoolteacher Viola Kelsey, the consequences of his actions finally catch up to him. With the tornado serving as the ultimate catalyst, Viola reveals her intentions to leave her husband, forcing Wayne to confess his infidelity to Margaret. However, instead of forgiveness, he receives a stern warning: this time, she won't be so lenient.

Meanwhile, Edna's financial struggles come to a head when she realizes that selling all her cotton won't cover the next payment. In desperation, she discovers an unexpected opportunity - a $100 cash prize for the farmer who produces the first bale of cotton for the market each season. Recognizing this as a chance to save the farm, Edna enlists Moze's help in finding the necessary labor to harvest their crop on time.

Through sheer determination and Moze's guidance, they manage to bring in the season's first bale of cotton, outdoing all other farmers in the process. With the prize money and proceeds from the sale of her cotton, Edna is finally able to make plans for a brighter future. However, just as things are looking up, Moze is brutally attacked by Ku Klux Klan members. Will (character A), wielding Royce's gun, intervenes and identifies the assailants, sending them fleeing.

Moze, left shaken but unbroken, realizes that his presence on the farm has become a liability. He decides to leave or risk losing his life in this unforgiving environment. Before departing, he gives Edna a sentimental handkerchief that once belonged to his mother, symbolizing their bond and his deep connection to the land.

The film concludes with a poignant and dreamlike sequence, evoking the ritual of Holy Communion. The modest church is filled with townspeople who have appeared throughout the story, including a woman whose life was tragically cut short when her car overturned during the tornado. As the choir sings "In the Garden," the congregation partakes in Protestant communion, passing the elements to one another.

The camera pans across the faces of these familiar figures, revealing moments of introspection and contemplation. Eventually, it lingers on Moze, who has long since departed, and Edna, quietly offering a blessing as she passes a communion tray to her late husband's spirit. In a stunning twist, Wylie, the man responsible for his death, receives the same blessing from beyond the grave. As the hymn fades away, the camera lingers on these two figures, lost in thought, their stories finally at peace.