The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 08, 1984, Page Page 8, Image 8
Page 8 ? October 8, 1984 Entertainment THE GAMECOCK
'Places in the Hea
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Hope for the future
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Yankton Hatten (left) and Gennie James in a small Texas town durin
By Tony Thompson
Imagine Norma Rae in "Little House on the Prairie."
That's what some viewers might think of "Places in the
Heart."
A Tri-Star production starring Sally F ield, the film is a saga
about Waxahachie, Texas, hometown to four generations of
writer/director Robert Benton's family.
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small town during the 1930's Great Depression. "Places" is
also a hard look at society's seamy, ugly and violent traits as
manifested in the innocent and sedate setting of small-town
America.
HlXl) 1*1.AYS Edna Spalding, a mother who must overcome
tragedy and hardship to keep her home and to care for
her family. One gunshot seems to trigger an avalanche of
violence, racism, adultery and natural disaster that crashes
through Hdna's life and changes it forever. But Edna is a sur
vivor, and nor inspiring personality serves as an anchor to the
lives that are chitting aimlessly by her.
The great church of Waxahaehie provides the community's
? and this film's ? foundation. The town assembles there
regularly to seek hope and forgiveness of sins, only to return
inevitably with fresh sins and more desperation. The church is
the scene of the movie's final, most important message of
love, faith and hope.
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tltot l-eld Ballet's production
offers ethnic festival at USC
By Shawn Kiti|;
A^WIIIIIll'liliin IMI/iMI MM ,-?- Mill MM 1
The spectators waited in great anticipation for the last
night of the Fetd Ballet Friday at the Carolina Coliseum,
rjj The baliet^^ttch attracted m^gpeopte^rom other
Th^> frtiir tr- I ' . , t ,
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carefree -.lays of youth. The ptrforlitsmcts bright tL'les
Sff?!??68 W,flight heaj$# mood and .
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MfW$ rrx? BaHet, in the following tM^eperfprmances:
p Vida," -DaiizonCi^fc^^W^: Jig is Up," took
twfiil#^fferow$h the dan<^ W afferent culture, '; 4 '
Susan Earte, founder of USC's Dance Company and an
associate professor in the Department of Theater and
Speech, said "Feld's work stems from ethnic dance and
everyday movement."
"La Vida" was a very dynamic and colorful concert that
represented the Mexican culture. The audience was totally
captivated by the primary performer of the concert who
was dressed in a pancho and wearing a huge sombrero.
The performer added both humor and \r> tu*
concert while the Mexican, bull was invited to liven up the
show. After leaving Mexico,'the audience was led into an
Indian culture in ''^n^n qabano.'' The Indian culture
was depicted by 0f ritualistic dance.
:
THE DANCE was lively, cheerful and thoroughly intrigued
the audience. The music allowed many feet to tap
and faces to smile.
The finale of the show was a Scottish-based concert called
4'The Jig is Up/' This concert was the most energetic
and vibrant of the other three concerts. The mood was live
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dance of the performers,
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rt' excels in plot.
p of an itenerant worker, Danny Glover, and her two children,
g the depression.
Field's endearing performance is the linch-pin of "Places."
Her first major role was as TV 's "Gidget." She later won an
Emmy as "Sybil," and in 1979 won an Oscar for Best Actress
as "Norma Rae." For the sake of successful continuity,
perhaps the producers should have considered "Edna" as a
more appropriate title.
Ed Harris, who played John Glenn in "The Right Stuff,"
heads a strong supporting cast of acclaimed Broadway actors.
Edna's children are played by two wonderful youngsters who
were recruited from the film's location, and Danny Glover is
heartwarming as Mo/.e. They all blend together behind Field's
dominant character to make "Places of the Heart" a solid,
mpaninohil on/I ~ ?
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TI1F. CAST added some real-life romance to go along with
the movie's. Amy Madigan and Harris, who play lovers in the
picture, actually fell in love and married during the filming.
"Places in the Heart" was shot entirely on location in Waxahachie.
Excellent work by cinematographer Nester Almendros
("Kramer-vs-Kramer," "Sophie's Choice") complements
the superior job done on the costumes and sets to
create an "escape" effect. When the lights go down, you
become a eiti/en of depression-era Waxahachie for the next
two hour*;
"Places" is Benton's homecoming in which he critically
assesses the influences on his early life. Edna Spalding is based
TV's fall season 'slim
By Patrick Jean secret missions for
??? ; ; ? ;??? in the 1960s.
Believe it or not, the I all television (^e |?jm
season actually does offer some good ,his show h.(s ,he |(
new programming. 1960s Ac|ual new
NBC, as usual, otfers most ol the
oest new shows. ABC and CBS, plot. It also has inn
however, have also managed to offer acting from Nelson
some fine new programming. including El
On Sunday night, CBS offers, ^ ,ove in8lere;
"Murder She Wrote at 8 p.m. Angela Kid"
Lansbury stars as a small town, free "Call to Glory'
lance mystery writer. Her nephew gives jucers Jon Aunet
one of her writings to a publisher, and produced last yc
she is suddenly a famous writer headed "Risky Business "
for the hit? ritv
? . (Jley }lave gjVCn (|]e
timnAv NiruT,B certainty and a loo
SUNDAY NIGHT S premiere was a wj|h (he ,ime j0(
fine example of good mystery on Qn xhursd n
television. Sherlock Holmes is found "The Coshv Show
dead ai a party. No. it's not Sherlock Cosb stars as a fa
Ho mes the deceased dressed as with his five childre
Holmes lor a costume party. Then, the .gQs
"deceased" suddenly walks into the
house. THI. SHOW'S
These are two mysteries that situations are c
Lansbury's character must help the monologues, but tl
puuce soive. bhe relies on her Anyone who has e\
knowledge of mystery and her good parent can easily
sense of humor. situations in this sh
Along the way, there are plot twists, Cosby has five cl
funny situations and plenty of bone- and he knows all
chillers. Produced by the same people things that children
who made "Columho" f*>u/ ri? -
.. ? iiiaiiKiuuy, he
ago, this show offers mystery, fright, and placed it on t<
humor and no exploitation. enjoy.
Lansbury's performance makes the On Friday night,
show a must. new shows ? "V
"Miami Vice" at 10
ON MONDAY evening, ABC has a this evening worth ;
good show in "Call to Glory," starr- Okay, "V" isn'
ing Craig Nelson as Sarnac, a high- doesn't have the I
ranking Air Force pilot who flies on Sineer
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characterization
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A happier time
Sally Field stars as Edna Spalding, a young woman who struggles
to keep her family from being split up during the 1930s after her husband
is killed, in "Places in the Heart."
on his great-grandmother, and the story is a collection of
childhood memories and tales he heard about his relatives and
friends. A final ray of hope dissipates the overwhelming
sadness that hangs over the movie.
Benton has made a very moving, idealistic statement that
anyone who sees this movie will tVH Hk m?woc it nerhant
overly idealistic, however, and some may think of "Places" as
little more than a panoramic, movie-length episode of "Little
House on the Prairie."
THE OLD "little guy against the unfair system" theme is
pretty tired, and Benton uses it rather predictably.
"Places" will make the mushy-hearts flock to the theaters
for a good cry or two, and even the most hard-hearted person
will feel a pang when Mo/.e has to say .zood-bye to Edna. Benton
takes you on an emotional rollercoaster that somehow
ends serenely, making this a great movie for a first date.
? ? ?
pickings' for viewers
President Kennedy have the world's greatest special effects,
but it's the best science fiction ori
The Right Stuff," the tube.
Dok and feel of the
's clips of historic t|ie j-jrs( |lonest network atxed
into the show's tempt at science fiction in years. And
:lligent, sure-footed the show does have a certain style and
and the rest ot the suspense that keens vnn wntrhino Nn
isabeth Shue, the "V" isn't the most intelligent in televist
tn The Karate sion programming, but it's an attempt.
, ,, With a little time, it may just work,
s executive proand
Steve Tisch, "Miami Vice" stars Don Johnson
?ar s classic film and Philip Michael Thomas as vice
As with the film, cops in Miami. The show blends the
show the same self- realism of "Hill Street Blues'" with
k and feel that fits (he action of a common police show.
^ There are not as many characters
ight, NBC offers here as there are in "Blues," but these
/ at 8 p.m. Bill cha
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ther trying to cope tion is slick and perhaps a bit too fren
growing up in the quent, but it's good.
Music is essential to the show. In the
funny lines and premiere episode, Johnson and
Irawn from his Thomas began a race against time
Kit doesn't mattor
... uwwii ? ivnuiiii street in Johnson's
/er been a kid or a sports ear. Phil Collins' "'In the Air
identify with the Tonight" combined with the superb
ow. cinematography to make a classic
lildren of his own, scene.
the crazy, funny
and parents do and "MIAMI VICE" will probably hurt
: has captured that Miami's image and there may be more
Revision for us to violence than character development,
but it's a captivating winner.
NBC has two fine
" at 8 p.m. and Five shows, three networks. Slim
p.m.?that make pickings. But they're the best shows
itaying at home. the season has to offer. What do you
t well-written. It want from the networks anyway,
)est cast in Mark intelligence?
int. And it doesn't Forget it.