DAYS OF HEAVEN / AMERICAN GIGOLO

DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978):
Terrence Malick’s follow-up to BADLANDS is an exquisitely photographed story of a group of early-20th-century itinerant workers who find themselves entangled in a deadly love triangle. Bill (Richard Gere) and Abby (Brooke Adams) are lovers who are forced to flee Chicago after Bill accidentally murders his foreman. Together, with Bill’s little sister, Linda (Linda Manz), they settle on the land of a wealthy farmer (Sam Shepard) and spend their days working in the wheat fields. Bill discovers that the farmer is terminally ill and convinces Abby to marry him so they can inherit his fortune. As the days progress, it becomes apparent that the farmer isn’t getting any sicker, and when he discovers that Abby and Bill had initially set out to con him, their carefree existence comes to a deadly end.

Notorious for its on-set difficulties and extended postproduction, DAYS OF HEAVEN remains a beautifully composed work of art. Malick uses dialogue minimally, sometimes choosing not to fade in the sound of a scene until the actors have finished speaking. To combat this, he applies Linda’s innocent voice-over--as he did with Sissy Spacek's in BADLANDS--to add a poetic dimension. Combined with Nestor Almendros’s Oscar-winning cinematography and Ennio Morricone’s mellifluent score, DAYS OF HEAVEN is a timeless motion picture that confirms Malick’s directorial prowess.

AMERICAN GIGOLO (1980):
112 minutes
Julian Kay is on the prowl and looking for someone to please. Boyish and sensual, he speaks five or six languages, and is equally comfortable as a chauffeur for a wealthy middle-age matron, and as a translator companion for the lonely wife of an executive. He is the American Gigolo. But Julian's love-for-sake lifestyle turns deadly when a client is murdered and Julian becomes the prime suspect.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.