It took a Spanish cinematographer with roots in French New Wave to capture some of the most distinctive images of rural America ever filmed. After working with Eric Rohmer and Francois Truffaut, Nestor Almendros made his U.S. debut with DAYS OF HEAVEN and won the Oscar for Best Cinematography. To capture writer-director Terrence Malick’s tale of a love triangle on a Texas wheat farm just before World War I, Almendros used natural light and practical light sources as much as possible. The result was a dreamlike image of America’s past perfectly complemented by Ennio Morricone’s haunting score and the elliptical narration improvised by Linda Manz, who played the younger sister of protagonist Richard Gere. Although the film didn’t recoup its budget during its initial run, and most reviews only celebrated the cinematography, it has come be regarded as one of the screen’s most beautifully made pictures and an enduring vision of early 20th century America.

Print courtesy the BFI National Archive with a special thanks to Paramount Pictures.