Badlands (1973): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Badlands is a 1973 crime drama directed by Terrence Malick, starring Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes and earned $54,396 worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles at the BAFTA 1975. Critics gave it 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 94 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 34m (94 min)
- Director
- Terrence Malick
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Badlands About?
The premise of Badlands without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A teenage girl rebels against her strict upbringing when she falls for an enigmatic drifter. Their passionate but forbidden relationship leads to a violent confrontation with her father, forcing them to flee across the Midwest. As they evade the law and journey through the desolate Badlands, their escape leaves a path of destruction and raises questions about love, freedom, and the consequences of defying societal norms.
Badlands Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- cult film
- father daughter relationship
- lovers on the lam
- anti hero
- national film registry
- sociopath
- police officer
- revolver
- directorial debut
- treehouse
- dancing
- garbage collector
+38 more Show fewer
- murder spree
- clarinet
- single father
- prairie
- loss of father
- korean war veteran
- widower
- confession
- infatuation
- fugitive
- teenager
- south dakota
- murder
- small town
- montana
- zippo lighter
- police chase
- great plains
- garbage truck
- crime spree
- alienation
- rural setting
- underage smoking
- manhunt
- helicopter
- cowboy boot
- based on true story
- 1950s
- existentialism
- sepia tinted scene
- bottle
- corpse
- one word title
- shotgun
- neo noir
- aimlessness
- father disapproves of daughter's boyfriend
- locked in a closet
Badlands Cast
Sissy Spacek leads the cast, with Martin Sheen. Directed by Terrence Malick.
-
Director Terrence Malick
More from Terrence Malick
More films directed by Terrence Malick, best-rated first: The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life, A Hidden Life and The New World.
Badlands Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Badlands 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 94 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 97% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 90%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 94 Metascore
User score 7.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 75% User score
See on TMDB
Badlands Plot Summary
What happens in Badlands from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Set in the late 1950s and unfolding outside the quaint little town of Fort Dupree, South Dakota, the story centers around Holly Sargis, a 15-year-old girl portrayed by Sissy Spacek. Holly grapples with life at home alongside her sign painter father, Warren Oates, their bond strained ever since the untimely death of her mother from pneumonia years ago. In the midst of this turbulent backdrop, Holly meets Kit Carruthers, a troubled 25-year-old garbage collector resembling the iconic James Dean, brought to life by Martin Sheen. Captivated by his charm, Holly embarks on a journey that initially appears romantic but soon takes a dark and violent turn.
Full summary
The whole story of Badlands, scene by scene
Badlands Box Office
Badlands grossed $54,396 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$54.4K
- International
- $54.4K
Badlands Awards & Nominations
Badlands earned 1 award nomination, including Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles at the BAFTA 1975.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
BAFTA 1975 1 nomination- Nominated Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles – Sissy Spacek
Badlands Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer, 1 clip and 2 featurettes.
- Clip The First Four Minutes
- Featurette Badlands and the Art of the Voiceover
- Featurette Three Reasons: Badlands
How Well Do You Know Badlands?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the teenage girl in Badlands?
Cars in Badlands
25 cars on screen, including the 1959 Cadillac Series 62 and the 1958 Ford Fairlane 500.
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1959 Cadillac Series 62 Main role -
1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Important role -
1951 Mercury Coupe Important role -
Willys Jeep Station Wagon Important role
Badlands Also Known As
24 alternative titles, including “Malas tierras” and “Пустоши”.
- Also known as
-
- Malas tierras
- Пустоши
- La rabbia giovane
- Terra de Ninguém
- Det grymma landet
- 황무지
- 恶土
- 不毛之地
- Qanlı Torpaq
- Badlands - Zerschossene Träume
- La Balade sauvage
- Noivos Sangrentos
+12 more Show fewer
- Zapadákov
- 穷山恶水
- שבילי הזעם
- Kanlı Toprak
- Sivár vidék
- Опасни земи
- Males terres
- Безплідні землі
- 地獄の逃避行
- Đất Dữ, უდაბნო
- Julma maa
- 窮山惡水
Seen Badlands?
Movies Like Badlands
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Badland, Badsville and Down in the Valley.
Badlands FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Badlands, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Badlands?
Badlands runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).
When was Badlands released?
Badlands was released on October 15, 1973.
Who directed Badlands?
Badlands was directed by Terrence Malick.
More films by Terrence Malick Who is in the cast of Badlands?
Badlands stars Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen.
How much did Badlands make at the box office?
Badlands grossed $54,396 worldwide.
How is Badlands rated?
Badlands has 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 94 on Metacritic and 75% on TMDB.
Was Badlands nominated for any awards?
Badlands received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does Badlands have a post-credit scene?
No. Badlands has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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