Badlands (1973) marked Terrence Malick’s first feature as a director, though it was not his first experience in screenwriting. Before this project, he had written Money (1972) and Deadhead Miles (1972). The disappointing handling of Deadhead Miles by Paramount motivated Malick to take more creative control with his next work. Together with his brother Chris, he raised $300,000 for pre-production, while independent producer Edward R. Pressman supplied the remaining funding.
The story was loosely inspired by the real-life killing spree of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate, who murdered eleven people across Nebraska and Wyoming in the late 1950s. Malick, however, insisted that the film’s characters were fictional. In Badlands, Holly Sargis, a bored fifteen-year-old, narrates her relationship with Kit Carruthers, an older, restless young man whose violent impulses drive the narrative.
The lead roles were played by Martin Sheen (Kit) and Sissy Spacek (Holly). Spacek’s understated narration and emotional detachment became one of the film’s defining qualities and drew widespread critical attention. Also appearing were Malick himself, in a brief uncredited role, and Sheen’s sons Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, both in minor background parts.
Production was often tense, in part due to Malick’s meticulous involvement in every stage of the process. Dissatisfied with the first edit, he dismissed editor Bob Estrin and brought in Billy Weber, who became a long-time collaborator.
Initial reception was mixed. Warner Bros. released the film as part of a double bill with Blazing Saddles, a pairing that confused audiences and almost undermined the film’s success. Nevertheless, its selection as the closing film at the 1973 New York Film Festival gave it critical visibility. Although some reviewers objected to Malick’s bleak worldview, many praised Spacek’s performance and the film’s lyrical tone.
In the years since, Badlands has been re-evaluated as a landmark of American cinema in the 1970s. Spacek received a BAFTA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer, the film won two awards at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and it was later added to the National Film Registry for its cultural and artistic significance.
