<P> Jacob Brackman introduced fellow producer Bert Schneider to Terrence Malick in 1975 . On a trip to Cuba, Schneider and Malick began conversations that would lead to the development of Days of Heaven . Malick had tried and failed to get Dustin Hoffman or Al Pacino to star in the film . Schneider agreed to produce the film . He and Malick cast young actors Richard Gere and Brooke Adams and actor / playwright Sam Shepard for the lead roles . Paramount Pictures CEO at the time Barry Diller wanted Schneider to produce films for him and agreed to finance Days of Heaven . At the time, the studio was heading in a new direction . They were hiring new production heads who had worked in network television and, according to former production chief Richard Sylbert, "(manufacturing) product aimed at your knees". Despite the change in direction, Schneider was able to secure a deal with Paramount by guaranteeing the budget and taking personal responsibility for all overages . "Those were the kind of deals I liked to make...because then I could have final cut and not talk to nobody about why we're gonna use this person instead of that person", Schneider said . </P> <P> Malick admired cinematographer Néstor Almendros' work on The Wild Child (1970) and wanted him to shoot Days of Heaven . Almendros was impressed by Malick's knowledge of photography and willingness to use little studio lighting . The two men modeled the film's cinematography after silent films, which often used natural light . They drew inspiration from painters such as Johannes Vermeer, Edward Hopper (particularly his House by the Railroad), and Andrew Wyeth, as well as photo - reporters from the start of the 20th century . </P> <P> Production began in the fall of 1976 . Although the film was set in Texas, the exteriors were shot in Whiskey Gap, Alberta, a ghost town, and a final scene was shot on the grounds of Heritage Park Historical Village, Calgary . </P> <P> Jack Fisk designed and built the mansion from plywood in the wheat fields and the smaller houses where the workers lived . The mansion was not a facade, as was normally the custom, but authentically recreated inside and out with period colors: brown, mahogany and dark wood for the interiors . Patricia Norris designed and made the period costumes from used fabrics and old clothes to avoid the artificial look of studio - made costumes . </P>

Where was the movie days of heaven filmed