Heaven's Gate (1980): cast, story & where to watch
1980 · Film · ★ 6.8
Released in 1980, Heaven's Gate is a drama, romance and western film directed by Michael Cimino, running about 217 minutes. “What one loves about life are the things that fade.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Harvard graduate James Averill is the sheriff of prosperous Jackson County, Wyo., when a battle erupts between the area's poverty-stricken immigrants and its wealthy cattle farmers. The politically connected ranch owners fight the immigrants with the help of Nathan Champion, a mercenary competing with Averill for the love of local madam Ella Watson. As the struggle escalates, Averill and Champion begin to question their decisions.
Who’s in it. Heaven's Gate stars Kris Kristofferson as James Averill, Christopher Walken as Nathan D. Champion, John Hurt as Billy Irvine and Isabelle Huppert as Ella Watson, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, Heaven's Gate has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $3.5M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Heaven's Gate page.
If you liked it. Fans of Heaven's Gate tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Heaven's Gate (1980)?
- In US, Heaven's Gate is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Heaven's Gate worth watching?
- Heaven's Gate holds an audience score of 6.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and western. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Heaven's Gate?
- Heaven's Gate stars Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Isabelle Huppert and Sam Waterston.
- When was Heaven's Gate released?
- Heaven's Gate was released in 1980, with a runtime of about 217 minutes.