Resurrection

Resurrection

Year: 1980

Runtime: 103 mins

Language: English

Director: Daniel Petrie

DramaFantasyFaith and religionEmotional and touching family dramasReligious faith sin and forgiveness

After surviving a car crash that kills her husband, a woman discovers she can mysteriously heal others. Her newfound ability turns her into an unexpected public figure, offering hope to the desperate while provoking intense debate between believers and skeptics.

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Timeline & Setting – Resurrection (1980)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Resurrection (1980). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Kansas, Last Chance Gas, California

Edna returns to her small hometown in Kansas, reuniting with family and the familiar Midwestern landscape. The local community gathers at places like Esco's Last Chance Gas, a roadside stop that becomes a touchpoint for Edna's growing powers. Portions of the story later move to California for tests, highlighting the tension between ordinary life and extraordinary gifts.

🏡 Small Town 💫 Healing 🕊️ Faith

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

Main Characters – Resurrection (1980)

Meet the key characters of Resurrection (1980), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Edna (Ellen Burstyn)

A woman who survives a fatal crash and awakens with a mysterious ability to heal others. Her power gradually stabilizes and becomes a focal point for hope, skepticism, and personal growth as she reconciles grief with a sense of purpose.

🩺 Healer ✨ Mystery 💫 Power

Esco Brown (Richard Farnsworth)

The warm, quirky owner of Last Chance Gas who becomes a grounding presence for Edna. He offers practical support while also serving as a custodian of the town’s secrets, helping Edna navigate fame and fear.

🤝 Neighbor 🛠️ Supportive 🗺️ Quirky

Cal Carpenter (Sam Shepard)

A local farmer whose devotion to Edna borders on obsession. He interprets her healing as a sign of God’s will, creating tension between love and control and driving him toward instability.

💞 Love 💥 Obsession 🧭 Faith

Grandma Pearl (Eva Le Gallienne)

A wise elder whose stories of near-death visions inspire Edna to interpret her gift as part of a larger fate. She provides historical context for the healing phenomena and grounds the tale in family memory.

👵 Wisdom 🕊️ Spirituality

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

Major Themes – Resurrection (1980)

Explore the central themes of Resurrection (1980), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✨ Healing Power

Edna's out-of-body experience awakens a healing ability that touches neighbors and strangers alike. The power is both a blessing and a burden, drawing crowds and scrutiny, while reshaping how she sees herself after her husband's death. The film explores the responsibilities that come with extraordinary gifts and the way communities respond to miraculous claims.

🙏 Faith vs Skepticism

Esco, Cal, and the town wrestle with what Edna's abilities mean for faith, science, and personal belief. Psychologists witness healings and seek to test her, raising questions about the legitimacy of miracles. Cal's insistence that Edna is a divine sign drives conflict, testing love against dogma. The story probes how belief can both inspire hope and provoke fear.

🌾 Small Town Life

The Kansas hometown frames Edna's return as a public phenomenon, with neighbors watching her every move. The setting emphasizes close-knit bonds, gossip, and a sense of shared history that makes her powers both exciting and threatening. The community's reception evolves as her abilities become more accepted, yet never fully understood.

🧭 Self-Discovery

Edna uses her gifts to repair her own grieving process and to walk again, discovering inner resilience and a new sense of purpose. The journey shifts from being about healing others to finding her own identity beyond tragedy. The arc culminates in a mature understanding of love, responsibility, and the cost of miracles.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

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Resurrection Summary

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Resurrection Summary

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Resurrection Timeline

More About Resurrection

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