Two young lovers (Bill and Abby) scheme to inherit the fortune of the wealthy farmer they're working for. When they learn that he's dying of illness, Bill talks Abby into marrying the farmer to inherit his money. This story bears a strong resemblance to the biblical story of Abram and his wife Sarai in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20). I noticed that Malick used lots of repetition, allowing early scenes to be echoed later in the film. The movie begins with Bill taking his sister and girlfriend on the run after he unintentionally murders his boss, and it all happens again at the end of the film. The scenes when the farmer tells Abby that he loves her are echoes of the earlier scenes when Bill does the same, thus we see similarity and contrast between the two characters. Malick makes use of clashing idea and juxtaposition. The farmer is a sympathetic character; we don't want to see him taken advantage of. Other films set in this time period and situation make the wealthy land-owner the bad guy. Several romantic scenes between Abby an the farmer are contrasted by ominous music, or none at all, because the audience knows Abby's intentions. It all culminates in a swarm of locusts and roaring flames that mirror the destruction that Bill and Abby eventually cause.
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