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Donna Deitch’s swooning and sensual first narrative feature, Desert Hearts, was groundbreaking upon its release in 1985: a love story about two women, made entirely independently, on a shoestring budget, by a woman. In this 1959-set film, adapted from a beloved novel by Jane Rule, straitlaced East Coast professor Vivian Bell (Helen Shaver) arrives in Reno to file for divorce but winds up catching the eye of someone new, the free-spirited young Cay (Patricia Charbonneau), touching off a slow seduction that unfolds against a breathtaking desert landscape. With undeniable chemistry between its two leads, an evocative jukebox soundtrack, and vivid cinematography by Robert Elswit, Desert Hearts beautifully exudes a sense of tender yearning and emotional candor.
Original Release
10/01/1985
US Release
10/01/1985
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Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Helen Shaver | Vivian Bell |
Patricia Charbonneau | Cay Rivvers |
Audra Lindley | Frances Parker |
Andra Akers | Silver / Silver Dale |
Gwen Welles | Gwen |
Dean Butler | Darrell |
James Staley | Art Warner |
Katie La Bourdette | Lucille |
Alex McArthur | Walter |
Tyler Tyhurst | Buck |
Directors
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Helen Shaver | Vivian Bell |
Patricia Charbonneau | Cay Rivvers |
Audra Lindley | Frances Parker |
Andra Akers | Silver / Silver Dale |
Gwen Welles | Gwen |
Dean Butler | Darrell |
James Staley | Art Warner |
Katie La Bourdette | Lucille |
Alex McArthur | Walter |
Tyler Tyhurst | Buck |
Denise Crosby | Pat |
Antony Ponzini | Joe |
Brenda Beck | Joyce |
Sam Minsky | Best Man |
Patricia Frazier | Change Girl |
Sheila Balter | Roadside Waitress |
Tom Martin | Red Cap |
Joan Mankin | Casino Waitress |
Frank Murtha | Minister |
Dave Roberts | Lon |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Donna Deitch | Producer |
Carol Jefferies | Producer |
Cami Taylor | Producer |