Desert Hearts

Play trailer

Desert Hearts

R

1985

1h 36m

Romance

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A New York professor (Helen Shaver) divorces her husband and has an affair with another woman (Patricia Charbonneau) in 1959 Reno.

Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

The film surrounds its central pairing with relationships of various complexities that rebuke the clean-cut image of the decade.

Jun 20, 2023

Full Review

Heather Hogan

Autostraddle

It was the tenderness of Desert Hearts that got me, the hope, and the idea that a woman didn't need to have it all nailed down by the time she hit 30, that a woman could give in to what she wanted and just figure it out as she went along

Oct 30, 2020

Full Review

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

The nearly-all-female cast is excellent, the sense of place is strong.

May 13, 2020

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Produced on a tiny budget, it is sustained by strong performances and a powerful chemistry between the actresses, and it is the rare same-sex love story of the era that embraces the possibility of a happy ending.

Mar 4, 2023

Full Review

Sarah Schulman

Gay Community News (Boston)

It's a corny love story with very little tension.

Aug 11, 2022

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

In Deitch's steady hands, the film avoids male gaze tropes to create something uncommonly tender and real, a tale of awakening and self discovery that is nearly impossible to shake.

Jun 16, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Stumbled across this movie when I was fifteen, fell deeply in love with it and craved a romance depicted in it. Years and Years later; still in deep love with it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/27/24

Full Review

Daniele R

One of my favorite movies of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/15/24

Full Review

Debra B

Loved it. Haven't seen this movie since the 80s and it really holds up.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/23

Full Review

PridePosterStudios

Let’s clear something up: calling Desert Hearts the lesbian Brokeback Mountain is an INSULT to this beautiful film. Thank you.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

Full Review

Paul G

You have to have lived in the fifties to fully aquatint to the prejudices . The actors are excellent and recreate the era vividly .

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/09/23

Full Review

c j

It is crisp and beautiful to watch! The romance and sex scenes are so well shot! I loved how Prof. Bell's character does a complete 180 during the course of the story and the entertaining contrast Cay's character provides throughout. It is also (almost) educational in terms of historical attitudes towards gay woman in not so distant past!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Donna Deitch

Director

Helen Shaver

Vivian Bell

Patricia Charbonneau

Cay Rivvers

Audra Lindley

Frances Parker

Andra Akers

Silver

Gwen Welles

Gwen

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

The Woman Next Door

85%

85%

The Woman Next Door

Watchlist

Choose Me

94%

72%

Choose Me

Watchlist

A Man in Love

50%

57%

A Man in Love

Watchlist

Two Moon Junction

0%

49%

Two Moon Junction

Watchlist

Zebrahead

75%

69%

Zebrahead

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

A New York professor (Helen Shaver) divorces her husband and has an affair with another woman (Patricia Charbonneau) in 1959 Reno.

Director: Donna Deitch
Producer: Donna Deitch
Rating: R
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 16, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 36m

Most Popular at Home Now