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Desert Hearts

Play trailer Poster for Desert Hearts R 1985 1h 36m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 92 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.
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Desert Hearts

Critics Reviews

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Sight & Sound Staff Sight & Sound Oct 13
The film deftly explores tensions in the traditional family, and in heterosexual relationships: life, it suggests, is full of positive alternatives, platonic, romantic and sexual. Go to Full Review Sheila Benson Los Angeles Times Oct 13
The movie is all for risk, in the name of attraction; for all its love of risk, it is a remarkably old-fashioned, cliché-ridden work. Go to Full Review Mike Clark USA Today Oct 13
2/4
A monotonous comedy-drama, though the setting is a plus. Go to Full Review Steve Warren Bay Area Reporter Oct 13
If you’ve been thirsting for a good lesbian love story, Desert Hearts is a real oasis. It may just reach in and put a string of lights around (your) heart. Go to Full Review David-Elijah Nahmod Bay Area Reporter Oct 13
[Deitch] has made a simple coming-out-of-the closet story, and has laced it with wit, humor, and intelligence. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Oct 13
3.5/4
Donna Deitch's Desert Hearts was a rare thing in 1985 and, sadly, still a rare thing in 2017; it's a grown-up drama about two flawed, intelligent women who fall in love, and maybe get to be happy in the end. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 4 Success in 1 hour and 36 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $2,500,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Sarah G Jan 16 Really wanted to like this one, but boy did it ever drag. See more 07/27/2024 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. See more Daniele R 05/15/2024 One of my favorite movies of all time. See more Debra B @DeeBee27 10/29/2023 Loved it. Haven't seen this movie since the 80s and it really holds up. See more PridePosterStudios 09/20/2023 Let’s clear something up: calling Desert Hearts the lesbian Brokeback Mountain is an INSULT to this beautiful film. Thank you. See more Read all reviews
Desert Hearts

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Donna Deitch

Director

Helen Shaver

Vivian Bell

Patricia Charbonneau

Cay Rivvers

Audra Lindley

Frances Parker

Andra Akers

Silver

Gwen Welles

Gwen

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Desert Hearts

Desert Hearts (1985) Desert Hearts (1985) Desert Hearts (1985) View more photos

Movie Info

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
Screenwriter
Natalie Cooper
Production Co
The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Rating
R
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 16, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.5M
Runtime
1h 36m
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