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the audience applauded

Fantastic!

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Desert Hearts (1985) was written and directed by Donna Deitch. The movie is set in Reno, Nevada in the late 1950's. At that time, a route to a quick divorce was for women to travel to Reno, establish "residence" for six weeks, and then get a rubber-stamp (but legal) divorce.Helen Shaver plays the sophisticated Vivian Bell, a professor at Colombia University, who has traveled to Reno for her divorce. Clearly, she is out of place in Reno. Patricia Charbonneau portrays Cay Rivvers, who is very much at home in Reno. She works at a casino, changing dollar bills for silver dollars so that people can play the slot machines.The basic plot of the movie is whether Vivian and Cay will have a lesbian love affair. In 2018, it's hard to remember that, even in 1985, this was a daring topic. In fact, both leads had to sign contracts agreeing to appear nude from the waist up. Both actors were told that it would be career suicide if they took these roles.This movie is worth seeing because it may have been the first mainstream movie that dealt openly with lesbian love and lesbian sexual attraction. Don't see it because of the sex scene that "nearly fogs the camera's lens." Maybe in 1985 the lens got fogged, but not now.See it for the good acting from both leads, and see it because it reminds us of how far we've progressed as a society since 1985. We saw this film at the wonderful Dryden Theatre at Rochester's George Eastman Museum. The film has been digitally restored. The restoration was funded by a consortium of groups. Unfortunately, the restoration had to be done digitally, because of the immense cost of restoring 35mm films to 35mm. However, that's OK, because the digital reconstruction looks great. The movie will work well enough on the small screen. It's worth seeking out and seeing.

DESERT HEARTS proves that a truly great romance does not necessarily have to fit the "boy-meets-girl" paradigm; this love story between two women is gorgeous, achingly romantic, and sensual and tender in equal measure.The setting is Reno NV in the 1950s, and director Donna Deitch has invested her film with a gorgeous sense of both the time and the place. Vivian Bell, a professor of English at Columbia, arrives on the train, as so many women did in those days, to get a divorce. We are never really given a concrete reason for the divorce except that she is clearly an unhappy woman.There are a few similarities here to the 1939 film THE WOMEN; Vivian comes to stay at a ranch, run by a blowzy woman named Frances Parker, played to a fare-thee-well by the late Audra Lindley, who manages to recall Marjorie Main in the 1939 film while at the same time creating a character completely unique and original.Among the ranch denizens is Cay Rivvers (Patricia Charbonneau), Frances's stepdaughter and an outspoken Lesbian at a time when Lesbians were not outspoken. In the course of events, she meets Vivian and the attraction between the two is immediate.I really don't need to reveal too much. Romances tend to follow a certain formula, and this one is no exception, with the added tension of Vivian's difficulty in coming out (if only to herself) and the near-destruction of the bond between Cay and Frances, who loves her stepdaughter but can't understand Lesbianism. What really places this film high in the pantheon of LGBT love stories is the romance. Like MAURICE two years later and LATTER DAYS almost two decades later, the relationship is passionate, sensual, and the sex scenes are beautifully shot, so that what we are observing is not just sex but lovemaking.Shaver and Charbonneau are electric here; the sparks fly between them from the first moment they set eyes on each other, and they continue right up to the final scene. And in addition to Lindley we are treated to a great supporting cast, most notably Andra Akers as Cay's friend (and possibly sometime lover), who in the course of the film marries a man who seems to know all about her. For a film set in the 1950s there is a refreshing openness to many of the characters that smashes stereotypes and breathes extra life into an already exciting film.This is a great film, one of the best romances I have ever seen (regardless of the genders of the parties involved). Dietch and Company proved here that a great romantic movie can be made with two women, or two men, or a man and a woman, so long as the characters and their emotions are as genuine as they are here.This one is a must-see.

The setting for this film is absolutely perfect. Gorgeous landscapes, and music (Patsy Cline, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Jim Reeves, and so much more) perfect for the period. Natalie Cooper wrote a great script that feels just right.Patricia Charbonneau is just perfect as Cay, a free spirit that just wants to fly. She lights up the room every time she enters. She was the perfect tonic for the repressive Helen Shaver's ailment.What I really liked was that this was a realistic love story. It wasn't about sex, but about two people finding out what they really want. It didn't end in a neat package, but with promise. It mirrored life in that respect; it just featured two women, that's all.Audra Lindley was great as Cay's stepmother, and added more realism to the story. Andra Akers was really cool as her friend. Jeffrey Tambor was also featured in a bit part.I just wish that I had six weeks to spend in the desert. It was so beautiful.

It was a really beautiful movie. The director really captures the beauty of 2 women and 2 women finding true love in 1950's in the least expected situation. As you watched the film, your emotions just followed the main characters'. It is a very touching, tender, romantic movie. This is my favorite movie. I have been watching it many times since I got it.Thumbs up for Patricia Charbonneau for her stunning performance esp. this was her first performance on films. She played this young, dark haired, beautiful, free spirited, and passionate woman, Cay, who compelled Helen Shaver to look into her heart and finally allowed herself to admit her feelings for Cay. Patricia is really HOT in this movie. Her beautiful smile, her sparkling eyes, her sexy voice, and every move of hers is really attractive and charming. How can anyone not fall for her? I wonder why she didn't become a star after this movie?! She is absolutely Gorgeous and she can really act. It is a shame that she didn't get enough recognitions for her talents as she deserves in the film industry. Helen Shaver did an excellent job as well. She played a repressed English professor, Vivian, who went to Reno for a quick divorce. After closing herself up for years, meeting and knowing Cay finally forced her to face her true emotions and admitted her feelings for Cay. These 2 characters' personalities are really opposite of each other. One enjoys order and the other is free spirited but somehow they are able to find true love with each other. This movie described really well how Helen Shaver struggled with her own feelings and the society's expectations, and the hardship the society and Cay's family gave to the same sex couple. Yet, Cay is very courageous, facing her true feelings, and chasing after who she wants, Vivian. Although there was no clear ending for these 2 women, it is still hopeful since Patricia got on the train with Helen. One can only hope for the best for these 2 women and May they live happily ever after. The scenery views are quite beautiful. The mountain, the lake views and horses running are extra plus. The other characters are quite good such as Frances Parker, Cay's step mother. The love scene between these 2 is amazing. You can feel these 2 women's desires for each other. Vivian is initially repressed but once she follows her heart, you can feel these 2 women are truly in love and enjoy being intimate with each other. There is Great chemistry between Patricia and Helen, which makes this movie very real. The glances they exchanged with each other, the way they look at each other, and the way they talk to each other are very convincing that they are in love with each other. I love to watch the scenes between them over and over. I think they build up a strong foundation with each other, which then leads to a very believable, amazing, and erotic love making at the end. The director, Donna Deitch, did an outstanding job. The script is nicely written. The display of emotions is appropriate in 1950's. There are wonderful background musics. Donna Deitch is really successful bringing out the outstanding performance of these 2 lead actresses. It is not easy to direct a film such as this one in 1980's and she had to raise the fund for this movie herself. Overall, it is an excellent movie, something you can watch over and over. Highly recommended.