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Desert Hearts

Play trailer Poster for Desert Hearts R,  1985,  1h 36m,  Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 77% 93 Reviews Tomatometer 77% 2,500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
77% Tomatometer 93 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.

Critics Reviews

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Sight & Sound Staff Sight & Sound Oct 13, 2025
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, 2025
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, 2025
2/4
A monotonous comedy-drama, though the setting is a plus. Go to Full Review
Chance Solem-Pfeifer Willamette Week Aug 17, 2026
A tenderhearted character study about an odd couple in an odd place. Go to Full Review
Steve Warren Bay Area Reporter Oct 13, 2025
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, 2025
[Deitch] has made a simple coming-out-of-the closet story, and has laced it with wit, humor, and intelligence. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jan 31, 2019 The best romance movie ever made!
Ron L Feb 28, 2017 Real, stirring, beautifully shot and designed, awful scene transitions (this must have been early avid editing choices), but made up for it with emotional core. See more
Theodore R Dec 5, 2007 Despite its shortcomings it is worthy of a recommendation: this movie herladed a new wave of American gay and lesbian independent films. See more
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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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