Search - Desert Hearts on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1985 DVD Release: 01/23/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 31 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 8 Genres: Drama, Romantic Drama, Period Film, Psychological Drama, Gay & Lesbian Films, Feminist Film See Also: Desert Hearts

Director Donna Deitch makes a strong impression in her first feature film, a simple story of a lesbian love affair, based on Jane Rule's 1964 novel Desert of the Heart. Helen Shaver stars as Vivian Bell, an uptight 35-year-old Columbia University professor who travels to Reno to get a divorce. She arrives in Reno on her way to Frances Parker's (Audra Lindley) ranch, where she is staying to establish six weeks of residency in order to obtain the divorce. Once at the ranch, Vivian catches the fancy of Frances's adopted daughter Cay (Patricia Charbonneau), a casino worker ten years younger than herself. Vivien tries to remain unruffled as Cay makes unabashed overtures to her. Cay thinks that all Vivian needs is the love of another woman, and soon enough the two are in each other's arms. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Helen Shaver - Vivian Bell
Patricia Charbonneau - Cay Rivvers
Audra Lindley - Frances Parker
Andra Akers - Silver
Gwen Welles - Gwen
Dean Butler - Darell

Famous for being one of the first mainstream feature films to detail lesbian romance in a completely positive light, Desert Hearts receives a solid DVD release from MGM Home Entertainment. The film, well photographed by Robert Elswit, has been returned to its original widescreen aspect ratio and features a clean and well-balanced audio transfer. The main DVD extra is a thoughtful commentary track from director Donna Deitch that is actually more engaging when delineating how hard the film was to finance and roll into production because of its subject matter. Desert Hearts is basically an old-fashioned love story well told in the traditional Hollywood style and this DVD lets modern viewers know how much has changed (and hasn't changed) since the movie's initial 1985 release. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide