Desert Hearts
“In 1959, Vivian Bell came to Reno, Nevada for a quick divorce. Of all the people she met there, the one who surprised her the most was herself.”
Synopsis
While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
DESERT HEARTS - Janus Films TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-12-10
Top Cast
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Helen Shaver
Vivian Bell
Patricia Charbonneau
Cay Rivvers
Audra Lindley
Frances Parker
Andra Akers
Silver
Gwen Welles
Gwen
Dean Butler
Darrell
Katie La Bourdette
Lucille
James Staley
Art Warner
Denise Crosby
Pat
Antony Ponzini
Joe
Alex McArthur
Walter
Tyler Tyhurst
Buck
Brenda Beck
Joyce
Sam Minsky
Best Man
Patricia Frazier
Change Girl
Sheila Balter
Roadside Waitress
Tom Martin
Red Cap
Joan Mankin
Casino Waitress
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 1, 1985
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 31, 2002
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$350K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.86x
+$2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Donna Deitch
- Screenplay & Story
- Natalie Cooper, Jane Rule
- Original Title
- Desert Hearts
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Production Budget
- $350K
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.4M
- Production Studios
- Desert Hearts Productions, The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Donna Deitch
Natalie Cooper, Jane Rule
Robert Elswit
Robert Estrin
Donna Deitch
Department Leadership Roster
Donna Deitch
Producer
Donna Deitch
Director
Linda M. Bass
Costume Design
Jeannine Oppewall
Production Design
Robert Estrin
Editor
Robert Elswit
Director of Photography
Natalie Cooper
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Desert Hearts.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Desert Hearts.
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
LGBTQ+
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Lesbian movie
(Movies) LGBTQ Themes
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Frequently Asked Questions About Desert Hearts
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Desert Hearts about?
While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.
Who directed Desert Hearts?
Desert Hearts was directed by Donna Deitch.
Who stars in Desert Hearts?
The principal cast of Desert Hearts includes Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers, Gwen Welles.
When was Desert Hearts released and how long is it?
Desert Hearts was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 1h 31m.
What was the box office and production budget of Desert Hearts?
Desert Hearts had a reported production budget of $350K and grossed $2.4M at the worldwide box office (6.86 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Is Desert Hearts based on a book or true story?
Desert Hearts is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Jane Rule".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Desert Hearts?
Desert Hearts holds official age classifications: GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.).