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Desert Hearts

1985 · 91 min

A tender, sun-warmed slow burn of self-discovery, with quiet emotional stakes and a romance that feels both fragile and inevitable.

Directed by: Donna Deitch
Genres: Drama, Romance
Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley

Tagline: 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.
Overview: While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.

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Directed by: Donna Deitch
Genres: Drama, Romance
Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: romanticstrength 3 of 3
warmstrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: love
identity
isolation
freedom
family
Places: small town
countryside
home
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: None
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence none
Sex strong

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	1
Horror	0
Humour	3
Realism	8
Romance	8
Tension	4
Darkness	3
Complexity	4
Emotional weight	7

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Details

Genres: drama, romance
Directed by: Donna Deitch
Written by: Natalie Cooper
Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers, Gwen Welles, Dean Butler, Katie La Bourdette, James Staley
Cinematography: Robert Elswit
Runtime: 91 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: English

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