Line #5 Film/DesertHearts


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/desert_hearts.jpg]]
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3	A 1985 romantic drama film directed by Donna Deitch, [[TheFilmOfTheBook loosely based on]] Jane Rule's autobiographical 1964 novel ''Desert of the Heart''.
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5	In [[TheFifties 1959]], Vivian Bell (Creator/HelenShaver), a repressed, middle-aged English professor from UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, comes to Reno, Nevada for a quickie divorce. She stays at a local ranch, where she meets Cay Rivvers (Creator/PatriciaCharbonneau), a free-spirited young casino employee-cum-{{sculpt\|ors}}ress who is openly lesbian. Cay soon confesses that she's falling in love with Vivian, who's shocked -- especially as she gradually admits to herself that the feeling is mutual...
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7	''Desert Hearts'' is regarded as a classic of [[QueerMedia queer cinema]]. It's one of the first films to portray a lesbian relationship positively, and its HappyEnding pointedly contrasts with earlier movies about lesbians (and gay men, for that matter) in which one of the gay characters either [[BuryYourGays dies]] or [[CureYourGays becomes heterosexual]].
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9	Compare with ''Film/{{Carol}}'', another lesbian romance adapted from a novel and set in the 1950s.
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12	!!''Desert Hearts'' contains examples of:
13	* TheFifties: Set in the later part of the decade.
14	* AdaptationNameChange: Vivian Bell was Evelyn Hall in the book, while Cay Rivvers was Ann Childs.
15	* AdaptationTitleChange: The film is based on the novel ''Desert of the Heart''.
16	* AdvertisedExtra: Alex [=McArthur=]'s character Walter appears on the poster, as seen above. In the actual film he is in 4 or 5 scenes and gets maybe 30 seconds of dialogue. More recent versions, such as the cover for Creator/TheCriterionCollection's release, focus on Vivian and Cay.
17	* TheCasino: Where Cay and Silver work.
18	* CelibateHero: Vivian thinks she's one of these, given that her marriage has ended and she's not attracted to other men. Turns out she's not.
19	* ClosetKey: Cay serves as this for Vivian's LGBTAwakening. After they've had sex and are cuddling, Vivian tells her "I adore you for this."
20	* ComingOutStory: Part of it involves Vivian coming out to herself.
21	* CreatorCameo: Donna Deitch appears briefly as a casino patron.
22	* DivorceInReno: The reason Vivian goes to Nevada.
23	* DrivesLikeCrazy: In an EstablishingCharacterMoment, Cay meets Vivian while they're both in cars headed in opposite directions. Cay doesn't let this bother her, though -- she carries on a conversation with Vivian while driving her convertible down the road backwards.
24	* TheGhost: We never see Vivian's husband.
25	* HairContrastDuo: Vivian is prim and proper (and blonde), while Cay (brunette) is much bolder and uninhibited.
26	* IncompatibleOrientation: Cay and her boss, Darrell. Also the reason why Vivian's marriage broke up, although it takes her a while to realize it.
27	* [[LikeBrotherAndSister Like Sister And Sister]]: Cay and Silver appear to be this, given that they comfortably share a bath together and have absolutely no UnresolvedSexualTension, while Silver's boyfriend cooks dinner for all of them. This could also be them saving water, given that it's Nevada and the Fifties, which were a drought-ridden decade in the US.
28	* LohengrinAndMendelssohn: The prelude to Act V of ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' by Music/FelixMendelssohn is played at Silver's wedding.
29	* MaybeEverAfter: When Vivian gets on the train back to New York at the end, she convinces Cay to come with her -- at least as far as the next station, although in the context of the film and their conversation, it more symbolically represents them choosing to stay together.
30	-->'''Vivian:''' Come with me. Ride with me to the next station.\
31	'''Cay:''' What, are we gonna get settled in 40 minutes?\
32	'''Vivian:''' I'll talk fast.\
33	'''Cay:''' Send me a postcard when you get there. What is it you want?\
34	'''Vivian:''' Another 40 minutes with you.
35	* TheModestOrgasm: Cay and Vivian are (relatively) quiet during their sex scene.
36	* NiceGuy: Joe, boyfriend of Silver, Cay's co-worker. In 50s Nevada he's kind and supportive, and he doesn't mind at all if his girlfriend wants to take a bath with her lesbian best friend. He'll even cook them all dinner. She {{lampshades}} how nice a guy he is:
37	-->'''Silver''': Joe. I'm afraid that if it will stay this good... I'll find a way to fuck it up.
38	-->'''Joe''': [''fondly''] Babe. Don't I always get you through the good times?
39	* RealityHasNoSoundtrack: The film has no background music, although contemporary hits by a variety of artists (including Music/ElvisPresley, Music/BuddyHolly and Music/JohnnyCash) are heard on radios. Notably enforced in the climactic sex scene: elsewhere in the movie there are usually background sounds and diegetic music, but the only sounds in the sex scene are those made by the actresses.
40	* RedOniBlueOni: Cay is the red, Vivian is the blue.
41	* RevealShot: A memorable one. After Vivian has left the ranch and gone to live by herself in a casino hotel room, Cay comes to visit her. Upset at how Frances treated her, Vivian vents her anger to Cay and the camera follows her into another room while she's talking and looking for a cigarette. She finds one and lights one, while still talking to Cay in the other room.
42	-->'''Vivian''': I don't have a habit of raising my voice. Or false issues. [''smokes; glumly''] When I retire, I will simply write short stories for my revenge about this town, these people, these gamblers. [''{{Beat}}, to herself''] My only clear memory is arriving. The rest is a blur...absolute blur.\
43	[''She walks back into the bedroom and finds that Cay is now completely naked and sitting up in bed, looking at her'']
44	-->'''Vivian''': Oh, God! What do you think you are doing?
45	-->'''Cay''': [''smiling''] Waiting for you.
46	* RomanticRain: Cay and Vivian share a kiss in the rain at one point.
47	* SexIsLiberation: Cay and Vivian having sex is portrayed as this for Vivian, who beforehand is uptight and stiff and afterwards is more relaxed and dresses in a less buttoned-up manner. Not to mention her discovery that Cay is her ClosetKey.
48	* SignificantWardrobeShift: As the film goes on, Vivian's wardrobe gets less buttoned up and more free and loose. The film even draws attention to this, by highlighting how much pain her high heels are putting her in.
49	* SnarkToSnarkCombat: This exchange between Vivian and Lucille, a homophobic ranch guest.
50	-->'''Lucille:''' Did you know that [Cay] was kicked out of college for "unnatural acts," as they say?\
51	'''Vivian:''' Shall I raise my eyebrows and gasp?\
52	'''Lucille:''' Well, I'm definitely out to lunch when it comes to queers. Aren't you?\
53	'''Vivian:''' I don't think either of us will be sorely missed, Lucille.\
54	'''Lucille:''' Well, nobody said it didn't take all kinds, Vivian.\
55	'''Vivian:''' And you're certainly making a unique contribution.
56	* UptightLovesWild: Vivian is the uptight, Cay is the wild.
57	* UnbuiltTrope: One of the first mainstream Hollywood movies about an LGBT love affair...where [[BuryYourGays neither character dies]] [[CureYourGays or converts]], there's NoAntagonist, and no DownerEnding, sins that many, ''many'' gay romance films before and since have fallen victim to.

Context Film / DesertHearts