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Desert Hearts (1985)

Directed by Donna Deitch · Cinematography by Robert Elswit

R91 min27 frames

DramaRomance

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.

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Desert Hearts

16 of 27 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: closeup — A dark, cramped interior space is filled with vivid magenta and cyan neon light. A woman with blonde…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — An arid desert environment features sparse scrub vegetation against distant low mountains. A blonde woman…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A wooden interior space features paneling and pink curtains hanging by a window. A woman stands in front…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: wide — A vast, dry desert landscape stretches out under a bright, cloud-filled sky. A vintage convertible car…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: wide — A dark, expansive lakeshore under a twilight sky with a mountain silhouette in distance. A vintage 1950s…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A wood-paneled booth inside a dimly lit restaurant features a single small table lamp. Two women sit…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A dimly lit stage features a blonde woman in a red western shirt. She sings into a chrome microphone…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: closeup — A woman leans from the side of a yellow rivet-studded train car. The metallic exterior of the carriage…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: fullbody — A narrow service corridor with concrete walls and industrial metal storage shelving. A man and woman…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A rural setting features a wooden flatbed trailer loaded with square hay bales. A man in a cowboy hat…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A dark hotel room features a large window overlooking a dusk cityscape. A woman sits in a chair,…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — Two women walk past a yellow train locomotive with a prominent number 542 painted. The train car has…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A close view through a vehicle window shows two women leaning in to kiss. They are framed against a…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A crowded bar interior with low light and hazy atmosphere featuring a curved counter. Four people sitting…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — Two women sit on rocks in a dry, sparse desert landscape with mountains behind them. They are focused on…Desert Hearts (1985) movie still: medium — A woman sits in a tiled bathtub lined with rectangular pink tiles. She holds a small dark object in her…
Desert Hearts (1985) — © Desert Hearts Productions, The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Desert Hearts — official trailer

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.

Desert Hearts is a 1985 American romantic drama film produced and directed by Donna Deitch. The screenplay, written by Natalie Cooper, is an adaptation of the 1964 lesbian novel Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule. Set in Reno, Nevada, in 1959, it tells the story of a university professor awaiting a divorce who finds her true self through a relationship with another, more self-confident woman. The film stars Helen Shaver and Patricia Charbonneau with a supporting performance by Audra Lindley.

Second paragraph from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where can you watch Desert Hearts?

US availability for Desert Hearts (1985). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Desert Hearts?

Who made Desert Hearts?

What does the cinematography of Desert Hearts look like?

Sampled across 27 frames, the coverage of Desert Hearts leans heavily on medium shots. Cinematographer Robert Elswit keeps much of it in soft, naturalistic light. Night and dusk account for much of the film. Vintage glass shapes the frame.

What is the color palette of Desert Hearts?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Desert Hearts (1985) are #34312f, #d2cecb, #8f918d, #070607, #cdb68f, #51504b — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #34312f
  • #d2cecb
  • #8f918d
  • #070607
  • #cdb68f
  • #51504b

See the full Desert Hearts colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

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Techniques in this film

More films by Donna Deitch

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