SimilarScreen
Desert Hearts

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.

19857.01h 31m

Overview

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

Directed by Donna Deitch
Written by Natalie Cooper, Jane Rule
Produced by Donna Deitch
Box OfficeBudget: $350KRevenue: $2.4M

Top Cast

Helen Shaver

Helen Shaver

Vivian Bell

Patricia Charbonneau

Patricia Charbonneau

Cay Rivvers

Audra Lindley

Audra Lindley

Frances Parker

Andra Akers

Andra Akers

Silver

Gwen Welles

Gwen Welles

Gwen

Dean Butler

Dean Butler

Darrell

K

Katie La Bourdette

Lucille

James Staley

James Staley

Art Warner

Denise Crosby

Denise Crosby

Pat

Antony Ponzini

Antony Ponzini

Joe

Themes & Keywords

farmcoming outcasinobased on novel or booknevadareno, nevadalesbian relationshipdivorcedesertlgbtwoman director1950senglish professorlesbian

About Desert Hearts

Desert Hearts is a drama, romance film released in 1985 exploring themes of farm, coming out, casino, based on novel or book, nevada, reno, nevada. Directed by Donna Deitch, it stars Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley. While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.

Movies Similar to Desert Hearts

Discover titles like Desert Hearts — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Desert Hearts

If you enjoyed Desert Hearts, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Desert Hearts.

Tell It to the Bees
33% Match

Dr. Jean Markham returns to the town she left as a teenager to take over her late father's medical practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands Charlie in her surgery, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and tell his secrets to the bees, as she once did. The new friendship between the boy and the bee keeper brings his mother Lydia into Jean's world.

A Perfect Ending
27% Match

This intimate drama follows Rebecca, a woman who has kept her sexuality a secret from her friends but chooses to reveal it to a stranger. While Rebecca's revelations may not yield the results she expects, a perfect ending is still in reach.

Camp Belvidere
26% Match

Camp Belvidere is a lesbian romance set in the 1950s about the coming of age of Camp Leader Rose and her forbidden encounter with Nurse Gin. It depicts the journey and evolution of a friendship into a romance between two women when their rapport would have been unlikely.

A Single Man
26% Match

Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, is the story of a British college professor who dwells on the past and cannot see his future. We follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters ultimately lead him to decide if there is a meaning to life after the death of his long time partner, Jim.

Making Love
25% Match

A perfect typical LA couple find their happily-ever-after life broken when the husband confronts his long-repressed attraction for other men.

One Day
25% Match

One Day(2011)

Movie7.4/10

A romantic comedy centered on Dexter and Emma, who first meet during their graduation in 1988 and proceed to keep in touch regularly. The film follows what they do on July 15 annually, usually doing something together.

Ammonite
25% Match

Ammonite(2020)

Movie6.9/10

In 1840s England, palaeontologist Mary Anning and a young woman sent by her husband to convalesce by the sea develop an intense relationship. Despite the chasm between their social spheres and personalities, Mary and Charlotte discover they can each offer what the other has been searching for: the realisation that they are not alone. It is the beginning of a passionate and all-consuming love affair that will defy all social bounds and alter the course of both lives irrevocably.

Chasing Amy
24% Match

Holden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything is going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian.

Revolutionary Road
24% Match

A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. Based on a novel by Richard Yates.

The Truth About Jane
24% Match

High schooler Jane struggles with the self-discovery that she is a lesbian after developing an intense friendship with another girl. However, this is only the start of Jane's troubles when her unaccepting mother Janice also contends with the surprising revelation brought forth by her only daughter.

Frida
24% Match

Frida(2002)

Movie7.4/10

A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.