Dualistic hearts: social class, education, different cultures, and lesbian love in desert hearts.
Donna Deitch's Desert Hearts, one of the highest-grossing lesbian films ever made, is a groundbreaking and poignant movie about self-discovery and self-acceptance. This article focuses on the societal obstacles-such as vastly different social classes, cultures, and educational backgrounds-that Vivian and Cay must overcome in order to begin their relationship. The article also shows the taboos faced by gays in the 1950s, such as the firing of college professors in that era. The latent lesbian desire of the homophobic Frances, which is rarely addressed in criticism of the film, is discussed in detail.
Department of English, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4023, USA. esterlin@aum.edu
Eric
E
Sterling
D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D006801:Humans; D008149:Love; D009040:Motion Pictures; D011287:Prejudice; D012923:Social Class; D014495:Universities