Drama starring Helen Shaver and Patricia Charbonneau. Nevada 1959: New York college professor Vivian Bell comes to stay at a small ranch outside Reno to obtain a quick divorce. While there, she becomes friendly with the ranch-owner's vivacious stepdaughter, Cay. As a relationship slowly develops between the two women, Vivian is forced to confront her repressed feelings.
One of the very few truly risk-taking movies to come out of the mid-1980s, this tale of lesbian love in Reno was a deserved critical success at the time. Based on Jane Rule's novel, Natalie Cooper's intriguing, intelligent screenplay gives great roles to Helen Shaver and Patricia Charbonneau, and the resulting juxtaposition - of a disillusioned older woman falling for a younger, freer spirit - works a treat. What scenes of carnal knowledge there are - for this is a film about relationships and prejudice - are deftly handled without either sensationalism or coy fudging. This is one of those seminal pictures that show what Hollywood can do when it casts fear aside.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Vivian Bell | Helen Shaver |
| Cay Rivvers | Patricia Charbonneau |
| Frances Parker | Audra Lindley |
| Silver Dale | Andra Akers |
| Darrell | Dean Butler |
| Gwen | Gwen Welles |
| Art Warner | James Staley |
| Lucille | Kati Labourdette |
| Walter Parker | Alex McArthur |
| Buck | Tyler Tyhurst |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Donna Deitch |
