Desert Bloom (1986)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Eugene Corr

Writers:

Linda Remy (screen story) and
Eugene Corr (story)

Release Date:

August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

The story involves Rose Chismore's youth. She flashes back and remembers her coming-of-age. Her recollections are sometimes less than sweet...

Plot Keywords:

Coming Of Age | 1950s | Nuclear Weapons | Working Class | Stepfather

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Annabeth Gish	...	Rose Chismore
Jon Voight	...	Jack Chismore
JoBeth Williams	...	Lily Chismore
Ellen Barkin	...	Aunt Starr
Jay Underwood	...	Robin (as Jay D. Underwood)
Desiree Joseph	...	Dee Ann Chismore
Dusty Balcerzak	...	Barbara Jo Chismore
Allen Garfield	...	Mr. Mosol
Tressi Loria	...	Shelly
Laura Rasmussen	...	Meryl
William Lang	...	Colonel
Jim McCarthy	...	Driver
Ann Risley	...	Mrs. Muratore
Rick Schieffer	...	Mr. Brandal
Irene Goodnight	...	R.C. Volunteer

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Norway:11 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (video rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Carson Productions

Trivia:

Winona Ryder auditioned on video for the part of Rose, which eventually went to Annabeth Gish.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Soundtrack:

MOCKIN' BIRD HILL

Powerful coming-of-age story

Intensely emotional, so much so, that it's hard to watch in places. Jon Voight's performance of a WWII veteran tortured and twisted mentally by his war experiences is intimidating, even volatile.

The story is set in the '50's, at a time when the U.S. is testing nuclear weapons at a base north of Las Vegas. Jack Chismore (Voight), the veteran, and his family live in the Nevada desert near Las Vegas. There are parallel stories, weaving the news of the nuclear technology around the conflicts of Chismore's mental cruelty and abusive behavior to his family; in particular, his coming-of-age daughter Rose (Annabeth Gish). Gish is sensational in this role; she holds her own in verbal sparring with the always skillful Jon Voight. You really feel her frustration, and love to hate Chismore. The latter, though, slowly becomes more sympathetic as you understand his suffering more.

Coming-of-age stories have a few standard plot lines, but they're handled tenderly and resist exploitation here. Rose has a boy friend, and she's learning the facts of not only her own personal life, but the ugly and frightening facts of the world simultaneously.

The final image is riveting; in a single shot, the twin points of loss of innocence--Rose's, as well the world's--are melded together brilliantly with a single camera shot. A fine movie with a powerful theme.