The story involves Rose Chismore's youth. She flashes back and remembers her coming-of-age. Her recollections are sometimes less than sweet, particularly those of her troubled and alcoholic...
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Title: Desert Bloom (1986)
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1 win.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| 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 |
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Dusty Balcerzak | ... | Barbara Jo Chismore |
| Allen Garfield | ... | Mr. Mosol | |
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Tressi Loria | ... | Shelly |
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Laura Rasmussen | ... | Meryl |
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William Lang | ... | Colonel |
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Jim McCarthy | ... | Driver |
| Ann Risley | ... | Mrs. Muratore | |
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Rick Schieffer | ... | Mr. Brandal |
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Irene Goodnight | ... | R.C. Volunteer |
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Storyline
The story involves Rose Chismore's youth. She flashes back and remembers her coming-of-age. Her recollections are sometimes less than sweet, particularly those of her troubled and alcoholic stepfather. Her memories of Robin, her first love, are much happier, and she also recalls her colorful Aunt Starr, whose visit is fun, but also detrimental to her family's health. The setting of 1950s Nevada bomb testing is increasingly significant to the development of the story. Written by Melissa Portell <mportell@s-cwis.unomaha.edu>
Plot Keywords:
girl wears eyeglasses | eyeglasses | first love | memory | coming of age |Parents Guide:
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Written by Vaughn Horton
Performed by Patti Page
Courtesy of Polygram Special Projects
A division of Polygram Records, Inc.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Filmed in Tucson, AZ filmed on empty lot at the time on 16th street and 3rd Ave in the Armory Park neighborhood. See more »Soundtracks
MOCKIN' BIRD HILLWritten by Vaughn Horton
Performed by Patti Page
Courtesy of Polygram Special Projects
A division of Polygram Records, Inc.
See more »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 April 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Desert Bloom See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$22,797, 20 April 1986Gross USA:
$416,393Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$416,393Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1Contribute to This Page
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Sensitively told coming-of-age film set against Las Vegas and the early years of atomic testing. Rose (Annabeth Gish) is thirteen and very much wants to connect with stepdad Jack (Jon Voight), an alcoholic WWII veteran still possessed by the demons of combat. Trouble is, she's operating on one track, while he's operating on two, such that just when they seem at last to converge, he goes off on a delusionary binge. Movie is notable for the exceptionally fine performances of these two actors. Gish, tottering atop two gawky legs and peering out from the cosmetic curse of horned-rim glasses, is the very real, aching embodiment of adolescent angst. Hers has to be one of the finest, least mannered renderings of teen-age yearning and self-doubt in many, many years, and made even me, a hardened old curmudgeon, feel kindly toward the hopelessly pubescent. Voight's character is less sympathetic and more complex. Victimized by the evils of war and beset by alcohol and impotence, he's having trouble with his masculinity in a house full of women. He wants to fulflill a positive role for his wife and stepdaughters, but the inner turmoil keeps erupting unpredictably.You want Jack and Rose to connect, to heal one another's emotional wounds, but circumstance is against them.
Movie leaves off on suitably ambiguous note as atomic test parallels emotional family blowup. We know time will take care of Rose's problems, but what of Jack. Film is not so much about dysfunction as it is about adolescence and the walking wounds of war, such that you'll remember the characters long after the various plot complications have subsided. What a fine piece of non-commercial movie making this is thanks to Sundance Productions and writer-director Eugene Corr. Their work along with that of the entire cast shows once again why "the obscure little movie with something to say" continues to be one of our finest film traditions.