
Frances: What are you doing up at this hour?
Cay: Things to do.
Frances: Professor Bell, Cay Rivers.
Vivian: How do you do?
Cay: May I call you professor?
Vivian: Vivian Bell
Frances: Put that damn car in drive.
— Desert Hearts (1985)
One of my favorite introductions to a character in a movie ever. It’s bad-ass and something I would steal borrow if I ever get around to writing a screenplay. Cay sees her step-mother’s car driving down the road so, of course, the logical thing to do is to put her car in reverse to have a chat. Also, Vivian, whether she wants to admit it to herself or not, is completely charmed by Cay at this moment and I don’t blame her. She never stood a chance.
This whole paragraph...totally fell for Vivian as opposed to Cay.