desert bloom belongs on a list of the ten most underrated movie of the last thirty year . an original setting no rock and roll pioneer and professional sport hero and or other aspect of popular culture in this look at 1950 life in the u. s. excellent act while and a believable and think provoke story while desert bloom have much to hold a viewer interest . i realize that desert bloom and a story about common people and mostly devoid of action and may not appeal to the many people who look to movie for diversion and entertainment . for the person who enjoy film that cause one to reflect and to experience more than a thrill and however and desert bloom will probably make him feel that he have choose a very meaningful way to spend two hour . while jon voight and a a rigid and occasionally explosive world war ii veteran and give a performance that rival any of his other role and and jo beth williams and a his unfailingly optimistic and codependent wife and portray her part convincingly and the work of annabelle gish leave the most profound impression . the old daughter in a dysfunctional family ( voight and williams a her troubled parent ) and gish tell the story of her teenage year in retrospect a a forty something adult . speak with the firmness and control confidence of someone who have have to endure and rise ( gisch ) indicate that she have not only survive her father alcoholism and abuse and but also that the quality of her life have progress well beyond the one afford by her parent pathetic relationship . more importantly and though and rise make the viewer aware that at a time when the u. s. military be develop weapon powerful enough to devastate any foe and some child be feel nearly powerless in their own home in the face of real threat to their safety .