Lust in the Dust

Dance-hall girl Rosie Velez (Divine), lost in the desert, is helped to safety by gunman Abel Wood (Tab Hunter). In the town of Chili Verde, at the saloon of Marguerita Ventura (Lainie Kazan), word of a treasure in gold brings Abel into conflict with outlaw Hard Case Williams (Geoffrey Lewis) and his gang.

• Tab Hunter as Abel Wood
• Divine as Rosie Velez
• Lainie Kazan as Marguerita Ventura
• Cesar Romero as Father Garcia
• Geoffrey Lewis as Hard Case Williams
• Henry Silva as Bernardo
• Courtney Gains as Richard "Red Dick" Barker
• Gina Gallego as Ninfa
• Nedra Volz as Big Ed
• Woody Strode as Blackman, Hard Case Gang
• Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez as Mexican, Hard Case Gang
• Noah Wyle (uncredited) as a young man

The title was taken from the nickname given to King Vidor's 1946 film Duel in the Sun.[2]

John Waters was asked to direct, but refused because he did not write the script.

Edith Massey was cast as Big Ed, but died shortly after her screen test. Bartel was uneasy about casting her because he thought it would look too much like a John Waters film without John Waters.

The role of Marguerita was originally set for Chita Rivera.

Principal photography took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[3]

In the original script, Rosie was supposed to die but the filmmakers changed their mind during filming.[1]

All songs composed by Karen Hart[4]

1. "Tarnished Tumbleweed" – Mike Stull
2. "These Lips Were Made for Kissin'" – Divine
3. "South of My Border" – Lainie Kazan

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