Main Cast: Jeremy Irons, Eugene Lipinski, Jiri Stanislav, Eugeniusz Haczkiewicz
Release Year: 1982
Country: UK
Run Time: 97 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Jeremy Irons portrays Nowak, one of four Polish laborers, living in England. In exchange for a place to stay, Irons and his buddies -- none of whom have British work permits -- agree to renovate their landlord's flat within a limited time-frame. Despite their hectic schedule, the boys agree never to work on Sunday: this is the day that they communicate with their loved ones in Poland. On one such Sunday, however, the Soviets declare martial law in Poland, cutting off all telephone and telegraph service to the outside world. Nowak, the only one of the four who speaks English, learns of the turmoil in Poland before his friends do; he decides to keep the news secret, rather than jeopardize their living arrangements. When the flow of money from home ceases, Nowak takes to stealing to finance the renovation project. He pushes his friends mercilessly to make sure the project is completed on time, secretly burning their letters so that they remain in the dark about the Soviet incursion upon their native soil. When they do find out, they physically vent their anger upon Nowak, perceiving him to be as much an enemy and oppressor as the Soviets. This is clearly the allegorical point that director Jerzy Skolimowski is hoping to make in Moonlighting; wisely, he avoids conveying his message in fluent tract, relating his story with generous doses of humor and irony. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
When martial law was declared in Poland in 1981 in the wake of the Solidarity uprisings, Polish expatriate filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski wanted to make a film about the crisis. But since it was politically and financially impossible for him to shoot a film in Poland, he structured Moonlighting around a metaphoric story, in which four Polish workers are stranded in London as their nation seals itself off from the world. Skolimowski's screenplay and efficient, claustrophobic direction create a superb microcosm of the crisis, capturing the uncertainty, paranoia, struggle for power, and uncomfortable sway between good intentions and abusive realities. And he was fortunate enough to cast Jeremy Irons as Nowak, the de facto leader of the exiled Warsaw laborers (and the only one who speaks English). Irons effectively buries his British voice and manner to reflect a man out of his element, more pragmatic than intelligent, both confident of his actions and fearful of their consequences. Like Spike Lee's Get on the Bus and Louis Malle's May Fools, Moonlighting concerns itself with the ideals and actions around a major historical event, perhaps teaching us more than the milling crowds and military hardware of a literal recreation might have done. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Edward Arthur - Immigration Officer; David Calder - Supermarket Manager; Trevor Cooper - Hire Shop Man; David Gant - Aquascutum Assistant; Judy Gridley - Supermarket Supervisor; Dennis Holmes - Neighbor; Lucy Hornak - Wrangler Shop Assistant; Kenny Ireland - Timber Man; Jill Johnson - Haughty Supermarket Customer; Ian McCullough - Boss Lookalike; Jenny Seagrove - Anna; Renu Setna - Junkshop Owner; Dorothy Zienciowska - Airline Girl; Christopher Logue - Workman; Michael Sarne - Builder's Merchant; Jerzy Skolimowski - Boss; Robyn Mandell - Wrangler Shop Assistant; Fred Lee Own - Chinese Man; Anne Tirard - Lady in Telephone Box
Credit
Michael Guest - Associate Producer, Debbie McWilliams - Casting, Jane Robinson - Costume Designer, Jerzy Skolimowski - Director, Barrie Vince - Editor, Stanley Myers - Composer (Music Score), Hans Zimmer - Composer (Music Score), Tony Woollard - Production Designer, Tony Pierce-Roberts - Cinematographer, Mark Shivas - Producer, Jerzy Skolimowski - Producer, Jerzy Skolimowski - Screenwriter, Barrie Vince - Screenwriter, Boleslaw Sulik - Screenwriter
Released in 1986, this album not only stands as a genre-defining primer on what has become known as smooth jazz, but it also helped launch the careers of various artists whose music has been crucial to the genre's vitality. In addition to composer/guitarist/producer Russ Freeman and the Ripps, there's David Benoit (playing a gorgeous piano melody on "Mirage"), keyboardist Gregg Karukas, bassist Jimmy Johnson (who scored hits with Flim & the BBs), saxmen Brandon Fields and Dave Koz (whose floating Electronic Wind Instrument melody guides the silky "Dreams"), and some soprano-wielding guy named Kenny G. One of the G-man's least cloying -- and indeed, most engaging -- performances can be heard on the lilting, Calypso-influenced "She Likes to Watch." (One of Freeman's best tunes, it continues to get heavy airplay.) The opening, six-minute title track -- a guitar-driven, light funk tune that weaves percussionist Steve Reid's nature soundscaping and exotic sound effects with a hypnotic synth melody -- epitomizes the kind of smooth texturing for which the Rippingtons became famous. While the band's personnel has evolved, the best tunes on the Ripps' more recent recordings still feature Freeman jamming on guitars and Reid brewing up just the right amount of aggression and subtlety with his toys. The all-star personnel alone makes this a must-hear all these years later. The fact that it still holds up melodically, rhythmically, and production-wise makes it one of smooth jazz's most important and enjoyable recordings. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
Roger Ebert gave it 4 Stars out of 4 and Put it in his list of Best Movie of 1982. Gene Siskel called it his favourite movie of 1982. Allmovie gave the movie 4 out of 5 stars.
