Plot
When there's a full moon over Brooklyn, anything can happen, and everything happens in the neighborhood where widowed bookkeeper Loretta Castorini (Cher) lives. First, Loretta agrees to marry a man she does not love, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), simply because he knows how to propose properly. Before the wedding can take place, Cammareri must visit his dying mother in Sicily. In his absence, Loretta is supposed to try to patch up the differences between Johnny and his brother, bakery operator Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage). Having never forgiven Johnny for indirectly causing the accident that crippled him, Ronny flies into a rage whenever his brother's name is mentioned. He does, however, fall for Loretta like a ton of bricks. After a torrid affair, Loretta tries to avoid Ronny out of respect to Johnny, but he's just too fascinating to resist. Meanwhile, Loretta's father (Vincent Gardenia) is fooling around with his mistress Mona (Anita Gillette), while Loretta's mother (Olympia Dukakis) is wooed by a college professor (John Mahoney). These brief flings are forgiven and forgotten, but there's still the delicate situation of Loretta being in love with her future brother-in-law. A now-classic romantic comedy, Moonstruck won Oscars for Cher, Olympia Dukakis, and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviReview
The overused phrase "intoxicating romantic comedy" is undeniably accurate when applied to Moonstruck. The movie that gave Cher an Oscar, it is an unabashedly romantic affair, high on its own brand of wacky ethnicity and sage, voluptuous observations of love and human nature. Aside from being one of Norman Jewison's best-loved films, Moonstruck also featured several of its actors in some of the best performances of their screen careers. In particular, Nicolas Cage's portrayal of wolfish, one-handed Ronny endeared him to legions of female filmgoers who were charmed by his off-kilter charisma, while Cher's portrayal of the weary, practical Loretta established her as a movie star worth watching no matter what the quality of the movie. A great deal of Moonstruck's strength also came from the performances of its supporting actors, with Olympia Dukakis in particular providing gravity and dry wit as the Castorini family matriarch. Moonstruck is an enduring classic, one of the best "date" movies ever made. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, RoviCast
- Cher - Loretta Castorini
- Nicolas Cage - Ronny Cammareri
- Vincent Gardenia - Cosmo Castorini
- Olympia Dukakis - Rose Castorini
- Danny Aiello - Johnny Cammareri
Credit
Barbara Matis - Art Director, Daniel Davis - Art Director, Bonnie Palef-Woolf - Associate Producer, Howard Feuer - Casting, Lofti Travolta - Choreography, Theoni V. Aldredge - Costume Designer, Norman Jewison - Director, Lou Lombardo - Editor, Dick Hyman - Composer (Music Score), Philip Rosenberg - Production Designer, Daniel Davis - Production Designer, David Watkin - Cinematographer, Norman Jewison - Producer, Patrick Palmer - Producer, Lee Rich - Producer, Phil Smith - Set Designer, Dennis L. Maitland - Sound/Sound Designer, John Patrick Shanley - Screenwriter, Mike Harris - Set Dresser| Moonstruck (1909 Film), Moonshiner's Woman (1968 Film) | |
| Moontide (1942 Film), Moontrap (1989 Film) |
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