Moonstruck (1987)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writer:

John Patrick Shanley (written by)

Release Date:

18 December 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

Life. Family. Love.

Plot:

A widowed Brooklyn book-keeper is torn between her fiancé and his brother.

Plot Keywords:

Brother | Love | Marriage | Opera | Proposal

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Cher	...	Loretta Castorini
Nicolas Cage	...	Ronny Cammareri
Vincent Gardenia	...	Cosmo Castorini
Olympia Dukakis	...	Rose Castorini
Danny Aiello	...	Mr. Johnny Cammareri
Julie Bovasso	...	Rita Cappomaggi
John Mahoney	...	Perry
Louis Guss	...	Raymond Cappomaggi
Feodor Chaliapin Jr.	...	Old Man (as Feodor Chaliapin)
Anita Gillette	...	Mona
Leonardo Cimino	...	Felix
Paula Trueman	...	Lucy
Nada Despotovich	...	Chrissy
Joe Grifasi	...	Shy Waiter
Gina DeAngeles	...	Old Crone

Also Known As:

The Bride and the Wolf (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG (#28740) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

19 Cranberry Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Nicolas Cage plays Ronny, a man with only one hand. In Cage's previous role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Cage's character begged Peggy to marry him, saying he doesn't know what the future might bring: he might lose his arm.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Loretta and Ronny's conversation in Ronny's kitchen, Loretta's glass of whiskey switches back and forth between shots, from near the centre of the table to Loretta's hand.

Quotes:

Rose: How's the mother?
Loretta Castorini: She's dying. But I could still hear her big mouth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Undercover Brother (2002)

Soundtrack:

La Bohème

La Bella Luna!

People call this Cher's movie, but Olympia Dukakis makes it for me. It's under her roof that I heard some of my favorite dialogue in the movies.

I am not a violent person, but "Old man . . . you give those dogs another piece of my meat and I'll kick ya til ya dead!" has got to be on my top ten list of memorable quotes.

I like the conversations around this family's kitchen table maybe because growing up, meals in my house were pretty silent even though there were seven of us. Funny that it took an Irish screenwriter to capture the Italian cadences. These people aren't caricatures of Italians or any other ethnicity, they are just a vocal family.

In another time, with just a few changes in the script, this story could have been high operatic drama. But it's not. It's a romantic comedy not a tragedy - even though it contains elements of tragedy - death under a bus, a lost limb, betrayal of marriage vows, and misinterpretations and misunderstandings.

But these characters TALK about what's on their minds. You want to know where the Met is located? You ask your hairdresser. You think your husband is flirting with another woman? You tell him that while you're both working behind the wine counter - in front of a customer. You're mad at your brother, you want to know why men need more than one woman, you want your son to pay for the wedding of his only daughter? If you really want to know, if you really want results or answers, you speak up!

Besides movies based on Agatha Christie novels, it is rare that a story ends with bringing the entire cast together more satisfyingly than "Moonstruck." The morning-after-the-opera scene in Rose Castorini's sunny kitchen with all the characters present is one that I can watch again and again. "You've got a love-bite on yer neck - your life's goin down the toilet!" "I want you to stop seeing her" "Who are we waiting for?" "Johnny Cammarari" "You're a part of the family!"

No matter what sort of table you grew up around, rent or buy this movie.

And remember, "No matter what you're gonna do you gonna die, just like everybody else!"