Moonstruck (1987)

Loretta Castorini, a book keeper from Brooklyn, New York, finds herself in a difficult situation when she falls for the brother of the man she agreed to marry (the best friend of her late husband who died seven years previously).

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writer:

John Patrick Shanley

Stars:

Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis

Won 3 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Loretta Castorini, a Brooklyn bookkeeper in her late 30s whose husband died several years earlier in a bus accident, decides it's time to get married again. So she accepts the proposal of a nice, middle-aged fellow named Johnny Cammareri. Loretta is convinced her first marriage was cursed because she and her husband had gotten married at City Hall; this time, she's determined to do things right, even as she admits to her mother, Rose, that she's not really in love with Johnny. (To which Rose replies: "Good. When you love them, they drive you crazy, 'cause they know they can." Rose speaks from rueful experience; she suspects, with good reason, that her husband, Cosmo, is cheating on her.) Loretta is convinced that marrying Johnny is the safe and sure thing to do - until she meets his estranged younger brother Ronny, who tends the ovens in a neighborhood bakery. Loretta discovers that in startling contrast to the pleasant, mild-mannered Johnny, Ronny is moody and passionate; what follow...

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Plot Keywords:

love | brother | bookkeeper | opera | marriage | 

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Taglines:

Life. Family. Love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

18 December 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hechizo de luna

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Gross:

$80,640,528 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Star Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Olympia Dukakis is only 15 years older than her on-screen daughter Cher.

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Goofs

When Johnny visits Rose late at night, she opens the door for him, Johnny walks in, and no one closes the door. Later, the grandfather walks in with his dogs and closes it.

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Quotes

Loretta Castorini: [after seeing La Boheme] That was so awful.
Ronny Cammareri: Awful?
Loretta Castorini: Beautiful... sad. She died!
Ronny Cammareri: Yes.
Loretta Castorini: I was surprised... You know, I didn't really think she was gonna die. I knew she was sick.
Ronny Cammareri: She had TB.
Loretta Castorini: I know! I mean, she was coughing her brains out, and still she had to keep singing!

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Connections

Edited into The Clock (2010)

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Soundtracks

"That's Amore"
Performed by Dean Martin
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
Music by Harry Warren (uncredited)
Lyrics by Jack Brooks (uncredited)

User Reviews

Cher is great

'Moonstruck' is a love story. There is not one romance, there are at least three, but they all have to do with the same family. Loretta's family. Loretta (Cher) is about to marry Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello). She doesn't love him, but he is sweet and good man. When he leaves to visit his dying mother in Italy Loretta meets Johnny's brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage). He and Johnny haven't spoken each other in five years and Loretta wants to invite him to the wedding. Of course they fall instantly for each other.

How this story and love stories of Loretta's parents and uncle and aunt develop is something you simply have to see for yourself. Every seen is a delight to watch, with Cher as the bright star in the middle of everything. She won and really deserved the Oscar that year. Cage is pretty good, and goofy as well, and Olympia Dukakis as Loretta's mother and Vincent Gardenia as her father are terrific. This movie is funny, charming and therefore highly enjoyable.