The Man in the Moon (1991)

Rural Louisiana, summer of 1957, Elvis is King. At 14, Dani is coming of age. Her older sister is beautiful, smart, and off to Duke in the fall; her mom's pregnant with number four (Dad ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Mulligan

Writer:

Jenny Wingfield

Stars:

Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Gail Strickland

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sam Waterston	...	Matthew Trant
Tess Harper	...	Abigail Trant
Gail Strickland	...	Marie Foster
Reese Witherspoon	...	Dani Trant
Jason London	...	Court Foster
Emily Warfield	...	Maureen Trant
Bentley Mitchum	...	Billy Sanders
Ernie Lively	...	Will Sanders
Dennis Letts	...	Doc White
Earleen Bergeron	...	Mrs. Sanders
Anna Chappell	...	Mrs. Taylor
Brandi Smith	...	Missy Trant
Sandi Smith	...	Missy Trant
Derek Ball	...	Foster Twin
Spencer Ball	...	Foster Twin

Storyline

Rural Louisiana, summer of 1957, Elvis is King. At 14, Dani is coming of age. Her older sister is beautiful, smart, and off to Duke in the fall; her mom's pregnant with number four (Dad wants a son), and Dad's pretty strict. Life gets sweeter when 17-year-old Court Foster, his widowed mom, and two little brothers move into the vacant farm next door. Court likes Dani's high spirits and direct way, and though he has a man's responsibilities on the farm, they go off swimming sometimes. The waters of adolescence are deeper than Dani realizes as hers and Court's feelings get jumbled. Then Mother Nature throws wrenching surprises at Dani, and she must come to terms with new emotions.

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Plot Keywords:

farm | love | louisiana | swimming | coming of age | 

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Taglines:

Remember when you couldn't wait for your life to begin... and then, one day, it did?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un été en Louisiane

Filming Locations:

Kisatchie, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$2,853,801 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Pathé Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Reese Witherspoon.

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Goofs

In the last scene of movie, where Dani and Maureen are sitting on her bed. Maureen is braiding Dani's hair, Dani's hair is completely braided all the way down to the end. Then in the very next shot, Dani's hair is all brushed out and sectioned into three parts as though Maureen is just beginning to braid her hair.

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Quotes

Dani: I love you, Court.
Court Foster: Don't! Don't love me now. When things are so mixed up.

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Crazy Credits

The Producers wish to thank: The LADIES of "JUST FRIENDS"

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Soundtracks

"That's Alright"
Written by Arthur Crudup
Performed by Elvis Presley
Published by Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI) and Crudup Music (BMI)
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

Touching drama about first love.

Reese Witherspoon plays Dani, a young country girl that falls madly in love with the new 17 year old neighbor, Court, played by Jason London. Court tries his best to make Dani realize that the difference in their ages would make a love relationship improbable. Soon the nubile charm of Dani starts winning over Court's will. Next enters the meeting of Dani's older sister, played by Emily Warfield, and the beginning of a short lived love/jealousy problem.

Tess Harper and Sam Waterston round out the cast. This is a fresh, free spirited; but heartbreaking drama that touches down deep. Feel free to cry.