Moonlight and Valentino (1995)

A young widow still grieving over the death of her husband finds herself being comforted by a local housepainter.

Director:

David Anspaugh

Writers:

Ellen Simon (play), Ellen Simon (screenplay)

Stars:

Elizabeth Perkins, Whoopi Goldberg, Gwyneth Paltrow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Rebecca Trager Lott
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Sylvie Morrow
Shadia Simmons	...	Jenny Morrow
Erica Luttrell	...	Drew Morrow
Matthew Koller	...	Alex Morrow
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Lucy Trager
Kathleen Turner	...	Alberta Trager
Scott Wickware	...	Policeman
Kelli Fox	...	Nurse
Harrison Liu	...	Mr. Wong
Wayne Lam	...	Mr. Wong's Son
Ken Wong	...	Mr. Wong's Father
Carlton Watson	...	Henrik
Jack Jessop	...	Sid
Josef Sommer	...	Thomas Trager

Storyline

College poetry professor and poet Rebecca Trager Lott's husband Ben Lott has just died in a freak accident. Rebecca's support during this difficult time consists of her best friend Sylvie Morrow, her sister Lucy Trager, and her ex-stepmother Alberta Trager. Earth mother Sylvie is dealing with what she sees as the probable end of her own marriage to her husband Paul Morrow. Chain smoking Lucy is a directionless and insecure woman who is still mourning their mother's death fourteen years earlier from cancer. And Wall Street executive Alberta, who Lucy in particular doesn't like in her life (especially as Alberta and their father have since divorced) is a domineering but admittedly efficient woman who treats her personal life as an extension of her professional life. As time progresses and each woman deals with her own issues while trying to help Rebecca, a hunky house painter who they have nicknamed "Valentino" enters their collective lives. "Valentino" profoundly affects each of their ...

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Plot Keywords:

widow | grief | friendship between women | female protagonist | death of husband | 

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Taglines:

Virginity, sex, the big cry, and other salty topics.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief strong language

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Moonlight et Valentino

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Gross:

$2,488,858 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Writer Ellen Simon is Neil Simon's daughter.

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Quotes

Alberta Trager: Lucy, it's interesting how you always wear black and deny yourself food.
Lucy Trager: It's not that interesting, really.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Lara Flynn Boyle/Bon Jovi (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Dreamer"
Written by Toni Childs and David Ricketts
Performed by Toni Childs

User Reviews

Emotionally Moved!

This movie had me laughing, crying and riding the emotional rollercoaster ride one deals with when faced with the death of a loved one. A "womans" movie as I would call it, with the strength to reach out to the inner emotions and bring them to a head. A movie which could allow me to relate to my own life experiences. I LOVED IT. Very much on a par with the likes of Steel Magnolia and How To Make An American Quilt. Just loved it.