Pontiac Moon (1994)

An absent-minded-professor father and his son bond during a symbolic road trip through the Western U.S. while his wife tries to overcome her neuroses to save the family.

Director:

Peter Medak

Writers:

Finn Taylor (story), Finn Taylor (screenplay)

Stars:

Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Ryan Todd

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ted Danson	...	Washington Bellamy
Mary Steenburgen	...	Katherine Bellamy
Ryan Todd	...	Andy Bellamy
Eric Schweig	...	Ernest Ironplume
Cathy Moriarty	...	Lorraine
Max Gail	...	Jerome Bellamy
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Alicia Frank
J.C. Quinn	...	Bartender
John Schuck	...	Officer
Don Swayze	...	Local
Gene Borkan	...	Trucker with Cigarettes
Ron Burke	...	Ranger
Ramsey Ellis	...	School Kid
Frank Carl Fisher Jr.	...	Fred Frook
Suzanne Ircha	...	Waitress

Storyline

An absent-minded-professor father and his son bond during a symbolic road trip through the Western U.S. while his wife tries to overcome her neuroses to save the family.

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Plot Keywords:

fear | road trip | on the road | mother son relationship | husband wife relationship | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes the journey of becoming a family can be as difficult as going to the moon.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Traum von Apollo XI

Filming Locations:

San Rafael Ranch State Park, Patagonia, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,669

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While playing a married couple in this film, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen began an off-set romantic relationship. They were married in 1995.

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Goofs

The so-called '49 Pontiac' does not appear to be entirely a 1949 as described. If you look at the car carefully, you will notice it has a 1950 grille, the hood and trunk - 1951. The side molding trim on the front fender - seeming like half a feather or arrow is 1951, the stone-shield on the back fenders either 1949 or 1950 ('51s and '52s triangular) - it was that for both years. Pontiac had that basic model from 1949 through 1952, with varying grille, trim differences.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Interview with the Vampire/Pontiac Moon/The Santa Clause/Heavenly Creatures/Dr. Strangelove (1994)

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Soundtracks

1812 Overture
Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (as Pyotr Tchaikovsky)
Performed by Wiener Philharmoniker
Conducted by Cristoph Von Dohnani
Courtesy of Decca/London Records
by association with PolyGram Special Markets

User Reviews

A clever production about a family, a road trip, and a journey to the moon.

After seeing this movie I felt that the creators did a good job paralleling the expedition to the moon and the traveling of the father and son. The Indian, Eric Schweig, held the characters together through their trip and allowed them to patch up their relationship by leaving them alone. He continuously gives Andy good advice concerning life and his father. But what I couldn't figure out was why they had to drive through Montana to get to Idaho from California, it is completely out of the way. The plot evolves as the mother finally leaves the home after 7 years of being boarded up inside. Ted Danson plays the father who is a genius professor with a strange behavioral side to him. But not to give the story away I will stop now and leave the rest to those that are interested in it.