A Walk on the Moon (1999)

The world of a young housewife is turned upside down when she has an affair with a free-spirited blouse salesman.

Director:

Tony Goldwyn

Writer:

Pamela Gray

Stars:

Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Bobby Boriello

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bobby Boriello	...	Daniel Kantrowitz
Diane Lane	...	Pearl Kantrowitz
Anna Paquin	...	Alison Kantrowitz
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Lillian Kantrowitz
Liev Schreiber	...	Marty Kantrowitz
Julie Kavner	...	P.A. Announcer (voice)
Stewart Bick	...	Neil Leiberman
Jess Platt	...	Herb Fogler
Mahée Paiement	...	Mrs. Dymbort (as Mahee Paiement)
Star Jasper	...	Rhoda Leiberman
Ellen David	...	Eleanor Gelfand
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Norma Fogler
Viggo Mortensen	...	Walker Jerome
Victoria Barkoff	...	Selma Levitsky (as Vicky Barkoff)
Tamar Kozlov	...	Wendy Green

Storyline

Summer, 1969: men on the moon, and Woodstock happening near the cabin where the Kantrowitz family stays every summer. The camp's a Jewish fish-bowl. Marty's there weekends; he repairs TVs in Brooklyn. He's square and decent. His wife Pearl and his mother camp with Alison (she's 14) and their younger son. Pearl got pregnant at 17 and feels she missed her youth. While Alison experiences her first date, first kiss, first period, and stealing off to Woodstock with the lifeguard, Pearl has her own sexual awakening with "the blouse man," a peddler who sells at the camp. They too go to Woodstock. Marty confronts Pearl about the affair; she and he have to decide what to do next.

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Plot Keywords:

cheating wife | scantily clad female | female removes her clothes | adulterous wife | leg spreading | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Grateful Dead were invited, their manager wanted the promoters to add another act he managed; he offered them two. They tossed a coin, chose Santana, and the rest is history. There is no Santana music in this movie, but perhaps they are subtly represented by the act the promoters did NOT choose, It's a Beautiful Day, with their hit "White Bird"

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Goofs

When Marty finds out Pearl is having an affair, he throws the milk container against the wall getting milk everywhere. Later in the scene Marty sits down and the floor behind him is clean.

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Quotes

Daniel Kantrowitz: [Dad Marty is driving his family on vacation, mom beside him in front, granny & kids in back; they're singing the Name Game: "Shirley Shirley bo-Birly, Bonana Fana fo-Firley" etc] Let's do "Chuck"
Marty Kantrowitz: No "Chuck". We don't do "Chuck"
Daniel Kantrowitz: You never let me do "Chuck".
Marty Kantrowitz: When you're married you can do "chuck".
[mom raps dad in the arm, smiling]

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Crazy Credits

The producers wish to thank ... The Merchants of St-Viateur Street ...

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Mod Squad/Doug's 1st Movie/A Walk on the Moon/Edtv/Among Giants (1999)

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Soundtracks

Kiss of Fire
(1952)
Written by Lester Allen, Robert Hill & Angel Gregorio Villoldo (as A.G. Villoldo)
Performed by Georgia Gibbs
Courtesy of Mercury Records
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Music

User Reviews

A Walk on the Moon

I really enjoyed this movie. I think the soundtrack is amazing and appropriate although "Helplessly Hoping" is a cover of the CSNY classic. Still, we have Jefferson Airplane, Jesse Colin Young, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Richie Havens to drop a few names. Listen to the lyrics in this movie...apply them to how Pearl, Diane Lane's character is feeling... Diane Lane does a wonderful job of portraying a 60's housewife who, like so many other women of the time, found herself in a life she fell into. She meets a man who reminds her of who she wanted to be...of feelings she forgot she had. Movies aren't obligated to be lessons on morality, rather they are slices of the lives we all lead or dream of leading or hope to never lead. Some of the scenes in this movie are so powerful-they really rattle the soul. The love scene at the waterfall is wonderfully scored with the amazing "Cactus Tree" by Joni Mitchell. One can feel Pearl's guilt and confusion coupled with an excitement and verve for life she truly deserves. We see Pearl come of age metaphorically as she searches her heart to find out who she truly is. I recommend checking this one out and watching with an open heart and an open mind...the music alone is worth it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

La tentación

Filming Locations:

Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$78,709, 28 March 1999

Gross USA:

$4,750,660

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,750,660

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, Punch 21 Productions, Groucho Film Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1