Racing with the Moon (1984)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writer:

Steve Kloves (writer)

Release Date:

23 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It was 1943...There was so little time left to learn about life!

Plot:

In 1942 California, two young men await induction into the U.S. Marines and say goodbye to their girlfriends.

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Small Town | Female Nudity | Bowling | Train

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Sean Penn	...	Henry 'Hopper' Nash
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Caddie Winger
Nicolas Cage	...	Nicky / Bud
John Karlen	...	Mr. Nash
Rutanya Alda	...	Mrs. Nash
Max Showalter	...	Mr. Arthur, Piano Teacher
Crispin Glover	...	Gatsby Boy
Barbara Howard	...	Gatsby Girl
Bob Maroff	...	Al
Dominic Nardini	...	Soldier with Annie
John Brandon	...	Mr. Kaiser
Eve Brent	...	Mrs. Kaiser
Suzanne Adkinson	...	Sally Kaiser
Shawn Schepps	...	Gretchen
Charles Miller	...	Arnie

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Fort Bragg, California, USA

Company:

Jaffe-Lansing

Trivia:

The scene in which Sean Penn fights Crispin Glover, Nicolas Cage is then seen trying to clean off the blood on the woman's dress was 'Richard Benjamin''s idea.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The railroad cars behind the steam locomotive are too new for the era the movie is supposed to portray (1940s).

Soundtrack:

Moonlight Becomes You

Very likable, but benign...

Coming-of-age piece set in small town America during WWII. Sean Penn has seldom been so youthfully exuberant and amiable playing a young working-class man about to go off to war, finding love for the first time with a sweet lass he presumes is wealthy ("a Gatsby girl"). Richard Benjamin's direction is sensitive and breezy, and Elizabeth McGovern is a good romantic match for Penn (though sometimes she talks down to him, like a big sister might). Nicolas Cage is also fine as Sean's goof-off buddy, yet the slim screenplay hasn't enough meat on its bones and the middle portion of the film goes around in circles. The period flavor has been captured with non-showy flair, and Penn's exceptional performance is winning, making the film a nearly-satisfying nostalgic drama. *** from ****