Moonstruck (1987)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writer:

John Patrick Shanley (written by)

Release Date:

18 December 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

Life. Family. Love.

Plot:

A widowed Brooklyn book-keeper is torn between her fiancé and his brother.

Plot Keywords:

Brother | Love | Marriage | Opera | Proposal

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Cher	...	Loretta Castorini
Nicolas Cage	...	Ronny Cammareri
Vincent Gardenia	...	Cosmo Castorini
Olympia Dukakis	...	Rose Castorini
Danny Aiello	...	Mr. Johnny Cammareri
Julie Bovasso	...	Rita Cappomaggi
John Mahoney	...	Perry
Louis Guss	...	Raymond Cappomaggi
Feodor Chaliapin Jr.	...	Old Man (as Feodor Chaliapin)
Anita Gillette	...	Mona
Leonardo Cimino	...	Felix
Paula Trueman	...	Lucy
Nada Despotovich	...	Chrissy
Joe Grifasi	...	Shy Waiter
Gina DeAngeles	...	Old Crone

Also Known As:

The Bride and the Wolf (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG (#28740) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

19 Cranberry Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The movie was named as one of "The 20 Most Overrated Movies Of All Time" by Premiere.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Loretta and Jonny leave the Grand Ticino restaurant, seen as being on Hicks St, which is in downtown Brooklyn. Loretta drives Jonny to the airport for his flight to Sicily, traveling via a tunnel. Since it's an international flight, he'd be going to JFK, but there's no need to travel via a tunnel from Brooklyn to JFK.

Quotes:

[Johnny, at his mother's deathbed, telephones his fiancee Loretta]
Loretta Castorini: Did you tell her we're getting married?
Johnny: I'm waiting... I'm waiting for a moment when she is peaceful.
Loretta Castorini: Well, don't wait until she's dead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the 80's 3-D" (2005)

Soundtrack:

It Must Be Him

Cher is great

'Moonstruck' is a love story. There is not one romance, there are at least three, but they all have to do with the same family. Loretta's family. Loretta (Cher) is about to marry Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello). She doesn't love him, but he is sweet and good man. When he leaves to visit his dying mother in Italy Loretta meets Johnny's brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage). He and Johnny haven't spoken each other in five years and Loretta wants to invite him to the wedding. Of course they fall instantly for each other.

How this story and love stories of Loretta's parents and uncle and aunt develop is something you simply have to see for yourself. Every seen is a delight to watch, with Cher as the bright star in the middle of everything. She won and really deserved the Oscar that year. Cage is pretty good, and goofy as well, and Olympia Dukakis as Loretta's mother and Vincent Gardenia as her father are terrific. This movie is funny, charming and therefore highly enjoyable.