Moonstruck

12/16/19871h 42m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ Life. Family. Love. ~

Overview:

37-year-old Italian-American widow Loretta Castorini believes she is unlucky in love, and so accepts a marriage proposal from her boyfriend Johnny, even though she doesn't love him. When she meets his estranged younger brother Ronny, an emotional and passionate man, she finds herself drawn to him. She tries to resist, but Ronny, who blames his brother for the loss of his hand, has no scruples about aggressively pursuing her while Johnny is out of the country. As Loretta falls for Ronny, she learns that she's not the only one in her family with a secret romance.

Director:

Norman Jewison

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$15,000,000.00

Revenue:

$122,100,000.00

Key words:

opera
marriage proposal
husband wife relationship
italian american
sicily, italy
widow
superstition
full moon
man woman relationship
mama's boy
bakery
engagement
family relationships
italian restaurant
dog
makeover
brooklyn, new york city
dying mother
mothering
holiday season
extended family
engaged couple
baker
estranged brother
bookkeeper
the metropolitan opera
la bohème
bad blood
disapproving parent
passion and romance
affair
hilarious
romantic
melodramatic

Cast

Cher

~ as ~

Loretta Castorini

Nicolas Cage

~ as ~

Ronny Cammareri

Vincent Gardenia

~ as ~

Cosmo Castorini

Olympia Dukakis

~ as ~

Rose Castorini

Danny Aiello

~ as ~

Mr. Johnny Cammareri

Julie Bovasso

~ as ~

Rita Cappomaggi

John Mahoney

~ as ~

Perry

Louis Guss

~ as ~

Raymond Capomaggi

Feodor Chaliapin Jr.

~ as ~

Old Man

Anita Gillette

~ as ~

Mona

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 1 year(s) ago
7
With his mother seemingly on her deathbed, "Loretta" (Cher) agrees to marry the kindly but rather dull "Johnny" (Danny Aiello) only to find herself amidst a family grudge. He won't invite his brother "Ronny" (Nicolas Cage) to the wedding. She decides to put an end to this childishness and so goes to confront him. It seems he has a good reason for their falling out, but she's determined to reconcile them. He is quickly smitten with his soon to be in-law, and the most Italian of intricate courtships begins - thanks in part to Puccini's "La Boheme" at the Metropolitan Opera - that sees her become genuinely conflicted, much to the frustrated chagrin of her mother "Rose" (Olympia Dukakis). What now ensues is a gently comedic story of burgeoning love, family politics and fair degree of lust! Can they find a way out of their predicament without hurting poor "Johnny", or inducing an heart attack on her increasingly perplexed father "Cosmo" (Vincent Gardenia)? There's quite some chemistry between Cher and Cage as his charm and personality wears her down turning both into, quite literally, moonstruck calves! Norman Jewison allows his character actors to be just that, Dukakis is on great form and the writing is peppered with some, admittedly rather predicable, humour that offers a stylish and engaging romance that bubbles nicely like a good ragout. It's charmingly augmented by a bit of Dean Martin too!