Love is a balancing act. Once you find love, you have to learn how to keep it. If you lose it, you have to find a way to get it back. “Moonstruck”, the 1987 rom com, is about that balancing
Love is a balancing act. Once you find love, you have to learn how to keep it. If you lose it, you have to find a way to get it back. “Moonstruck”, the 1987 rom com, is about that balancing act.
Set in Brooklyn, a family of Italian-Americans find love through misfortunes and misgivings. We see this love come full-circle through an offbeat love triangle, an adulterous affair and an innocent dinner between two lonely hearts.
Iconic superstar Cher won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Loretta, a widowed bookkeeper, who tragically lost her first husband. She decides to try love again by accepting the marriage proposal of Johnny (Danny Aiello). Loretta has her doubts, as she believes she is cursed when it comes to love.
Before they marry, Johnny must visit his dying mother in Italy. Johnny also wants Loretta to invite his brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage) to the wedding. Upon hearing the news, Ronny becomes hysterical and tells Loretta the horrific story of how his hand became caught in a bread slicer. Due to this catastrophe, Ronny’s girlfriend left him. Ronny blames his lonely and pathetic life on Johnny. Loretta comforts Ronny and tells him about her fears of love. Ronny becomes enraged; he plants a kiss on her and they spend the night together.
Loretta, reeled by the guilt, tells Ronny that they cannot meet again. Ronny professes his love, which she does not reciprocate. Ronny asks Loretta to accompany him to the opera in exchange for letting her go. Loretta reluctantly agrees.
At the opera, Loretta sees her father with another woman. She is shocked and confused. Loretta and Ronny return to Ronny’s apartment for another rendezvous.
Meanwhile, Rose, Loretta’s mother who suspects her husband is cheating, dines alone at a local restaurant. She witnesses a couple fighting with the woman storming out. Rose invites the humiliated man to dine with her and the two share good company and good conversation. Rose’s void is temporarily filled, although she will not be unfaithful to her husband.
These trysts and strong emotions are thought to be the result of Cosmo’s moon, a bright and glorious full moon, as seen by Loretta’s uncle the night that Loretta’s father, Cosmo, fell in love with Loretta’s mother many years back. The moon has made a rare appearance, helping Loretta and company find love.
Johnny returns from Italy and informs everyone that the he and Loretta cannot marry as his mother has made a full recovery. Johnny marrying will kill her. Seeing his opportunity, Ronny quickly proposes and Loretta accepts. The family celebrates the engagement.
“Moonstruck” was nominated for six Academy Awards. In addition to Cher, Olympia Dukakis won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar and Best Screenplay Oscar went to John Patrick Shanely. This slice-of-life beauty is a fun, quirky, all-around great romantic comedy. It is well cast, authentic, and a tale that will warm your heart.
1987
Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello
1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pretty Woman
3. Moonstruck
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless In Seattle
6. Four Weddings and a Funeral
7. Bridget Jones’ Diary
8. My Best Friend’s Wedding
9. One Fine Day
10. Shakespeare In Love
