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Moonstruck
United States, 1987
Cast: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Julie Bovasso, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amor-raaay." The lilting voice of Dean Martin wafting over a New York skyline and a script to die for did little harm to Moonstruck, arguably the best feelgood movie of 1987. Fourteen years later and Norman Jewison's charming tale of love and family in the Big Apple is as good as ever. The movie was originally intended for Sally Field but when she proved unavailable, Jewison plumped for Cher instead. Having released Suspect and The Witches of Eastwick in the same year, the rake-thin singer and actress wasn't exactly desperate for work. However, there was something about John Patrick Shanley's script that worked its magic on her from page one. Cher took one look at the role of Loretta, an Italian-American widow in her late 30s, and signed on the spot. It was a decision she would never regret. As the movie opens, Loretta becomes engaged to Johnny Cammareri (the excellent Danny Aiello), not so much out of love as out of fatigue. But after he flies to Sicily to be at the bedside of his dying mother, she falls for Johnny's estranged younger brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage). Aside from a great cast, fine photography and a delightful soundtrack, the movie also boasts some of the best dialogue of the Eighties, such as Cage's one-handed baker, desperately trying to make Cher's character fall for him. "Loretta, I love you," he pleads. "Not like they told you love is, and I didn't know this either, but love don't make things nice - it ruins everything. It breaks your heart. It makes things a mess. "We aren't here to make things perfect. The snowflakes are perfect. The stars are perfect. Not us. Not us! We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and die." Well, quite. On the surface it may look like a star vehicle for Cher but you don't need to be a fan to warm to its charms. This is essentially an ensemble comedy masterfully directed by Jewison. Check out the DVD version for commentary from the key players. Apparently, Jewison is not a huge fan of filming so spent a lot of time on the finale, rehearsing and staging it like he would a play. Needless to say, the movie proved an instant smash hit and also worked its charms on the American Film Academy. Moonstruck landed Cher a Best Actress Oscar, garnered screenwriter John Patrick Shanley a gong for Best Screenplay and turned Nicolas Cage into one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors. If star spotting is your favoured pastime, then look down the cast list and you'll see Frasier's John Mahoney, Julie Bovasso (John Travolta's mum in Saturday Night Fever) and in an Oscar-winning role, Tales of the City's Olympia Dukakis. Oddly enough, Cher literally seems to have turned back time in the 14 years since its release and with the double whammy of a number one song and big screen arthouse hit Tea With Mussolini, it seems Miss Sarkasian is more unstoppable than a dozen Terminators. If you've just had your heart broken or feeling blue over yet another lottery loss, then you could do worse than curl up on the sofa with a big box of chocs and the drink of your choice. Alas, as with Goodfellas, this is one of those movies where lovers of Italian food should be warned. By the first set of adverts, you may find yourself rushing into the kitchen, cooking a handful of pasta and hoping the Parmesan cheese doesn't give you strange dreams.
Cast: Cher .... Loretta Castorini Nicolas Cage .... Ronny Cammareri Vincent Gardenia .... Cosmo Castorini Olympia Dukakis .... Rose Castorini Danny Aiello .... Johnny Cammareri Julie Bovasso .... Rita Cappomaggi John Mahoney .... Perry Louis Guss .... Raymond Cappomaggi Feodor Chaliapin Jr. .... Old Man (as Feodor Chaliapin) Anita Gillette .... Mona Nada Despotovich .... Chrissy Joe Grifasi .... Shy Waiter Gina DeAngeles .... Old Crone Robin Bartlett .... Barbara Helen Hanft .... Lotte David S. Howard .... Ira Robert Weil .... Bobo Amy Aquino .... Bonnie Tony Azito .... Cortie Frank Gio .... Florist (as Frankie Gio) Ann McDonough (I) .... Nancy John Christopher Jones .... Lowell Lisa Howard (I) .... Patricia Cynthia Dale .... Sheila Anthony Messuri .... Priest Martha Collins .... Mimi John Fanning .... Rodolfo Antonia Minella .... Vesta Nicholas Pasco .... Eddie Al Therrien .... Bob Lou Pitoscia .... Mook Gilberto Godoy .... Rocco Louis Di Bianco .... Jimmy Betti Orsatti .... Woman in Hair Salon Michael Barbaro .... Pietro Antonio Pariselli .... Franco Corrado Gianna .... Old Man Tommy Hollis .... Parking Attendant Matt Myers .... Cab Driver Michael Dunster .... P.A. Announcer Stella Bruno .... Old Woman Mimi Cecchini .... Old Woman Mimi Lizio .... Ruby Tim Koetting .... Al Gerard Flannery .... Harry Robert Payson .... Man at Bar Catherine Scorsese .... Customer at Bakery Jack K. Tsirakis .... Bar Patron (as Jack Tsirakis)
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