Moonstruck

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Moonstruck
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNorman Jewison
Written byJohn Patrick Shanley
Produced by
  • Patrick Palmer
  • Norman Jewison
Starring
CinematographyDavid Watkin
Edited byLou Lombardo
Music byDick Hyman
Production
companies
Distributed byMGM/UA Communications Co.
Release date
  • December 18, 1987 (1987-12-18)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[1]
Box office$122.1 million

Moonstruck is a 1987 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley.[2] It stars Cher as a widowed Italian-American woman who falls in love with her fiancé's hot-tempered, estranged younger brother, played by Nicolas Cage. The supporting cast includes Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, and Danny Aiello.

Moonstruck had a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 18, 1987, followed by a wide release on January 15, 1988, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[3] The film earned critical and commercial success. It received six nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, winning three for Best Actress (Cher), Best Supporting Actress (Dukakis), and Best Original Screenplay (Shanley).[4]

Plot

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Loretta Castorini, an Italian-American widow, works as a bookkeeper and lives in Brooklyn Heights with her parents, Cosmo and Rose, and her paternal grandfather. Loretta's boyfriend, Johnny Cammareri, proposes to her before leaving for Sicily to tend to his dying mother. Loretta accepts, but she insists on following tradition as she believes failing to do so originally led to her first husband's sudden death.

Johnny asks Loretta to invite his estranged younger brother Ronny to the wedding. Loretta returns home and informs her parents of the engagement. Cosmo dislikes Johnny and is reluctant to pay for Loretta's planned "real" wedding. Hearing that Loretta likes but does not love Johnny, Rose tells her that true love can cause romantic partners to be easily hurt by each other.

Loretta goes to see Ronny at the bakery he owns and learns that he has a wooden prosthetic hand caused by absentmindedly putting his hand in a bread slicer while having a conversation with Johnny; Ronny's fiancée subsequently left him. Loretta insists that they talk privately. They go to Ronny's apartment, where Loretta cooks a meal, and both have several alcoholic beverages. Loretta compares Ronny to a wolf that would gnaw off its paw to escape a trap and claims he deliberately injured his hand to escape a bad relationship. Ronny reacts furiously and passionately, kissing Loretta; to her surprise, Loretta kisses him back. Ronny carries Loretta to his bed, where they have sex.

That evening, Rose's brother Raymond and his wife Rita join Rose, Cosmo, and Cosmo’s father for dinner and they wonder where Loretta is. Raymond recalls a particularly bright moon that he believes was in the sky when Cosmo was courting Rose, which Loretta and Ronny witness as well. The next morning, Loretta is overcome with guilt, but Ronny promises to never bother her again if she attends a performance of La bohème at the Met with him. Loretta goes to church to confess her infidelity and afterwards impulsively goes to a hair salon and buys a glamorous evening gown and shoes at a boutique.

Loretta is deeply moved by La bohème. While leaving the opera, she sees Cosmo, accompanied by his mistress, Mona, and confronts him. As Loretta is with Ronny, Cosmo suggests that she keep their encounter a secret. Loretta attempts to return home, but Ronny desperately persuades her into another tryst. That same night, Rose dines alone at a restaurant and sees a college professor, Perry, being dumped.

Taking pity on Perry, Rose invites him to dine with her instead, allowing him to walk her home but refusing to invite him in because she is loyal to her marriage. Later, Johnny unexpectedly returns from Sicily after his mother's "miraculous" recovery.

Returning home the next morning, Loretta is distressed to learn from Rose that Johnny will be there soon. Ronny arrives, and Rose invites him for breakfast. Cosmo and Grandpa emerge from upstairs; Grandpa insists that Cosmo agree to pay for Loretta's wedding. Rose then confronts Cosmo and demands that he end his affair; he is upset but gives in and, at Rose's insistence, also agrees to go to confession. Both reaffirm their love for each other.

When Johnny arrives, he breaks off the engagement, superstitiously believing that their marriage would cause his mother's death. Loretta berates him for breaking his promise and throws the engagement ring at him. Ronny borrows the ring and asks Loretta to marry him, to which she agrees. The family toasts the couple with champagne, and Johnny joins in at Grandpa's urging, since he will now be part of the family after all.

Cast

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Reception

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Box office

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On its wide release, the film finished third at the US box office and spent 20 nonconsecutive weeks in the top 10 and finally grossed $80.6 million in the United States and Canada.[5] Internationally it grossed $41.5 million for a worldwide total of $122.1 million,[6] on a budget of $15 million.

Critical response

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Moonstruck received critical acclaim upon release.[7] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 89% based on reviews from 76 critics, with an average score of 7.8/10. The site's consensus read, "Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade's most appealing comedies."[8] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 83 out of 100 based on reviews from 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[9] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[10]

Time wrote, "John Patrick Shanley's witty, shapely script puts an octet of New Yorkers under a lunar-tuney spell one romantic night. Cher shines brightest of all."[11] Roger Ebert, who later added the film among his "Great Movies" list, said: "Reviews of the movie tend to make it sound like a madcap ethnic comedy, and that it is. But there is something more here, a certain bittersweet yearning that comes across as ineffably romantic, and a certain magical quality".[12] Film historian Leonard Maltin gave the picture 4 out of 4 stars.[13]

Gene Siskel, writing for the Chicago Tribune, recommended "Moonstruck, which is being sold as a romance but actually is one of the funniest pictures to come out in quite some time. [...] You will not easily forget this incredibly robust family, created by writer John Patrick Shanley and directed by Norman Jewison, who makes a comeback with this uproarious film."[14]

It appeared on both Siskel's and Ebert's Top 10 lists for 1987.[15] In 2018, Billboard ranked Cher's work the all-time greatest acting performance by a musician.[16]

Accolades

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Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Picture Norman Jewison and Patrick Palmer Nominated [17]
Best Director Norman Jewison Nominated
Best Actress Cher Won
Best Supporting Actor Vincent Gardenia Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Olympia Dukakis Won
Best Original Screenplay John Patrick Shanley Won
American Comedy Awards Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Cher Nominated
Funniest Supporting Male Performer – Motion Picture or TV Vincent Gardenia Nominated
Funniest Supporting Female Performer – Motion Picture or TV Olympia Dukakis Won
Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy Howard Feuer Won [18]
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards Top Box Office Films Dick Hyman Won
Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear Norman Jewison Nominated [19]
Best Director Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Cher Nominated [20]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Olympia Dukakis Nominated
Best Original Screenplay John Patrick Shanley Nominated
Best Film Music Dick Hyman Nominated
David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Actress Cher Won
Best Foreign Screenplay John Patrick Shanley Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated [21]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nicolas Cage Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Cher Won
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Olympia Dukakis Won
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture John Patrick Shanley Nominated
Japan Academy Film Prize Outstanding Foreign Language Film Nominated
Jupiter Awards Best International Actress Cher Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Film Won [22]
Best Actress Cher Won
Best Supporting Actress Olympia Dukakis Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Won [23]
Best Screenplay John Patrick Shanley Runner-up
Nastro d'Argento Best Foreign Actress Cher Won
Best Female Dubbing Ludovica Modugno (for dubbing Cher) Won
National Board of Review Awards Best Supporting Actress Olympia Dukakis Won [24]
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Runner-up [25]
Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actress Cher Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen John Patrick Shanley Won [26]

In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Moonstruck was acknowledged as the eighth best film in the romantic comedy genre.[27][28] The film is also number 72 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies," and number 41 on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Influential film critic Roger Ebert entered the film to his "Great Movies" collection in June 2003.[33]

Home media

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Moonstruck was released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1988 following its theatrical release. It was released on DVD in 1998. It was released on Blu-ray by MGM on February 15, 2011.[34] The Criterion Collection released a remastered Blu-ray on November 17, 2020.[35]

Soundtrack

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Song Artist Notes
That's Amore Dean Martin Harry Warren, Jack Brooks
Canzone Per Loretta/Addio, Mulberry Street Jack Zaza (mandolin) Dick Hyman
Mr. Moon Dick Hyman
It Must Be Him Vikki Carr Gilbert Bécaud, Mack David, Maurice Vidalin
Old Man Mazurka Dominic Cortese (accordion) Dick Hyman
Lament for Johnny's Mama Dick Hyman
Che gelida manina Ed Bickert (guitar) Giacomo Puccini
Donde lieta uscì Renata Tebaldi Giacomo Puccini
Canzone Per Loretta Dick Hyman
O soave fanciulla Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Tebaldi Giacomo Puccini
Musetta's Waltz Moe Koffman (alto saxophone) Giacomo Puccini
Musetta's Entrance Nora Shulman (flute) Giacomo Puccini
La bohème (instrumental excerpts) Giacomo Puccini
(In Loretta's Bedroom) Gettin' Ready Moe Koffman (alto saxophone) Dick Hyman
Brooklyn Heights Stroll Dick Hyman
Beautiful Signorina Dick Hyman
Moonglow Eddie DeLange, Will Hudson, Irving Mills
Canzone Per Loretta Dominic Cortese (accordion) Dick Hyman
Gioventù mia, tu non sei morta (La bohème, act 2) Carlo Bergonzi, Cesare Siepi, Ettore Bastianini, Fernando Corena, Gianna D'Angelo, Renata Tebaldi, Renato Cesari Giacomo Puccini

Soundtrack references: [36][37]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b There is an error in the credits: that name has "gg", but in the film scene the name appears in the shop window, written as Cappomagi, with only one "g".

References

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  1. ^ "Box Office Information for Moonstruck". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  2. ^ Decristo, Matt Van (April 22, 2025). "'Moonstruck' Review: Simple Old School Romcom with Little in the way of Romance or Laughs". The Movie Buff.
  3. ^ Rechtshaffen, Michael (December 17, 2023). "'Moonstruck': THR's 1987 Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "Moonstruck". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "Moonstruck". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  6. ^ "UIP's $25M-Plus Club". Variety. September 11, 1995. p. 92.
  7. ^ "Moonstruck (1987) – History". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved July 10, 2024. Moonstruck opened in New York City, Toronto, and Los Angeles, CA, on 16 Dec 1987 to critical acclaim
  8. ^ "Moonstruck (1987)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  9. ^ "Moonstruck". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Critics' Choice". Time. April 4, 1988. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  12. ^ Ebert, Roger (January 15, 1988). "Review of Moonstruck". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 1999.
  13. ^ Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide
  14. ^ Gene Siskel (January 15, 1988). "Flick Of Week: Comedy Is King In 'Moonstruck'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  15. ^ "Ebert & Roeper and the movies - Best & Worst". June 5, 2001. Archived from the original on June 5, 2001. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  16. ^ "The 100 Best Acting Performances by Musicians in Movies". Billboard. October 4, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  17. ^ "The 60th Academy Awards (1988) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  18. ^ "Nominees/Winners". Casting Society of America. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  19. ^ "Berlinale: 1988 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  20. ^ "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1989". BAFTA. 1989. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  21. ^ "Moonstruck – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  22. ^ "KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89". kcfcc.org. December 14, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  23. ^ "The 13th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards". Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  24. ^ "1987 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  25. ^ "1987 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  26. ^ "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  27. ^ American Film Institute (June 17, 2008). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on August 18, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  28. ^ American Film Institute (June 17, 2008). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on June 19, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  29. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs" (PDF). American Film Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  30. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" (PDF). American Film Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  31. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes" (PDF). American Film Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 13, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  32. ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10: Top 10 Romantic Comedy". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  33. ^ Ebert, Roger (June 22, 2003). "Moonstruck". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  34. ^ "Blu-ray News and Reviews | High Def Digest". bluray.highdefdigest.com. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  35. ^ "Blu-ray News and Reviews | High Def Digest". bluray.highdefdigest.com. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  36. ^ "Moonstruck (1987)". IMDb.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  37. ^ "Moonstruck - Original Soundtrack - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
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