Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1987 | 102 mins. | PG
Director Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck is considered a romantic comedy classic by many. Released in 1987, the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) mixes various storylines well, never giving any one plot thread or character short shrift. Shanley may not be Italian, but he accurately captures the dynamics of a traditional Italian family. There are three generations of the same family under the same roof. We watch their various interactions and realize that while their relationships have difficulties and complexities, love binds them all.
Loretta Castorini (Cher) is a 37-year-old widow. She lives at home with Rose (Olympia Dukakis) and father Cosmo (Vincent Gardenia) and grandfather, played by Italian treasure Feodor Chaliapin. Seven years earlier her husband died in a freak bus accident, before they could start a family. Long-time acquaintance Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello) has asked her to marry him. Though she doesn’t love him, she’s determined to make things work. She tells her parents who are anything but thrilled; still, her mother Rose (Olympia Dukakis) sees the situation the same way as Loretta.
Not long afterward, Johnny must return to his mother’s death-bed in Italy. Before leaving, Johnny asks Loretta to invite his estranged brother younger brother Ronny (Nicholas Cage) to the wedding. Ronny still blames his brother for the loss of his hand—and, consequently, the love of his life. Naturally, he’s not eager to attend the wedding. Loretta is persistent, visiting the family’s bakery to try to change his mind. Ronny has a bigger than life personality. Brimming with passions both good and bad, Ronny is the type of person who does everything 100%.
On the hand, Loretta is a bit of a wallflower. Johnny’s passionate approach to life awakes something in Loretta, and she finds herself attracted to him. It is immediately obvious that these two people are meant to be together. However, before we get to the inevitable conclusion, we’ll have a beauty salon makeover, Puccini’s “La Bohême” and a tense and awkward breakfast with the whole gang around the kitchen table.
Some of the subplots add interesting points to the film. Loretta’s father is cheating on Rose with a woman who makes him feel younger, while her aunt and uncle are still in love after decades together. Meanwhile a regular customer (John Mahoney) at the family’s favorite restaurant keeps getting drinks thrown in his face by his much younger dates. Rose has her own opportunity for an affair, though ultimately she just wants to know why men feel compelled to do it. All of these situations provide interesting glimpses at different types of relationships.
The strength of the Moonstruck script is matched by the quality of the cast. Olympia Dukakis is excellent as the longsuffering wife. A young Nicholas Cage shows flashes of the acting chops that would win him an Oscar in 1995. Cher effectively portrays a no-nonsense woman, reticent about falling in love again. The peripheral players may only have a handful of scenes but round out the sometimes-quirky, Italian American flavor.
The film is accurately framed at 1.85:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. Detail varies, and the black levels range from overly inky to under-saturated. Having said that, this isn’t a bad transfer, it just looks like not much was done to improve it. This is definitely better than the DVD release, but it’s not top notch.
Dialogue in the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix is consistently clear and intelligible. Surround activity is limited to support for the score and an occasional environmental effect, but is balanced with the rest of the speaker array. Low frequency effects are non-existent, but there is some depth and fullness.
We get the following special features:
Commentary with Cher, Director Norman Jewison and Writer John Patrick Shanley: Participants were recorded separately and parts were edited together to match events on the screen. The information is plentiful, containing a nice mix of anecdotes, thoughts on the script and background about the making of the film.
Moonstruck: At the Heart of An Italian Family (25:30, SD): Members of the cast and crew provide history of the film, covering the genesis of the script, casting process, Academy Award memories, and candid interviews with different Italian American couples. The majority of the cast and crew interviews were recorded in 2006, with the notable exceptions of Nicolas Cage’s and Cher’s coming from promotional material from 1987.
Pasta to Pastries: The Art of Fine Italian Food (30:07, SD)
Intro (1:40): Host Mark DeCarlo introduces the program, and then takes viewers on a tour of Little Italy.
Grotta Azzurra Restaurant (18:49): Executive Chef Elvin Molina cooks a typical Italian meal of Spedini ala Romanna, Bucatini Amatriciana, and Lamb ala Elvin (his personal recipe).
Italian Food Center (2:32): DeCarlo visits an Italian market and samples some items from its deli.
Ferrara Pastries (2:29): DeCarlo stops by Ferrara’s to sample cannoli.
Pimonte Ravioli Co. (2:08): DeCarlo visits a major pasta supplier for Little Italy restaurants; however cameras were denied access to the top secret ravioli making area.
Gelato Stand (1:03): DeCarlo samples some gelato from a street vendor.
Florio’s Restaurant (1:25): DeCarlo takes a brief look in the restaurant’s kitchen.
Music of Moonstruck (6:24, SD): Interviews with composer Dick Hyman, screenwriter John Patrick Shanley and director Norman Jewison about the parallels and allusions to Puccini’s “La Bohême” and operatic themes used in the score.
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