Racing with the Moon

It's 1942. Henry 'Hopper' Nash (Sean Penn) and Nicky (Nicolas Cage) are small town best friends drafted into the Marines. With deployment weeks away, they work at the local bowling alley setting pins and chase girls. Hopper is infatuated with rich newcomer Caddie Winger (Elizabeth McGovern) but she's secretly the maid's daughter. Nicky gets Sally Kaiser pregnant and needs $150 for the abortion. Hopper and Nicky get beaten by Navy sailors after trying to hustle them playing pool. Hopper asks Caddie for the money.

The first half is a slow coming-of-age romance. The second half takes some more intense turns. The problem is that Sally don't have much screen time before then. The movie doesn't invest that much in her plight. This is about Hopper and Caddie. Ultimately, it's a device to get at their own story. It's nice to see these great actors in their youth and there is a bitter sweet romance here.

If you like the romance movies this one is the one. It is smart in a nice way and its dramatic. It takes place in 1940s. Elizabeth McGovern is great, Nicolas Cage, And Sean Penn. :):):):):):) I dont know why they call it racing with the moon. watch it!!!!

"Racing with the Moon" (1984): Richard Benjamin directed Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage, Elizabeth McGovern, Crispen Glover, Carol Kane, Michael Madsen, Dana Carvey - the list goes on - in this "showcase" film, where lots of talent received a major boost. Set in 1942, only weeks before two best friends ship out with the Marines for World War II, we share intimate, funny, pathetic, sad, frightening, and ambivalent moments with flawed people you really come to believe you know, and deep down just have to like. This is a bittersweet, not sugary, nor hopeless story. It's believable, with the mixed emotions, set in that confusing, frozen summer between child and adulthood. Scoring is appropriate, photography is somewhat contrived in spots, but that's the 80's for you. The "truth" of the story, and the talented actors are why you will appreciate "Racing with the Moon".

In the Christmas of 1942, in Point Muir, California, the seventeen years-old Henry "Hopper" Nash (Sean Penn) is the best friend of the reckless Nicky (Nicolas Cage), who dates the local Sally Kaiser (Suzanne Adkinson). Henry and Nicky have enlisted themselves in the U.S. Marines and they are waiting to be summoned to travel very soon.

When Henry sees the gorgeous Caddie Winger (Elizabeth McGovern), he has a crush on her and follows Caddie to find where she lives. He discovers that her address is a fancy manor on the top of the hill and Henry believes she is a wealthy teenager while she is actually the daughter of the maid.

Sooner Caddie and Henry date each other and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile Sally gets pregnant and Nicky needs a large amount for an abortion. They try to raise the money and when Nicky is desperate, he takes an attitude that will test his friendship with Henry.

"Racing with the Moon" is a sensitive and wonderful coming of age story. This film is the second feature of Richard Benjamin that shows an excellent work of direction giving the right doses of drama, romance and humor to the story.

Sean Peen and Nicholas Cage give credibility to their irresponsible characters and the lovely Elizabeth McGovern is so beautiful that mesmerizes when the camera shows her beautiful face and eyes. The costumes and art direction are also fantastic and only yesterday I saw this film for the first time on DVD. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Adeus à Inocência" ("Farewell to the Innocence")

We never get to see the two main characters in the movie go to War. This world war 3 setting coming of age drama is not so much about the war over in Japan but the war on the home front. Growing up in 1943 in small town California, searching for love and meaning. Sean Penn is great in his role. Even more, Nicolas Cage is better as his close friend and side kick. Whether for comic relief of ream moments of edgy drama, Cage delivers. Also, a surprise in the movie is the performance of Elizabeth McGovern who is always beautiful. The three quickly discover life as they grow up before the two boys are shipped out to the Pacific. Michael Madsen and Crispin Glover pop into the movie with small roles. A nice movie, I wasn't expecting much until the movie started. It is a guarantee crowd pleaser.