Under the Cherry Moon

Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

** (out of 4)

Christopher (Prince) and Tricky (Jerome Benton) are brothers working Miami Beach where they seduce women for their money. Their latest target is Mary (Kristin Scott Thomas), a woman who just turned twenty one and is about to inherit fifty million dollars. Tricky soon finds himself falling in love but the girl's rich father isn't going to go for their relationship.

UNDER THE CHERRY MOON was released to very little noise and it was pretty much forgotten the minute it hit theaters. I doubt many people in 1986 were wanting to see a B&W movie and I doubt even more that they wanted to see anything other than PURPLE RAIN 2. This film has gained a pretty bad reputation over the years but I honestly didn't find it to be that bad. Yes there are all sorts of problems but I thought there was still some good stuff as well.

For starters, the cinematography is downright beautiful and I thought it really captured a fairy tale like quality. The B&W images are perfectly used to highlight the beaches and the sexy locations. I also thought there were some rather funny moments scattered throughout the picture. As far as Prince goes, his acting had certainly gotten a little better since PURPLE RAIN. Benton is decent in his supporting role but I thought Kristin Scott Thomas and Steven Berkoff were quite good.

I'm going to guess that Prince wanted to do some sort of romantic drama that had the flare of the 1930s. This probably explains it being shot in B&W and they even name drop Bela Lugosi in the picture. The biggest problem with the movie is that the story itself is just way too predictable and I'd argue that there's really not any drama and the ending certainly doesn't hit like I'm sure Prince wanted it to. Still, there are much worse movies out there than this.

Yeah, I know I only gave this movie a 7, but the vote is a relative thing. Not everything can be a 10. If I were voting on the basis of genre, then definitely a 10. Anyways, I digress. Under the Cherry Moon is the finest movie Prince ever directed (and if you've seen the abysmal Graffiti Bridge, you know what I mean), and the fact that he took over from Mary Lambert (who went on to direct the ludicrously bad Pet Sematary)at the last minute, further proves my point. Prince and erstwhile sidekick Jerome Benton play a pair of hustlers who make no bones about their profession; in fact, the fun they have is so infectious, it seems to take all the sleaze out of it. Merrily they go along until Christopher (Prince) lays eyes on Kristin Scott-Thomas and goes completely ga-ga, forgetting altogether the pair's objective of swindling her out of her fortune. This is a fun movie, one that manages to evoke the feel of a 30s screwball comedy injected with a modern sensibility. The music is among Prince's finest (and most cohesive album-wise), and most rhythmically inventive. Don't rent this expecting to see a work of cinematic art; this is pure entertainment, plain and simple. If you're looking for something you can watch strictly for fun, check this one out. For those who have seen it and love as I do, I have two words for you: Wrecka Stow!

I first saw this when I was 9 years old, and I have to admit...even at that age, I knew a good movie when I saw one. And this was the best I ever saw at the time. Prince really gives a wonderful performance as the sensual gigolo Christopher Tracy. When he unexpectedly falls in love with rich heiress Mary Sharon, brilliantly played by Kristen Scott Thomas, thats when things start to get interesting. Key phrase: "WRECKA STOWE!!!"

This must be one of the most mocked films ever, widely considered a joke. I think it was Prince's narcissistic and effeminate character that bothered audiences. The film is undeniably silly, but good and quite effective, but with a quirky quality that pushes it into the cult realm. An example is the scene in which Tracy and Tricky (Prince and Jerome Benton) meet Tracy's refined love interest at a posh restaurant and grill her: "Where do you go if you want to get a Sam Cooke album?" Tricky holds up a sign reading "Wrecka Stow" and finally, writhing in discomfort, she gets it and reluctantly answers, "the record store." Believe it or not, the film is well put together, each scene memorable in its own way and a climax that might make you cry. I've never seen a film quite like it, because (like all cult movies), it takes place in a desirable alternate world - one in which gender and race boundaries are blurred.

I grew up watching Black and White romances with utterly charming leading men and hopelessly beautiful women who fall in love in a space and time that doesn't exist in the real world. I miss that element from modern movies. Although a tad bit inept as a film-maker, Prince more than adequately conveys mood, sensuality, humor, glamour, and plain fun in this HIGHLY stylized B&W movie. He captured the capriciousness of old B&W studio films that were totally star driven. He gets away with it all because HE IS PRINCE.

Prince fans hated with movie and album. For me, the reverse was true. It was this film and this soundtrack that turned me into a Prince fan. When I want a good laugh and a poignant cry, I pop in this movie and remember "sometimes it snows in April".