The Man in the Moon

For other uses, see Man in the Moon (disambiguation).

The Man in the Moon
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Mulligan
Produced by	Mark Rydell
Written by	Jenny Wingfield
Starring	Reese Witherspoon Jason London Sam Waterston Tess Harper Gail Strickland
Music by	James Newton Howard
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	October 4, 1991
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Man in the Moon is a 1991 American drama film, directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Sam Waterston, Reese Witherspoon and Jason London. It was Mulligan's last film and Waterston's last theatrical movie before he moved to Law & Order, as well as Witherspoon's first film.

Plot summary

In the summer of the 1950's, Dani (Reese Witherspoon) is a 14 year old girl whom according to her father is, "too big to be running off by herself." Dani and her older sister Maureen, (Emily Warfield) who is going off to school in the autumn, are very close. Maureen helps her mother take care of their younger sister, Missy, while their mother Abigail (Tess Harper) is pregnant in her ninth month with the Trant's fourth child. Dani however prefers to run off into the neighbor's pond to go swimming in the nude. It is here where she meets her new neighbor, seventeen year old Court Foster (Jason London). Court kicks Dani out of his pond. When Dani goes home, her mother tells her to wash up because an old friend of Mr and Mrs Trant's are coming for dinner with their children. Dani reluctantly showers up and puts on her Sunday's best clothes.

The Trant's old friend, turns out to be a widower, Mrs Foster (Gail Strickland) with her three sons Court, and young twin boys (Derek and Spencer Ball). When Dani realizes who Court is, the two dislike each other. Court calls Dani "a little girl". When Dani's father (Sam Waterston) tells Dani to accompany Court into town for groceries, Dani and Court drive into town and start to get along. Dani finally realizes that she is in love with Court.

Meanwhile, Maureen that same night goes on a date to a dance with her boyfriend Billy Sanders (Bentley Mitchum) and his parents. Billy's father, (Ernie Lively) makes several advances to Maureen, especially when he dances with her. Maureen and Billy leave the dance, and she orders him to take her home. Billy however, would rather park his car and have sex with Maureen. Maureen gets angry and agrees to break up with Billy because she believes "love should be beautiful".

The next day, Dani asks Maureen for advice on how to kiss a boy. Maureen demonstrates by practicing on her fist. Dani and Court continue to go swimming during the hot sunny days and become very close friends. One day, the two agree to meet to go swimming at night, since Court has too much work to do during the day working on the family farm. Dani sneaks off and swims with Court until they reach the point where they are about to kiss. Court pushes Dani away, causing Dani to question him what she did wrong. Court asks if she has ever been kissed before. Dani lies and says she has lots of times. Court gets angry and says she is a little girl that doesn't know what she's doing, and runs off home. Dani leaves too just as a thunderstorm is breaking out. Abigail wakes up, knowing Dani isn't in the home, and runs outside looking for her. Just as Dani gets home, and runs to her mother, her mother also runs and trips on a root onto her stomach. Dani's father races her to the hospital, where it turns out instead of fighting off poison, she is collecting it. When her father returns home from the hospital, he beats Dani with his belt.

The next day, Court brings food to the Trant house and apologizes to Dani for the other night. Dani, still hurt just ignores him at first, until Court says he would still like to be friends. The two continue their friendship and still go swimming in the pond. The next time they go swimming, they play fight and come to the point once again when Court is about to kiss Dani. He pushes her away again. The two eventually share their first kiss.

Once Dani has made up with her father, he tells Dani to invite Court over once in a while to know him better. When Court comes over for dinner, he finally meets Maureen. Dani can tell it is love at first sight for the two. While Dani visits her mother in the hospital before she finally gives birth to another daughter, Court comes over to the Trant house and kisses Maureen.

Over the next few days, Dani is getting pushed away by Court. And when the whole family except Maureen, visits Abigail at the hospital. Court and Maureen have their first date and claim their love for each other. When the Trants arrive home with Abigail and the new baby, Maureen is no where to be found. She is actually at the Foster's in the fields making love with Court behind some trees. When Maureen leaves for home, Court goes back to plowing the fields and falls off the machine, and is badly injured. Dani sees this, and races home to tell her father.

When Matthew returns home, he has some of Court's blood on his clothes and the whole family realizes that Court has died. Maureen hides her pain at first, while Dani bursts into tears.

After Court's funeral, Dani continues to be angry at Maureen knowing what happened between her and Court. Dani tells her sister she doesn't want to be close anymore. Matthew tells his daughter while on a fishing trip,although she has a right to be hurt, being mad won't bring Court back, and Maureen will be her sister for life. Dani goes home and comforts Maureen while she is still grieving.

The movie ends with Maureen and Dani talking outside on the porch at night, becoming close again.

Cast

Actor	Role
Sam Waterston	Matthew Trant
Tess Harper	Abigail Trant
Gail Strickland	Marie Foster
Reese Witherspoon	Dani Trant
Jason London	Court Foster
Emily Warfield	Maureen Trant
Bentley Mitchum	Billy Sanders
Ernie Lively	Will Sanders
Dennis Letts	Doc White
Earleen Bergeron	Eileen Sanders
Anna Chappell	Mrs. Taylor
Brandi Smith	Missy Trant
Derek Ball	Foster Twin
Spencer Ball	Foster Twin
Patrick Hallisy	Jude Davinc

See also

• Man in the Moon

External links

• The Man in the Moon at the Internet Movie Database
• The Man in the Moon at AllRovi
• The Man in the Moon at Rotten Tomatoes
• Roger Ebert's four-star review of the film