Search - Racing With the Moon

Sean Penn graduated to full stardom with the 1984 drama Racing with the Moon, even though the film itself hardly set new box office records. Set in the early years of World War II, the film stars Penn as a small-town teen-aged hotshot, six weeks away from being shipped out to fight overseas. In the meantime, Penn begins to date Elizabeth McGovern, whom he assumes is from a wealthy family. Penn's pal Nicolas Cage, who's gotten his girlfriend Suzanne Adkinson pregnant, imposes upon Penn to hit up McGovern for the abortion money. That's when Penn discovers that the girl barely has a penny to her name. Convinced that Penn cared for her only when he thought she was rich, McGovern walks out on him, but later teams up with Penn to help the unfortunate Adkinson. The plot is pure James Dean, a fact not lost on fans who regarded Sean Penn as the second coming of Dean. A very slight piece, Racing With the Moon is buoyed by the engaging performances of the stars, and by director Richard Benjamin's meticulous attention to period detail-especially in those peerless bowling-alley and skating-rink sequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sean Penn - Henry "Hopper" Nash
Elizabeth McGovern - Caddie Winger
Nicolas Cage - Nicky
John Karlen - Mr. Nash
Rutanya Alda - Mrs. Nash

These movies have the touch and feel of Racing With the Moon...
53	Benny and Joon (PG)
6	Miss Firecracker (PG)
7	Starting Over (R)
7	Same Time, Next Year (PG)
37	Honeymoon in Vegas (PG-13)
20	Summer Rental [Widescreen] (PG)
14	The Goodbye Girl (PG)
79	A River Runs Through It [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG)
21	Straight Talk (PG)
2	Something Short of Paradise (PG)
51	Roxanne [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG)
4	The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (PG)
These movies have the subject or theme of Racing With the Moon...
2	A Little Romance (PG)
6	Splendor in the Grass (NR)
89	Stand by Me (R)
7	Breaking Away (PG)
5	Rambling Rose [Special Edition] (R)
8	The Last Picture Show [Special Edition] (R)
17	My Own Private Idaho [Criterion Collection] (R)
21	Empire of the Sun (PG)
13	Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (PG-13)
3	The Americanization of Emily (NR)
127	Dirty Dancing (PG-13)
3	Hope and Glory (PG-13)
2	Wish You Were Here (R)
78	Say Anything (PG-13)
74	Pretty in Pink (PG-13)
31	The Graduate (PG)
12	The Flamingo Kid (PG-13)
These movies share cast/crew with Racing With the Moon...
14	Wild at Heart [Special Edition] (R)
9	Shanghai Surprise (PG-13)
23	Annie Hall (PG)
171	The Princess Bride (PG)
1	Goodbye, Columbus (PG)
68	Raising Arizona (PG-13)
5	The Last Detail (R)
2	Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (R)
8	The Crossing Guard (R)
26	Taps (PG)
60	Moonstruck (PG)
7	Little Nikita (PG)
39	Casualties of War (R)
10	State of Grace (R)
53	Peggy Sue Got Married [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG-13)
36	The Money Pit (PG)
36	Mermaids (PG-13)
1	In the Soup (R)
37	Honeymoon in Vegas (PG-13)
1	Hester Street
These movies are similar to Racing With the Moon...
9	East of Eden (PG)
1	Everytime We Say Goodbye (PG-13)
12	The Flamingo Kid (PG-13)
8	The Last Picture Show [Special Edition] (R)
2	Liar's Moon (PG)
15	Places in the Heart (PG)
79	A River Runs Through It [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG)
6	Splendor in the Grass (NR)
14	Stealing Home (PG-13)
5	Summer of '42 (PG)
30	The Man in the Moon (PG-13)
43	In Love and War [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG-13)
S	Going All the Way (R)
38	Inventing the Abbotts (R)
59	The Cider House Rules (PG-13)
17	Snow Falling on Cedars (PG-13)
70	Riding in Cars With Boys (PG-13)
S	The Rising Place (PG-13)
141	The Notebook (PG-13)
4	Fresh Horses (PG-13)
23	Evening [Widescreen] (PG-13)