Pass the Popcorn: A Special Screening of ‘Moonstruck’

February 13th, 2025

Music weaves itself into the fabric of daily life, underscoring everything from morning routines to life’s most memorable moments. It’s the song played at senior prom, the tune that recalls a cherished friendship, or the melody shared in a first dance at a wedding.

Few films capture the deep connection between music and romance as effectively as Moonstruck, the 1987 classic starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. The film will screen at the Ruth Sokolof Theater inside the Dundee Theater on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. as part of Film Streams’ Valentine’s Day programming.

Cher stars as Loretta Castorini, a pragmatic woman whose carefully planned life is disrupted when she falls for her fiancé’s passionate and brooding brother, Ronny, played by Cage. The film, which won three Academy Awards—including Best Actress for Cher, Best Supporting Actress for Olympia Dukakis, and Best Original Screenplay for John Patrick Shanley—is known for its warmth, humor, and poetic storytelling.

The soundtrack is integral to the film’s charm, blending soaring opera ballads, traditional Italian music, and romantic standards to heighten the emotion of each scene. One of the film’s most striking moments unfolds at the opera when Loretta experiences Puccini’s La Bohème for the first time. At intermission, she admits she doesn’t understand the story, but as the music swells during “O soave fanciulla,” the message becomes clear—love needs no translation. Overcome with emotion, she sits in quiet understanding as Ronny tenderly kisses her hand, marking a turning point in their relationship.

Music has a way of articulating what words often cannot, making it an essential part of great love stories—on screen and in real life.

Whether celebrating Valentine’s Day with a partner, friends, or solo, Moonstruck offers a timeless and heartfelt cinematic experience. More information about the screening and Film Streams’ programming can be found at FilmStreams.org.

For KVNO Arts Today, Marie Schuett.