This movie was filmed in and around Mendicino, California. Beautiful part of the States. We had the good fortune of spending a long weekend there just a few years after this movie was made, when the area still looked the same. It brought back good memories.
Sean Penn carries this movie as Henry, the fairly serious young man about to complete high school. One day his eye is caught by a new girl in town, the pretty Caddie (Elizabeth McGovern), whom he watches from afar, as she works at the movie house ticket booth, occasionally paying a young boy a few cents to deliver a simple flower to her. This is a "coming of age" story of these boys and girls. There appears to be good "chemistry" between Penn and McGovern, and in fact they became engaged as a result of making this movie together.
Note: The DVD package says this is a "PG" movie, but there is some off-color language and a scene with brief male and female nudity. It didn't bother me at all, but it seems that PG-13 would be more appropriate.
SPOILERS: One evening late, after the ticket booth closed, Caddie came across the street for a piece of pie, which Henry sold her even though he didn't work there. Then he followed her home, by jumping onto the outside of the bus (he was experienced, having jumped on moving trains many times, for fun). He discovers that she lives in a very nice estate, assumes she is of a wealthy family, refers to her as a "gatsby". But her mother is the maid for the wealthy family.Regardless, Henry and Caddie become close, fall in love. She finds out he is an accomplished pianist. "How did you learn to play so well?" he responds simply, "Lessons." His mother wanted him to be in Carnegie Hall, but he had no interest.
Nicolas Cage is Henry's irresponsible sidekick, gets his girl pregnant, they seek an abortion. In an interesting casting, Crispin Glover plays a "Gatsby Boy", who taunts Henry by throwing his bowling ball before Henry, the pinsetter, gets his feet up and out of harm's way. So Henry runs over and punches him. This was a couple of years before Glover was George McFly in "Back to the Future."
Sean Penn carries this movie as Henry, the fairly serious young man about to complete high school. One day his eye is caught by a new girl in town, the pretty Caddie (Elizabeth McGovern), whom he watches from afar, as she works at the movie house ticket booth, occasionally paying a young boy a few cents to deliver a simple flower to her. This is a "coming of age" story of these boys and girls. There appears to be good "chemistry" between Penn and McGovern, and in fact they became engaged as a result of making this movie together.
Note: The DVD package says this is a "PG" movie, but there is some off-color language and a scene with brief male and female nudity. It didn't bother me at all, but it seems that PG-13 would be more appropriate.
SPOILERS: One evening late, after the ticket booth closed, Caddie came across the street for a piece of pie, which Henry sold her even though he didn't work there. Then he followed her home, by jumping onto the outside of the bus (he was experienced, having jumped on moving trains many times, for fun). He discovers that she lives in a very nice estate, assumes she is of a wealthy family, refers to her as a "gatsby". But her mother is the maid for the wealthy family.Regardless, Henry and Caddie become close, fall in love. She finds out he is an accomplished pianist. "How did you learn to play so well?" he responds simply, "Lessons." His mother wanted him to be in Carnegie Hall, but he had no interest.
Nicolas Cage is Henry's irresponsible sidekick, gets his girl pregnant, they seek an abortion. In an interesting casting, Crispin Glover plays a "Gatsby Boy", who taunts Henry by throwing his bowling ball before Henry, the pinsetter, gets his feet up and out of harm's way. So Henry runs over and punches him. This was a couple of years before Glover was George McFly in "Back to the Future."