Under the Cherry Moon

 

Under the Cherry Moon 1986

• Director: Prince
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Prince, Jerome Benton, Kristin Scott Thomas, Steven Burkoff, Victor Spinetti
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Prince – Purple Rain
• Jerome Benton – Purple Rain
• Kristin Scott Thomas – My Old Lady, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Contre toi, Elle s’appelait Sarah, Nowhere Boy, The Other Boleyn Girl, Il y a longtemps que je t’aime, Keeping Mum, Man to Man, Gosford Park, The English Patient, Richard III, Angels and Insects, Four Weddings and a Funeral, A Handful of Dust
• Steven Burkoff - Doctor Who, The Tourist, At World’s End, Absolute Beginners, A Clockwork Orange
• Victor Spinetti – Magical Mystery Tour, The Taming of the Shrew, HELP!, A Hard Day’s Night
• Why? Prince
• Seen:  13 October 2022      

       When you’re as talented, weird, pretty, rich and big-headed as Prince, you can make a film like this and get away with it.

       Christopher (Prince) is a piano bar hustler of rich women in Nice and he sets his eye on zillionaire heiress Mary (Scott Thomas – introducing???? Indeed, it’s her first film!).

       That’s about it.

       The film has a terrible reputation. It’s won any number of ‘worst film/actor/ etc’ awards, so I’m not expecting much. But, well, it’s Prince and while I’m not a devoted fan, it must be admitted that he’s fascinating.

       To my surprise, I’m enjoying it tremendously. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, audacious, irreverent but loving homage to old musical romantic comedies. It’s funny and a bit touching. Despite the phoniness there are sparks between Prince and Scott Thomas.

       And it’s in so-not-Purple-Rain black and white, a bold and successful choice.

       Of course, it’s ridiculous. So what? 

4* of 5