The Man in the Moon 1991

     The setting of this film is in rural Louisiana in the summer of 1957.  Dani Trant is 14 years old and she lives in a farmhouse on acreage outside a small country town.  She lives with her parents Matthew and Abigail plus her sisters, 17 year-old Maureen and her younger sister Missy.  Dani is supposed to be helping her mother because she’s having another baby.  Dani likes to swim in the lake near her house on another property.  She’s surprised when Court Foster comes to swim while she’s there.  She tells him he needs to leave because this isn't his property.  He explains he’s moved back to the farm with his widowed mother Marie and his two younger brothers.  Dani’s in love with Court, everything changes about her and she even takes down her wall dedicated to Elvis Presley.  Surprises are in store for Dani, her family and the Foster family.

     This is the first time Dani has ever been in love!!  She’s never even thought about it before?  There is something about Court that draws her to him.  He likes Dani but he’s not sure since he is three years older.  His family is struggling living back on the farm since his father passed away.  He has to run the tractor and do a lot of the work.  He feels like he doesn’t have any time for fun.  Maureen is going to college but she's not sure what she wants to do with her life?  4* (I really liked this movie) 

99 min, Drama directed by Robert Mulligan with Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Gail Strickland, Reese Witherspoon, Jason London, Emily Warfield, Bentley Mitchum, Ernie Lively, Dennis Letts, Earleen Bergeron.

Note:  Imdb 7.4 out of 10, 89% critic 85% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 539 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Kisatchie, Natchitoches and Robeline, Louisiana.  Reese Witherspoon answered an open casting call in Nashville, Tennessee for extras.  She debuted as the lead and she was 14 years old.  The staff of this production had a difficult time casting extras.  The producers of Steel Magnolias treated a lot of the local people badly three years earlier in 1989.  Jason London has a twin brother Jeremy and he filled in for some of the scenes.  Natchitoches is the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Territory.