Racing with the Moon (1984) PG - 3½ Stars

Wait till you see how young Sean Penn and Nicholas Cage are in this movie. Set in 1942, two young men are about to go to war and plan on seeking as much fun, romance and adventure they can cram in before they leave. Not a huge thriller movie, just a coming of age story about the innocence of life.

It's 1942 and have just six short weeks before Henry "Hopper" Nash (Sean Penn), and his friend Nicky (Nicolas Cage), will become Marines and serve their country in World War II. The two are set to have some fun and a little romance before they leave. Hopper notices one girl in particular, Caddie Winger (Elizabeth McGovern), that he can't keep his eyes off of. He's especially attracted to her as he believes she is from money based on where she is living. Their relationship develops into a true romantic encounter.

Meanwhile, the always mischievous Nicky, gets his girlfriend Sally Kaiser (Suzanne Adkinson), pregnant and without the funds to pay for an abortion, he turns to Hopper for money. When Hopper can't produce, he forces her to involve Caddie to borrow money from her wealthy family. All of their relationships will be tested as well as the friendship between the two boys before they go off to war.

Paramount Pictures
Director: Richard Benjamin
Writer: Steve Kloves
Producers: Sherry Lansing, Stanley Jaffe, Alain Bernheim

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