Is this film about Italian Americans?
Or is it about "DESIRE"?
One of the most fundamental drives of humans, "desire" is seldom considered and even referred to in explaining behavior. What if "being in touch with your own feelings" were only knowing what your desires are? And then: what's wrong in trying to fulfill them?
COMMENT
Can Moonstruck be seen as a complex film, or is it just mildly entertaining escapism that exploits harmless stereotypes?
Next paragraph: what did you get, out of it? What is the 'message' that you heard?
REPLY to a meaningful and insightful comment that talks about something you had not thought about.
I didn't really see the movie as being about Italians as much as I saw it as being about "desire." I think that Moonstruck can be looked at as a complex film that explains what essentially happens to a person when they experience that desire. It also touches on what that person will do fulfill those desires.
ReplyDeleteThe message I received from the film was that not every desire is necessarily negative and even if it is, the result/consequences aren't always necessarily negative either. For example, when Loretta cheated on her fiancè,Johnny,though acting on the desire was definitely not an admirable thing to do, she actually benefited from it. This however, doesn't mean that what she and Ronny took part in was right. What I also took from the film was that ones desires and ones need to fulfill those desires, often trump the need to avoid hurting another person's feelings by neglecting those desires.
While watching the movie I thought the same thing. As the movie ended and I reflected on it, I thought even though this movie is about love, why were they Italian American if it wasn’t trying to make a point.
DeleteHi Amanda,
DeleteAs I tend to agree with most of your thoughts on Moonstruck I disagree with one thing and that's when you said not every desire is necessarily negative because when people tend to desire for something it's beneficial to them and maybe not others.
I believe that Moonstruck is a movie with two main themes, first being love and desire and the second being Italian American culture. As much as this movie is about desire, this movie is also about Italian Americans.
ReplyDeleteThe message I got out of the movie was that desire, is ultimately right, even when it morally seems wrong. The other thing that I got out of the movie was that one Italian American stereotype is that they are romantic and all about family. In Moonstruck family ends up being more important to the characters than morals. Moonstruck and La Boheme both have the theme of desire over all else.
I found that at the end of the film I was left wondering why the film focused so much on Italian Americans, it’s a love film that could have existed without the Italian American background, and I wonder why that became such a big plot point. It also like many films didn’t use an Italian American actress to play Loretta which seems like a peculiar choice since the movie is about desire and the lives of Italian Americans living in Brooklyn.
I definitely believe that Moonstruck can be a very complex film, as a film student I also know that every part of a film is done on purpose which means that the Italian American part of the film has a purpose.
Looking back at the movie I can see how the background of the family being Italian American could have possibly played a role. Maybe it is because Italian Americans are believed to be passionate. That could be a possibility as to why the characters were written to be Italian.
DeleteTrue, even though, Loretta's actions were morally wrong they brought her to a better ending. And I believe they chose the characters to be Italian Americans because they are considered to pursue desires above duties and are also considered very family oriented. Both these stereotypes are essential for the plot of the movie.
DeleteI agree with your points about the movie being mostly about desire and love, more so than about Italian Americans, and i truly didn't see the point of it being an Italian American until the end when i really thought about i tended to come to the conclusion of the stereotype of Italian Americans being compassionate, emotional.
DeleteI believe this movie is more about desire, there is nothing wrong with being in touch with your own feelings and knowing what you want and trying to fulfill them. Without fulfilling your desires you won't feel any satisfaction in life. Moonstruck can be seen as a complex film because there is too many family/relationship problems.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got out of this film was that you should follow your desires so that it does not cause controversy. The message I got out of this film was that sometimes your desire can lead you to become selfish and irrational.
Hi Annie,
DeleteYou are very right that there is nothing wrong with staying in touch with your feelings as I think it bring the rational to our life.
But I disagree with you desire can lead to selfish behavior. In this case love can happen to anyone for anyone at anytime. As humans we are all evolving. Thanks for the great post.
I had not thought about the satisfaction aspect of life. I agree with you in terms of people need to fulfill their dreams so they can be satisfied with their life. I feel that it is very important, like you, to strive to that satisfaction. Without satisfaction there is no life.
DeleteI think the Moonstruck is definitely about desire and love. But it’s based in the American culture in which the Italians are living. One must be in touch with their own feelings. It is a safe side and it doesn’t really mean that one should hurt others in any way.
ReplyDeleteI think Moon struck should be seen as a complex movie. It is a movie about desire, passion and love. In a romantic-comedy film, it is related to our life experiences. Anyone can relate to it and things happen of this sort. So I think there is nothing so complex about the movie.
The message that I got is that always stay in touch with your feeling and believe what makes you happy.
I understand your point on that Moonstruck was a complex movie because it is focusing on desire, passion and love. I like what you said - that people can relate to the movie and some of the things that happened.
DeleteMy best definition for love is that it is a feeling of happiness. In addition, love is about being with family and friends and sharing special moments. so in Moonstruck it is all about desire,because they all want to be loved and pleased. it is a romantic- comedy of a tight knit community, that shows feelings and how our feelings represent us. from the moment that Loretta got engaged, everything was a roller coastal for her. She loved Ronny for whom he is but only liked Johnny because every decision he made was about his mother wellness. the message that i got from this movie is that do whatever make you happy.
ReplyDeleteThe main theme of the film was desire but one thing we must not forget is that desire is also highly associated with Italians. One of the many stereotypes about Italians is that they pursue their desires. Often when I search Italians articles like “Why Italians are the best lovers” and “Reasons you shouldn’t date Italian men” come up. So although the movie was about love, it did not lack in Italian American stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteI think being in touch with your feelings is knowing what your desires are and it is only natural and understandable that we try to fulfill them. As long as our are not fulfilled desires through unlawful means, I think we should fulfill them. However, if we are willing to go to any extent to fulfill our desires, or if we are neglecting duties and chasing desires, then that is wrong.
In my opinion “Moonstruck” was not a complex film. Though enjoyable, it was simply another love story running on clichés and stereotypes. The characters of Loretta’s mother and father however, I found complex and interesting. The way Cosmo was having an affair with a woman he clearly didn’t have feelings for, and Rose searching for the answer of male nature, why they chase women; these aspects of the film do make you think. I was personally more intrested in the storyline of these two characters than the main ones.
The message I got from the film was to always follow your heart and remember to value family above everything else, because they are the ones who will always be there for you. Family was actually one of the main focuses in the entire movie.
In my answer I forgot to address the secondary plot going on with Cosmo and Rose, and you covered it very well. I felt that Rose's efforts to understand women helped provide an opposite to Loretta's behavior with Johnny and Ronny.
DeleteI hadn't thought of that coinciding with Italian Americans before; the fact that they love so deeply. I would say that this belief is more of a stereotype than fact, because I feel like there are many people who are in touch with their emotions and it isn't solely associated with Italian Americans only. Interesting insight though.
DeleteI view this film as being more of a desire than about Italian Americas. It was very hard to be able to tell that it was a movie depicting Italian Americans; almost immediately I was able to understand that it was desire. This burning desire is portrayed throughout the rest of the film in different contexts with different people. If “being in touch with your own feelings,” meant knowing what our desires were, we would be able to grasp our desires better. We would understand more of what we truly desire since we feel it on a personal level. Trying to fulfill these desire poses the problem of getting stuck trying to fulfill them to their fullest. We strive to make sure that these desires are perfect in every way, which may put us at risk for striving to achieve to much; leaving out important aspects.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that the movie Moonstruck is just a mildly entertaining film that exploits harmless stereotypes. There is no complex aspect of this film; except maybe for a child who would not understand why people would have an affair. As adults, we are able to understand that this is a comedic relief for the challenges of life.
The message that I got out of this movie was that not everything ends up how you thought it would. One minute you can want and desire a certain aspect, which can take a different turn the next. Life throws unexpected turns at us that we must be willing to face and hope to overcome.
Michal,
DeleteI did not consider your point of view. You have a very valid point. You state that "Moon Struck" is seen as a comic relief for the challenges of life. Now that I reflect on this I can see this too and not just a breakdown of the Italian culture and stereotypes.
The main theme of this film was definitely to me about desire, and love. it took me all the way to the end of the movie to actually realize and understand the deeper meaning of why it is an Italian American film. I truly feel and think that the movie was just an entertaining love movie, that even though was very complex and an Italian American Film, it portrayed harmless stereotypes. The complexity was just not understanding the affair but the meaning behind it, what lead to it and how it got to that point understanding the meaning of desire, love, and the feeling that you can't be happy anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe message i got from the movie is that you can't hide from your desires, your true emotions, and that even when you loose hope in love don't give up, and to make rational decisions, not to rush into things for example the marriage when she clearly didn't love him.
I did not think this film was about Italian Americans because it was not focusing on the actors culture, but was concentrated on the the emotional relationships each person had. I believe that desire deals with what a person wants and if someone has a desire for something, they strive for it. I don’t think that being in touch with your own feelings only makes you know what your true desires are because having a feeling for something is different than desiring something. One can feel for something but live without it, however, having a desire for something makes one want to keep fighting to get that thing until one actually receive what it is one desires. Trying to fulfill our desires does not always make others around us pleased. Fulfilling a desire can get others hurt and feel betrayed just like in the film Moonstruck. Loretta felt like she was betraying Jonny by being with his brother.
ReplyDeleteMoonstruck can be seen as a complex film because there are many relationship and family issues that had to be dealt with. Also, the message I got out of the movie was that our desires can makes one feel emotional but it is important to stay true to ourselves and to others even if that means hurting close ones.
I feel that the movie was a balance between Italian American culture and desire. The movie had a strong focus on how desire should not be avoided, as Loretta benefited from her desires in the long run. However, much of the behavior is reflected through their culture. They mention the importance of marriage and reinforce the trouble of bad luck throughout the film. It rarely affects the sequence of events, but its still something that is established in the film.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from the film was an alternate look on the effects desires have on people. Normally, I'd expect the desires to blow up in their faces, especially after keeping it hidden. Instead, it worked out for everyone involved, almost as if it were a happy ending. The message that I got was to stay true to oneself, because the outcome can be surprising.
The movie highlights the Italian-American culture and desire. I do not think it highlights just one. It shares the positive stereotypes and the desire the Italian Americans have for each other. The movie shows the importance journey. Personally, I think desires make one fight for what they want and need. I am not speaking of physical desires, but rather emotional desires such as feelings.
ReplyDeleteThe movie showed me that you need to listen to your desires, or those emotions. Emotional regulation is so important for not only yourself, but for taking care of others. I believe you can not take care of others if you do not take care of yourself first.
Ashley, I agree with you that the film doesn't highlight just one of those things. I did not think of that lesson when watching the film, to listen into your desires and emotions. I think that is a good point as well.
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ReplyDeletePersonally, I saw the film was more about desire than the way Italian Americans are in touch with their feelings. I saw it as a love story and it’s struggle with morals. I didn’t think it has to do specifically with Italian Americans, it has to do with the desires and wants of an individual. Anyone can be in touch with their feelings and can be struggling with the brain versus the heart when making decisions and what is considered right and what is considered wrong. Moonstruck, to me, was more about feelings and love than it was about stereotypes. In the film, people are hurt and people end up happy. I feel like the movie has a hidden message and addresses a struggle of morals, love and the fight between the mind and the heart and how they don’t always coincide.
ReplyDeleteHi Raneen,
DeleteYou have a great point there, I didn't think of that while watching the movie. The characters definitely were hurt prior to meeting each other. Their desire for one another is what led to their happiness. I also agree with the statement about the heart and the brain they definitely don't coincide. Your heart can get you hurt sometimes by not following your brain and making the right decision.
I do believe that this film is about Italian Americans and desire. Italian Americans are often categorized as being very romantic and passionate. In Moonstruck we see many examples of passionate. Ronny who hasn’t love in a long time falls in love Loretta and is determine to be with her, although that’s her brother’s fiancée. He express his love for her both publically and privately. Desire is a feeling of wanting something. Desire is good thing until it affects another person. Loretta’s father seeing the other women was his desire which lead to him hurting his wife. Sometimes with desire you must take consideration of whoever else is involved.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was about entertaining that exploits harmless stereotypes. Being passionate and romantic is a positive thing to be associated with. The message I got from the movie is that desire can have both positive and negative impacts. It can lead to happiness or betraying and hurting another person
I think that Moonstruck can be viewed as a complex film. It is a film about Italian Americans and desire, I don't think its either/or. Each character is complex and has their own past that influenced who they are and why they act the way they do in the movie. They had been through dark things, (Loretta loosing her husband and Ronny loosing his hand and girlfriend). There is more to this film than just Italian stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this movie, I felt as though I should be more open in my life like these characters. They all seem to be very comfortable with sharing their emotions, in any situation. I want to implement that more into my life and at the right times.