Under the Cherry Moon

Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

** (out of 4)

Christopher (Prince) and Tricky (Jerome Benton) are brothers working Miami Beach where they seduce women for their money. Their latest target is Mary (Kristin Scott Thomas), a woman who just turned twenty one and is about to inherit fifty million dollars. Tricky soon finds himself falling in love but the girl's rich father isn't going to go for their relationship.

UNDER THE CHERRY MOON was released to very little noise and it was pretty much forgotten the minute it hit theaters. I doubt many people in 1986 were wanting to see a B&W movie and I doubt even more that they wanted to see anything other than PURPLE RAIN 2. This film has gained a pretty bad reputation over the years but I honestly didn't find it to be that bad. Yes there are all sorts of problems but I thought there was still some good stuff as well.

For starters, the cinematography is downright beautiful and I thought it really captured a fairy tale like quality. The B&W images are perfectly used to highlight the beaches and the sexy locations. I also thought there were some rather funny moments scattered throughout the picture. As far as Prince goes, his acting had certainly gotten a little better since PURPLE RAIN. Benton is decent in his supporting role but I thought Kristin Scott Thomas and Steven Berkoff were quite good.

I'm going to guess that Prince wanted to do some sort of romantic drama that had the flare of the 1930s. This probably explains it being shot in B&W and they even name drop Bela Lugosi in the picture. The biggest problem with the movie is that the story itself is just way too predictable and I'd argue that there's really not any drama and the ending certainly doesn't hit like I'm sure Prince wanted it to. Still, there are much worse movies out there than this.

This must be one of the most mocked films ever, widely considered a joke. I think it was Prince's narcissistic and effeminate character that bothered audiences. The film is undeniably silly, but good and quite effective, but with a quirky quality that pushes it into the cult realm. An example is the scene in which Tracy and Tricky (Prince and Jerome Benton) meet Tracy's refined love interest at a posh restaurant and grill her: "Where do you go if you want to get a Sam Cooke album?" Tricky holds up a sign reading "Wrecka Stow" and finally, writhing in discomfort, she gets it and reluctantly answers, "the record store." Believe it or not, the film is well put together, each scene memorable in its own way and a climax that might make you cry. I've never seen a film quite like it, because (like all cult movies), it takes place in a desirable alternate world - one in which gender and race boundaries are blurred.

When I first saw this movie I was expecting to see a really awful movie. Well, it has many weaknesses but it's also a beautifully shot, light hearted romantic comedy which is at times extremely hilarious. It even holds up after repeated viewing. So many funny and quotable scenes "The Wrecka Stow", "Tell him it's chinese", "It's the mum!", "How much money you make? Damn, couldn't you buy some cologne, man?!" and it goes on and on. And of course the soundtrack is superb. Sure, you'll have to like prince at least a bit 'cos you'll getting a lot of him (being the director, actor and composer) but once you can forgive his little faults (which I think is *not* the extreme vanity stuff cos I think that was done so over the top on purpose for fun) you'll be entertained for sure and Prince/Jerome Benton make a great comedy duo as Christopher Tracy and 'Tricky'. When things are getting more serious and dramatic it loses it's strengths a bit, but still I found this a very enjoyable movie.

Yeah, I know I only gave this movie a 7, but the vote is a relative thing. Not everything can be a 10. If I were voting on the basis of genre, then definitely a 10. Anyways, I digress. Under the Cherry Moon is the finest movie Prince ever directed (and if you've seen the abysmal Graffiti Bridge, you know what I mean), and the fact that he took over from Mary Lambert (who went on to direct the ludicrously bad Pet Sematary)at the last minute, further proves my point. Prince and erstwhile sidekick Jerome Benton play a pair of hustlers who make no bones about their profession; in fact, the fun they have is so infectious, it seems to take all the sleaze out of it. Merrily they go along until Christopher (Prince) lays eyes on Kristin Scott-Thomas and goes completely ga-ga, forgetting altogether the pair's objective of swindling her out of her fortune. This is a fun movie, one that manages to evoke the feel of a 30s screwball comedy injected with a modern sensibility. The music is among Prince's finest (and most cohesive album-wise), and most rhythmically inventive. Don't rent this expecting to see a work of cinematic art; this is pure entertainment, plain and simple. If you're looking for something you can watch strictly for fun, check this one out. For those who have seen it and love as I do, I have two words for you: Wrecka Stow!

First off, very few 10's and/or 1's exist, so those reviews should be taken with a grain of salt IMO. Even as a massive Prince fan, I can't, in good conscience, go any higher than an 8 here.

I never quite understood why this movie got such bad reviews, but maybe that's because I am a Prince fan who always enjoyed the subtle campy comedy of Prince, even in his live performances. This type of thing was always present between Price and Morris Day for example. I think most people just wanted/expected another Purple Rain, but the beauty of Princes' creativity was that he was not formulaic and never did the same thing twice... he reinvented himself on every album and project.

If you aren't a true Prince fan, maybe skip this one, but if you enjoyed the fun comedic side of Prince, you will find plenty of light hearted fun and laughs here ;)