Earnest working class poor boy Jack Duncan (an excellent and engaging performance by Matt Dillon right before he became a big star) and sweet wealthy lass Ginny Peterson (a fine and appealing portrayal by the fetching Cindy Fisher) fall in love and decide to get married despite the protestations from both of their families. However, a dark secret concerning Jack's lineage threatens to destroy the couple's potential for finding happiness with each other. Writer/director David Fisher delivers a strong and flavorsome evocation of the rural Texas region, likewise offers a vivid and convincing depiction of the early 50's period setting, maintains a pleasant sincere tone throughout, and for the most part manages to handle the story in a tasteful and restrained manner, although the narrative does falter a bit in the last third with a rather clumsy and lurid incest subplot. Fortunately, the enchantingly dreamy atmosphere and the endearing wide-eyed innocence of the central adolescent characters prevents the more melodramatic elements from ruining the picture. The sound acting from the tip-top cast also holds the film together: Dillon and Fisher make for extremely personable leads, with stellar support from Hoyt Axton as Jack's jolly pop Cecil, Maggie Blythe as Jack's forlorn mother Ellen, Christopher Connelly as Ginny's strict and disapproving banker father Alex, Broderick Crawford as amiable old-timer Col. Tubman, Susan Tyrell as brash prostitute Lora Mae Bouvier, Yvonne De Carlo as friendly boarding house owner Jeanene Dubois, Richard Moll as sleazy private eye Roy Logan, and Mark Atkins as surly punk Bobby Adams. John Hora's gorgeously vibrant cinematography provides a wealth of breathtaking visuals. A real sleeper.
Review of Liar's Moon
