Racing with the Moon

In the idyllic town of Mendocino County, California during the 1940s, Henry "Hopper" Nash (played by) is a small-town boy who has been drafted into the United States Marine Corps and is on the cusp of being deployed overseas. His best friend Nicky is also preparing for deployment, leaving them with a mere six weeks together before they're shipped out.

Henry and Nicky spend their days working at the local bowling alley, where Henry's duties include setting pins, buffing lanes, and manning the front counter. It's here that he catches sight of Caddie Winger, a beautiful young woman who takes tickets at the movie theater. Entranced, Henry concocts a plan with a younger boy to shower her with flowers, hoping to win her affections. His scheme pays off when Caddie visits the soda shop where Henry and Nicky hang out. Henry seizes the opportunity to impress her by jumping over the counter and pretending to be working.

Caddie's enigmatic nature piques Henry's curiosity, leading him to follow her to her lavish mansion home. Assuming she's a "Gatsby girl" with an abundance of wealth, he's shocked to discover that Caddie actually lives there because her mother is a maid. Undeterred, Henry continues to pursue her, eventually spotting her at the local library. Despite her initial rebuff, he persists and even manages to secure a date with her.

Meanwhile, Nicky's relationship with Sally Kaiser is put to the test as she becomes pregnant with his child. Desperate for $150 to cover the cost of an abortion, Nicky turns to Henry, who assumes Caddie can easily provide it. In a misguided attempt to spare Henry's feelings, Caddie attempts to pilfer a pearl necklace from Alice, a young woman who resides at her mansion. Caught and confessing the reason behind her actions, Caddie is forced to borrow the money from Alice instead.

As tensions rise, Henry and Nicky's friendship is briefly strained due to their disagreements over how to handle Sally's pregnancy. However, they soon realize that they need each other to navigate the challenges ahead. Similarly, Henry and Caddie experience a brief falling out due to her misunderstanding of their relationship, but ultimately reconcile and share an emotional goodbye before Henry departs for his military duty.

As the somber reality of their impending departure to the battlefield sets in, a sense of trepidation settles over the young men. With heavy hearts, they stand at the edge of the tracks, watching as the train carrying them away from the comforts of home chugs lazily into view. The air is thick with anticipation and uncertainty as they wait for the perfect moment to make their move, their eyes fixed intently on the steel beast as it inches closer to departure. With a burst of adrenaline-fueled energy, the boys seize the opportunity to leap aboard, their hearts pounding in sync with the rhythmic chug-chug-chug of the train's wheels as they secure their seats for the long and arduous journey ahead.