“Blue Moon” takes places in Sardi’s, the storied Broadway theater district restaurant, during the March 31, 1943, opening night party for the musical, “Oklahoma!”

Lorenz Hart was there, looking on as an outsider.

“Oklahoma!” was the first collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was a huge hit and became a landmark for Broadway musicals.

The Broadway shows of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II include, in addition to “Oklahoma!,” “Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music.”

Oscar Hammerstein II had previously collaborated with Jerome Kern on the groundbreaking musical, “Show Boat,” and other musicals.

Before there was Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II there was Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, whose hit Broadway shows include “Babes in Arms,” “The Boys from Syracuse,” “Pal Joey” and “On Your Toes.”

Some of Lorenz Hart’s most well-known lyrics were for the songs “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Where Or When,” ”I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” “My Heart Stood Still,” “My Romance,” “Isn’t It Romantic?,” “Spring Is Here,” “It Never Entered My Mind,” “Manhattan,” “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” “My Funny Valentine,” “This Can’t Be Love,” “With A Song In My Heart,” “I Wish I Were In Love Again,” “I Could Write A Book,” “There’s A Small Hotel” (said to be written at and about the Stockton Inn, Stockton, N.J.) and “Blue Moon.”

The movie “Blue Moon” is said to be inspired by the letters between Lorenz Hart and Elizabeth Weiland. Hart, 47, was said to be infatuated with Weiland, 20, who is depicted in the film as a Yale University theater student and aspiring theater set designer. The relationship is depicted as platonic in the film.

During the evening at Sardi’s restaurant, Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) reveals his insecurities about his songwriting partnership with Richard Rodgers, and his obsession with Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley) as he chats with the restaurant’s bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), the “Stuart Little” and “Charlotte’s Web” children’ book author E. B. White (Patrick Kennedy) and the restaurant piano player Morty (Jonah Lees).

At the party in Sardi’s restaurant, Lorenz Hart confronts Richart Rodgers (Andrew Scott) in several uncomfortable conversations about their collaborations and the musical, “Oklahoma!”

Also, at the party, Lorenz Hart has a conversation with Elizabeth Weiland about a college relationship she had.

“Blue Moon” is directed by Richard Linklater, a frequent movie director of films starring Ethan Hawke, including “Boyhood” (2015), for which Linklater received three Oscar nominations best picture, directing, original screenplay, and “Before Midnight” (2014), Oscar nominee, adapted screenplay, and “Before Sunset” (2005), Oscar nominee, adapted screenplay.

Richard Linklater directs “Blue Moon” from a screenplay by Robert Kaplow (screenwriter, “Me and Orson Welles,” 2008, also directed by Linklater) based on letters Kaplow said he purchased that were correspondence between Lorenz Hart and Elizabeth Weiland.

The screenplay has juicy theater world details, whether true or not.

For instance, Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney) tells his young protegee, Stephen Sondheim (Cillian Sullivan), that they had better leave the party at Sardi’s restaurant in New York City because, “It’s a long way to Doylestown.” Hammerstein and Sondheim lived in the New Hope and Doylestown area of Bucks County.

“Blue Moon” is a very chatty film and Lorenz Hart is the chattiest. Ethan Hawke gives a remarkable, engaging and riveting performance as Lorenz Hart. Ethan Hawke effectively conveys Lorenz Hart’s insecurities, self-deprecating humor and witty delivery.

After that night at Sardi’s, Lorenz Hart died seven months later of pneumonia, believed to be the result of an alcohol blackout when he was found laying in the street. He was 48.

Margaret Qualley (“Honey Don’t,” 2025; “TV’s “Maid,” 2021; “The Leftovers,” 2014-2017) is captivating as Elizabeth Weiland.

Memorable are Andrew Scott (Richard Rodgers), Bobby Cannavale (Eddie) and Patrick Kennedy (E. B. White).

The soundtrack has mostly instrumental versions of Rodgers and Hart songs, and other tunes from the Great American Song Book.

“Blue Moon” has the sense of an off-Broadway play with music. The movie will be of chief interest to fans of Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater, Broadway musicals and the songs of Lorenz Hart.

“Blue Moon,” MPA rated R (Restricted: Persons under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian) for language and sexual references; Genre: Drama, Comedy, Biography; Run Time: 1 hour; 40 minutes. Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “This Funny World,” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, is sung by Tony Bennett during the closing credits. “Blue Moon” was filmed in Ireland.

At the Movies: “Blue Moon” was seen in the Dolby format at Civic Theatre of Allentown’s Nineteenth Street Theatre.

Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Jan. 2-4: “Avatar: Fire and Ash” continued at No. 1 for three weeks in a row, $40 million in 3,835 theaters, $306 million, three weeks.

2. “Zootopia 2” stayed in place, $19 million in 3,285 theaters, $363.6 million, six weeks. 3. “The Housemaid” moved up one place, $14.8 million in 3,070 theaters, $75.7 million, three weeks. 4. “Marty Supreme” dropped one place, $12.5 million in 2,887 theaters, $56 million, three weeks. 5. “Anaconda” stayed in place, $10 million in 3,509 theaters, $45.8 million, two weeks. 6. “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” moved up one place, $8.2 million in 3,217 theaters, $57.6 million, three weeks. 7. “David” dropped one place, $8 million in 2,900 theaters, $70.1 million, three weeks. 8. “Song Sung Blue” stayed in place, $5.8 million in 2,705 theaters, $24.9 million, two weeks. 9. “Wicked: For Good” stayed in place, $3.2 million in 1,885 theaters, $339.8 million, seven weeks. 10. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” stayed in place, $2.7 million in 1,986 theaters, $125.2 million, five weeks. 29. “Blue Moon” moved up three places, $11,328 in 12 theaters, $2 million, 12 weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Jan. 4. is subject to change.

Unreel, Jan. 9:

“Primate,” MPA rated R: Johannes Roberts directs Johnny Sequoyah, Troy Kotsur and Jessica Alexander in the horror film. A group of friends’ tropical vacation becomes a matter of survival.

“Greenland 2: Migration,” MPA rated PG: Ric Roman Waugh directs Morena Baccarin, Gerard Butler and Sophie Thompson in the Science-Fiction Thriller. After a comet strikes the Earth, a family in Greenland must leave the safety of their bunker and travel across a decimated Europe. The sequel continues the story of the Garrity family.

“The Chronology of Water,” No MPA rating. Kristen Stewart directs Imogen Poots, Thora Birch and Jim Belushi in the Biography, Romance Drama. Olympic swimming hopeful Lidia Yuknavitch enrolls in the University of Oregon where Ken Kesey selects her and other graduate students to collaboratively write the novel “Caverns” with him. Lidia Yuknavitch co-wrote the screenplay with Kristen Stewart. The movie is the directorial debut of Kristen Stewart, Oscar nominee, actress, “Spencer,” 2022.

“Oscar Shaw,” No MPA rating: R. Ellis Frazier and Justin Nesbitt direct Isaiah Washington, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Jai White in the Action Crime Drama. A retired police officer seeks revenge for his friend’s death.

“I Was a Stranger,” MPA rated PG-13: Brandt Andersen directs Yasmine Al Massri, Yahya Mahayni and Omar Sy in the Drama. Set in Aleppo, Syria, a surgeon tries to save lives among constant attacks.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Jan. 4 are subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes