Thursday, February 4, 2010

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Pretty in Pink

Director:  Howard Deutch
Writer: John Hughes
Release Date: February 28, 1986




Synopsis: Young Andie (Molly Ringwald) is one of the not-so-popular girls in high school. She usually hangs out with her friends Iona (Annie Potts) or Duckie (Jon Cryer). Duckie has always had a crush on her, but now she has met a new guy from school, Blane (Andrew McCarthy). He's one of the rich and popular guys but can the two worlds meet? 

Flick Facts:  
Pretty in Pink was filmed at the same L.A. high school that 1978's Grease was filmed at (although it was allegedly in Illinois, following Hughes' filmatic precedents)
*  The original ending of the film had Duckie getting his girl . . . until test audiences stated they would prefer for Andie to end up with Blane.  So the original ending was scratched and reshot, with Andie and Blane getting together
*  Anthony Michael Hall (the infamous geeky Ted from Sixteen Candles) turned down the role of Duckie, and Robert Downey, Jr. almost had the part but it ended up going to Jon Cryer
* Other notables considered for the lead roles?  Charlie Sheen (Blane), Jodie Foster, Tatum O'Neal, Diane Lane, Lori Loughlin, Sarah Jessica Parker and Brooke Shields (Andie)
* This was the last cinematic collaboration between John Hughes and Molly Ringwald (Hughes reportedly wanted her to star in 1987's Some Kind of Wonderful but she turned him down and he severed their professional relationship)
*  This is Molly Ringwald's favorite among her own films

She Said, He Said:
*   "May I admire you again today?"
*   "His name is Blane?  That's a major appliance, that's not a name!"
*   "Drinking and driving don't mix, that's why I ride a bike."
*   "Listen, it's after 7.  Don't waste good lip gloss."
*   "This is an incredibly romantic moment and you're ruining it for me."
*   "I know I"m old enough to be his mother but when the Duck laid that kiss on me last night, I swear my thighs just went up in flames!  He must practice on melons or something."


Chic Chick Sounds:

Pretty in Pink's soundtrack is a delicious smorgasboard of what was then alternative new wave '80s punk.  Everything from OMD to Michael Hutchens to Nik Kershaw graced the soundtrack - - even Otis Redding makes an appearance!  Despite The Psychedelic Furs' cover track ("Pretty in Pink"), the biggest hit from the movie would be OMD's "If You Leave" which was played as the movie ended. 



Pretty in Pink completed Molly Ringwald's trifecta of stellar and commercially explosive (read: cha-ching!) John Hughes teen angst films.  This was the first film, however, that she played a "from the wrong side of the tracks" girl.  

The storyline itself is a retelling of Romeo & Juliet, but set at an Illinois high school.   Ringwald excels as she normally does, playing your Everyday Teen Girl in Love.  Who didn't want to be her friend back in the '80s?  Certainly this girl did.  Annie Potts is a hoot as Andie's boss and friend, Iona, James Spader is appropriately douchey as the self-centered and spoiled Steff and Andrew McCarthey is servicable as sweet but incredibly bland Blane.  The real standout is Jon Cryer as Duckie, in a role written for him (or so it seems). 

What makes this Romeo & Juliet retelling such a chick flick classic is that you want to root for the underdog.  Sure, we all know that Andie will end up with Blane (it is Hollywood, after all) but don't we all secretly want Andie to tell Blane they will always be friends but her heart is with Duckie?  If Pretty in Pink was set in college or beyond, we all know that Andie would choose Duckie.  Doubt me?  Check out Bridget Jones' Diary - - if Bridget was Andie, Daniel would be Blane and Mark Darcy and his jacked up reindeer jumpers would be Duckie.

Best parts of Pretty in PinkThe interaction between Andie and Duckie.  These two are best friends in every sense of the word, even if there are no romantic feelings on Andie's end. 


Worst parts of Pretty in PinkOkay, I have to say it.  I know it's a movie and I know movies sometimes have to be cliche, but the stereotyping of rich kids versus poor kids.  If Andie and her classmates were high school freshmen, I could see the severe cliques and teasing but high school seniors doing that?  Really? 


Spawns and Sequels:   Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) was essentially a remake of Pretty in Pink, set in an L.A. suburb, with the Andie character now being Keith, the Blane character now Amanda and the Duckie character now a female drummer named Watts.  Reportedly unhappy with the storybook ending of Pretty in Pink, John Hughes had the poor boy and poor girl end up together and the "richie" standing on her own.  Some Kind of Wonderful was significantly less successful than Pretty in Pink (and lacking the then super powers of Molly Ringwald) and faded out of theaters relatively quickly but has gained more perspective through cable showings and DVD release.

The Final Word:  While The Breakfast Club was essentially a bigger hit than Pink (grossing over $45 million versus $40 million in 1986 dollars), Pretty in Pink is the film that I would love to see a sequel to.  What would The Breakfast Club show us twenty plus years down the road?  John Bender on parole, Andrew Clark as Shermer High's gym teacher, Brian Johnson as a wildly successful Bill Gates type, Claire Standish unhappily married to the guy who knocked her up in college and Allison Reynolds as the crazy art teacher, possibly headed for rehab.  I would much rather see where Duckie is today, if Andie is still with Blane, and what a lowlife Steff is and how many wives he's gone through. 

Pretty in Pink just pulls the 80s together for me, in fashion and in music.  And Molly Ringwald proves that redheads can, indeed, wear pink.

Pretty in Pink  is available for purchase at major movie sellers, including Amazon.






1 comment:

  1. A. I <3 this movie!
    B. I LOVE Some Kind of Wonderful.
    C. I want to see the alternate ending.
    D. My fav scene was the kiss in the alley.

    ReplyDelete