Pretty in Pink (1986)

Director:

Howard Deutch

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

28 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He's good. She's good. He's just Duckie.

Plot:

A poor girl must choose between the affections of her doting childhood sweetheart and a rich but sensitive playboy.

Plot Keywords:

School | Crush | Wrong Side Of The Tracks | High School | Quirky

Awards:

1 win

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 24

5:00 AM

AMC

Cast

Molly Ringwald	...	Andie Walsh
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Jack Walsh
Jon Cryer	...	Duckie (Phil Dale)
Annie Potts	...	Iona
James Spader	...	Steff
Andrew McCarthy	...	Blane McDonnagh
Jim Haynie	...	Donnelly
Alexa Kenin	...	Jena Hoeman
Kate Vernon	...	Benny Hanson
Andrew Dice Clay	...	'Dice-man' - Bouncer at CATS (as Andrew 'Dice' Clay)
Emily Longstreth	...	Kate
Margaret Colin	...	English Teacher
Jamie Anders	...	Terrence
Gina Gershon	...	Trombley, Girl Friend / Gym Class
Bader Howar	...	Sales Girl

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-8 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #28001) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The original ending to this film depicted Duckie getting the girl. However, the test audiences said they would have preferred to see Blane win Andie's heart. Additionally, Molly Ringwald was sick during the filming of the ending and John Hughes wasn't satisfied with the editing. He was also concerned that audiences would take the original ending as a message that poor people and rich people don't belong together.

Goofs:

Continuity: Jack's hair changes drastically between shots when Andie is talking to him about missing his job interview.

Quotes:

Duckie: May I admire you again today?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

Left of Center

No to Duckie or Blane, Si to Steff

Possible spoilers: To hell with the Duckie vs. Blane question. Steff's the only interesting one.

1. He's fearless: Duckie's afraid to tell Andie he loves her, Blane's afraid of his friends, but Steff walks up and hits on her right in front of his friends without caring what they'll think. He exploits Blane's shame about Andie but clearly feels no shame himself.

2. Duckie's suffering puppy love, Blane's just curious, but Steff has been after Andie for years. When he says it's "not *only* for sex," he's probably telling the truth, in his own sarcastic way. Key scene, when Blane and Andie walk in on Steff and Benny Bimbo, and Steff clearly wishes he were with the hot geeky girl, instead of the vapid blonde, even if Benny is better-looking, sexually available, and approved by his friends. And it's not only the challenge attracts him to Andie: despite his arrogance, he's probably been turned down before. He just suspects that with Andie, he'd have something real, and with Benny, whether her ecstasy is real or faked, it will be conducted according to "Cosmo."

3. He's willing to fight for what he wants, i.e., sabotaging Andie's relationship with Blane. OK, he's fighting dirty--but he's fighting at all. The others are about as decisive as Hamlet.

Right, enough deep thought devoted to what should probably be regarded as another teen movie. I give full credit to Spader, who fleshed out what could have been a one-dimensional baddie by making him really interested in Andie in his own sociopathic way, instead giving lip-service to a script that could have been played with the character being vicious solely out of hurt pride and snobbery.