FERRIS BUHLER'S DAY OFF
US, 1986, 102 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones, Cindy Pickett.
Directed by John Hughes.
Ferris Buhler's Day Off was one of the successful films of writer-director John Hughes. After writing several comedies, including National Lampoon Vacation films and Michael Keaton's Mr Mom he began writing and directing with the successful Sixteen Candles. He was to make The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and write Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful. He changed his style with Planes, Trains and Automobiles in 1987 but returned to young marrieds in She's Having a Baby, 1988.
This is a cheeky film, Hughes saying it was about the ideal free character and the awkwardness of reality. Matthew Broderick enjoys himself in the central role. Mia Sara (Legend, Queenie) is the heroine. Alan Ruck is the depressed comic friend. In supporting roles are Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey. The film is almost stolen by Jeffrey Jones (Amadeus) as the hassled school principal. The film uses Chicago settings well and highlights a day away from school by the cheeky Ferris Buhler (who actually does it to bring his depressed friend out of himself). The film was popular with teenagers - and with adults.
1. Enjoyable youth film? The appeal to teenagers? Adult response? Theme of friendship, cheekiness? The dream?
2. The writing and direction of John Hughes, his perspective on youth?
3. The use of Chicago - city locations, wealthy homes, streets, school? The range of the musical score as well as Ferris' performances of songs in the city?
4. The cast and their skills, the later careers of some of the supporting cast?
5. The film as a daydream, Hughes carrying off visualising the daydream? Ferris Buhler carrying it off? The background of affluence, no limits, self-assertion? The critique of contemporary education? The day off for Cameron?
6. Structure of the film: Ferris talking to the audience (and the data on the screen), an ordinary day, his plan, his relationship with his parents, sister, controlling the school via the computer and the telephone - controlling his friends, the set-up and his ingenuity, the continual foiling of the headmaster? Going out, seeing Cameron, persuading him to take his parents' car, travelling around the city, the variety of activities, the risks, cheering up everyone - including everybody singing in the city, the moralising? The finale with the split-second timing? The postscript after the credits with Ferris telling audiences to go.
7. Matthew Broderick as Ferris Buhler: ordinary or extraordinary, nice or not? Smart, his means for fooling his parents, his computer skills, his control over the school, the phone calls, the recording service? Friendship with Cameron, getting Cameron to impersonate parents, the girlfriend and setting-up the funeral, his disguise in picking her up? Cameron hurt about the car, Ferris persuading him to take it? Their activities in the city, getting the car fixed up (and the drivers taking it around the town)? The sports event, the plush meal, participating in the parade? Eluding people, eluding the headmaster, getting home, the car and the crash, trying to reverse the speed, the split-second timing getting into bed, the cooperation of his sister and their reconciliation? His parents fussing about him? His future? American type?
8. Cameron as his friend, the contrast, wealthy, the hypochondriac, in bed, persuaded to get up, his impersonations, being hurt by Ferris, taking the car, sharing the day, losing Ferris, finding him again, taking the car home, trying to reverse it? The learning experience and Ferris helping him to be self-assertive?
9. The heroine as nice, the friendship, the set-up of the funeral, the headmaster and his sympathy, linking up, in herself, joining in all the activities, sharing, the happy ending?
10. The parents, typical and nice, concern over Ferris, the phone calls, the reassurance? His father at the restaurant? Split-second timing beating them home? The end?
11. The boy at the police station, drugs, different, the reaction to Ferris, sister? His supporting Ferris?
12. The sister, her meanness, the encounter with the principal, suspicions, kicking him, calling the police, the police and her having to go to the station, the boy at the station? Her helping Ferris at the end?
13. The kids and school, the campaigns to support Ferris, his popularity?
14. The headmaster and the caricature, his relationship with his secretary and her participating in the plots, his own plots, the computer going berserk, his rage, the phone calls, being obsequious to the parents - especially to Cameron impersonating, tracking down Ferris, the home, the dog and its threats, its biting him, the mistake with the girl in the pinball parlour, the encounter - with Ferris' sister and kicking, the police? Finally getting on the bus with the kids?
15. Teenagers, enthusiasm and exuberance, joy, mean-minded adults in education? A cheerful dream?
