GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
US, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, Lee Montgomery, Ed Lauter, Jonathan Silverman.
Directed by Alan Metter.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun might sound a bit provocative - but the film is not. It is in the Flashdance, Footloose vein.
The focus is on Janey, the daughter of a militaristic father, who wants to win in a chance TV programme. With the help of her friend, she goes into the auditions and is successful - but is naturally sabotaged by the rich girl who wants to win. There is a romance with her partner for the dancing. Needless to say, the right people win, the wrong people are embarrassed and the militaristic father is happy with his daughter's success.
The film is not quite as bad as it sounds - it is quite pleasant even if it is definitely formula material. Sarah Jessica Parker is vigorous as the heroine but is outshone by Helen Hunt as her girlfriend. It is interesting to see how successful these two actresses were in the next 20 years.
Ed Lauter is suitably severe as the father and Morgan Woodward sufficiently grim as the father of the rich would-be winner.
The film is really an excuse for an album of contemporary songs.
1. Entertaining musical? For teenagers? For bogs and girls? (For parents?)
2. The film as the visuals for an album of contemporary songs? The use of the songs throughout? For the dance routines - in video clip style?
3. The dancing, its vigour, debt to Flashdance and Footloose? The energetic contemporary dancing and its relationship to callisthenics and aerobics?
4. The title, the focus on Janey and Lynne? Janey's family, the Army and the strict discipline, her going to the Catholic girls' school, the teachers and the nuns (and the nun and her athletics)? Their love for music, dancing?, The DTV (Dance-TV) competition? The auditions despite her father? Successful for the finals? Disappointment with Lynne's elimination? The clashes with Natalie? The pairing with Jeff, the attempts to go out to rehearsals - and her devices to deceive her father? The romance with Jeff? Practising? The debutante party at the Sands' home? The punk intrusion to the party? Janey and Lynne with the help of~ Jeff’s sister Maggie? The reaction of Natalie? The attack on Jeff's father and his losing his job? quarrelling with Janey? Janey being confined to her room? Lynne's helping her to get to the TV station? The winning of the competition? Her father's approval?
5. Lynne as a vigorous character? Friendly with Janey? Helping her? her own part in the competition, her partner dropping her? The revenge on Natalie? The help of Jeff's sister Maggie?
6. Jeff as hero, as dancer, his relationship with his father and sister, the dependence on the Sands for the job? Success? The threat to Jeff's father, his quarrel with Janey? His father persuading him to dance? Success?
7. Natalie as the spoilt brat? Her dancing? Her bribe? The party, the humiliation? Her father and the attack on Jeff's father?
8. The happy resolution? Janey and her success? Lqnne as the hostess? Jeff and his romance with Janey?
