Remembering John Hughes
There is no denying the lasting legacy of filmmaker and screenwriter John Hughes. His contributions to the sub-genre of teen comedy films have resonated with high school moviegoers for nearly four decades, an unsurprising fact for this cinephile. John Wilden Hughes Jr. was born on February 18, 1950, and while he only directed 8 films during his career, he worked as a screenwriter and producer on many more. His directing credits began with the much beloved film Sixteen Candles (1984), which was swiftly followed by The Breakfast Club (1985, coincidentally our Film Club Pick-of-the-Month!), Weird Science (1985), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1897), She’s Having a Baby (1988), Uncle Buck (1989), and, lastly, the ill-received, Curly Sue (1991). Even with such a short list of directing credits, Hughes’ comedy shined in his many screenplays, which have provided audiences with countless laughs and inspired recent generations of filmmakers.
Having helped launch several rising stars in the 1980s, notably members of what the New York Times referred to as the ‘Brat Pack,’ namely Molly Ringwald (among several others), Hughes is probably equally well-known for his collaborations with comedian John Candy, particularly on the films National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988), Uncle Buck (1989), Home Alone (1990) and Only the Lonely (1991). Hughes was also a major contributor, as a screenwriter, on several National Lampoon comedy films, including National Lampoon’s Class Reunion (1982), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985), and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989). In some respects, Hughes’ writing outshined his directing efforts.
Following the poor critical response for Curly Sue (1991), Hughes spent the remainder of his career acting as a producer and screenwriter on films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, before his untimely death on August 6, 2009, due to a heart attack. A surprising number of these later films were popular family-friendly flicks, staples for those of us born in the ‘90s, including Beethoven (1992), Dennis the Menace (1993), Miracle on 34th Street (1994), 101 Dalmatians (1996), and Flubber (1997), among several others. Listed below are some of my all-time favorite John Hughes films. My list includes a mix of films that he directed, as well as some that he wrote and produced, and if you haven’t seen all of these films, I highly suggest you give them a try, as they are bound to put a smile on your face. Happy Viewing!
Sixteen Candles (dir. John Hughes, 1984)
This is probably the quintessential coming-of-age film for any girl turning 16. Here sophomore Samantha “Sam” Baker (Molly Ringwald) is devastated when her family forgets her 16th birthday. To compound matters, Sam’s family is focused on her sister’s imminent wedding, Sam learns that she must sleep on the couch for a week (because her grandparents and a foreign exchange student are staying in their house and have taken over her room), her crush (a senior) has no idea how she feels, and she is plagued by the lovesick, panty-borrowing antics of a geeky freshman… Hughes’ sense of humor, and timing, absolutely shines in this film.
Pretty in Pink (dir. Howard Deutch, 1986)
Another Molly Ringwald classic, although this time she plays high school senior Andie Walsh who must grapple with her high school’s isolating social atmosphere, due to social cliques, and the pressures of finding a date for the prom. There is something a little darker about this film, particularly in the depiction of Andie and Duckie (Jon Cryer) being relentlessly harassed and bullied by the “richie” kids in their school. This film is sure to strike a chord with most high school students.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (dir. John Hughes, 1986)
Who hasn’t skipped school? But, who has done it with the style and flare of the infamous character, Ferris Bueller (superbly portrayed by Matthew Broderick)? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just watch the movie already!
Home Alone (dir. Chris Columbus, 1990)
The emphasis on Chicago and its environs, a trope within John Hughes films, is poignantly celebrated in this heartwarming and hilarious Christmas comedy. Here, young Kevin McCallister (Macauley Culkin) is inadvertently left at home, in Chicago, when the family flies off to Paris for Christmas. Things quickly get out of hand for young Kevin, when a couple of petty robbers, Harry and Marv (superb performances by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, respectively), have set their sights on burglarizing every house on Kevin’s street… In a surprising turn of events, Kevin quickly gets the upper hand and outsmarts, and out-booby-traps, the bumbling thieves. A can’t miss screenwriting feat by John Hughes.
Baby’s Day Out (dir. Patrick Read Johnson, 1994)
This film is unconventional, and was not well received by critics, but I absolutely adore this film! I watched this movie on repeat growing up, and still think that it is one of the funniest, bumbling-criminal movies out there; think ‘Looney Tunes’ meets the ‘Three Stooges,’ and throw in a baby-protecting gorilla, and you get Baby’s Day Out. Here kidnappers Eddie (Joe Mantegna), Norby (Joe Pantoliano), and Veeko (Brian Haley) have met their match in Bennington Austin “Bink” Cotwell IV, the infant son of wealthy Chicago socialites, as baby Bink keeps evading the kidnapper’s clutches, through a series of increasingly unrealistic (and hilarious) circumstances… Love it, or hate it, Baby’s Day Out is one of my favorite John Hughes films.
What are your favorite John Hughes films? What do you think of my favorite picks? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Plus, don’t you forget to watch The Breakfast Club (1985) and join us in our discussion and reviews of the film the end of next week!
Copyright © 2020 Sarah Crane
