Pretty in Pink Information

Pretty in Pink is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about teenage love and social cliques in 1980s American high schools. It is one of a group of John Hughes films starring Molly Ringwald, and is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film. The film was directed by Howard Deutch, produced by Lauren Shuler and written by John Hughes. It has become a cult favorite.

Plot

High school senior Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) is a working-class girl who has a crush on one of the rich, preppie boys in her school, Blane McDonough (Andrew McCarthy). When Andie and Blane try to get together, they encounter resistance from their respective social circles.

Andie lives on "the wrong side of the tracks" with her unemployed father, Jack (Harry Dean Stanton). Andie's best friend, Phil "Duckie" Dale (Jon Cryer), is in love with her, but plays it off as a joke in front of her. In school, he and Andie are harassed by Blane's friends, the arrogant so-called "richie" kids Benny (Kate Vernon) and Steff (James Spader).

Andie works at TRAX, a New Wave record store in the Chinatown neighborhood, managed by her older friend and mentor Iona (Annie Potts). Iona advises Andie to go to her senior prom despite not having a date.

Blane makes a move, chatting with her in the computer lab, and Andie is smitten. Blane ventures out to the area at school where the punks, metalheads, and New Wavers hang out and asks Andie on a date.

On the night of the date, Andie waits for Blane at TRAX, but he is late. When Blane finally arrives, Duckie and Andie argue. Duckie tries to convince her that Blane will only hurt her. After a few harsh words, Duckie storms out, and Andie goes on her date.

Blane suggests going to a party Steff is throwing but the party is not what Blane expected, and Andie is treated poorly by everyone, including a drunk Steff and Benny. Andie, in turn, suggests going to the local club, where they discover Iona sitting with Duckie, who never gets in. Duckie is hostile toward Blane, and as he and Andie start walking out of the club, Duckie kisses a startled Iona to make Andie feel jealous.

Blane offers to take Andie home, but she refuses, admitting she doesn't want him to see where she lives. She eventually allows him to drop her off and he asks her to the prom. Andie accepts and they share their first kiss.

At home, Jack surprises her with a pink dress he bought for her at the thrift shop. Questioning how he was able to afford it, Andie discovers he has been faking going to a full-time job. The two fight until Jack breaks down, revealing that he is still bitter and depressed about his wife having left him.

Meanwhile Blane, pressured by Steff, begins distancing himself from Andie. Finally, Andie confronts him for avoiding her at school and not returning her calls. Blane then claims that he'd already asked somebody to the prom but had forgotten, and Andie calls him a "filthy, fucking, no-good liar". She then accuses him of being ashamed of being seen with her because his friend would not approve. She runs away while Blane protests that she does not understand, and it has nothing to do with her. As Blane leaves, Steff again offers criticism of Andie. Duckie overhears this and attacks Steff in the hallway. The two fight before teachers break them up and Duckie runs off, tearing down a prom banner in the process.

Andie finds Iona preparing for a date. Iona is already thinking about marriage. Iona's newly found happiness inspires Andie. She decides to attend the prom, to "show them they didn't break me." Using both Iona's prom dress and the thrift shop dress her father bought her, she creates a new pink dress to wear to the prom.

When she gets to the prom, she has second thoughts about braving the crowd on her own. Just as it looks like she may back out, she sees Duckie. They walk into the ballroom hand in hand. When Steff begins mocking the couple, Blane finally realizes that Steff resents Andie because she had turned down Steff's advances, something he was not used to. Blane confronts Steff, and approaches Andie and Duckie. He shakes Duckie's hand and tells Andie that he always believed in her, he just didn't believe in himself. Duckie concedes that Blane is not like the other rich kids at school and advises Andie to go after him. Andie catches up with Blane and Duckie finds a girl smiling at him, telling him to come over.

Outside the prom, Andie finds Blane in the parking lot, and they kiss passionately in front of his car.

Cast

• Molly Ringwald as Andie Walsh, a working class high school girl
• Jon Cryer as Philip F. "Duckie" Dale, has an unrequited love for Andie
• Andrew McCarthy as Blane McDonough, a rich preppie boy, and object of Andie's affections.
• Harry Dean Stanton as Jack Walsh, Andie's father.
• Annie Potts as Iona, manager of the TRAX record store.
• James Spader as Steff McKee
• Kate Vernon as Benny Hanson
• Andrew Dice Clay as Bouncer at CATS
• Kristy Swanson as Duckette
• Alexa Kenin as Jenna
• Dweezil Zappa as Simon
• Gina Gershon as Trombley, Girl Friend / Gym Class

Production

John Hughes wrote the film screenplay early in 1985. Filming began on June 22, 1985 and ended on October 12, 1985.

Casting

Anthony Michael Hall was originally cast as Phil "Duckie" Dale, but turned the role down, fearing being typecast as a "geek". John Hughes thought of casting Robert Downey Jr. for the part of Duckie. Jon Cryer was ultimately cast in the role.

The part of Andie was originally written for Ringwald. John Hughes stated that he had her in mind while writing the script. When first asked Ringwald was reluctant, but after seeing how hard it was for the producers to find a replacement for her, she decided she would indeed portray Andie in the film. Hughes was very happy and knew that the film wouldn't be the same unless Ringwald played the main character.

Anjelica Huston was originally offered the role of Iona, but turned it down to pursue another project. Annie Potts was chosen after Hughes saw her in Ghostbusters.

Music

As with previous films by John Hughes, Pretty in Pink featured a soundtrack comprised mostly of new wave music. While director Howard Deutch originally intended the film to primarily contain theme music, Hughes influenced Deutch's decision to use post-punk music throughout the film. The title song by the Psychedelic Furs acted as a bit of inspiration for the film and was re-recorded specifically for the film's opening sequence in a version that was less raw than the original.

Release

The film earned US$6,065,870 during its opening weekend and $40,471,663 during its theatrical run. It was the 22nd highest-grossing film in 1986.

Critical reception

The film was a critical and commercial success. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 81% based on reviews from 32 critics.

Legacy

The main cast of Pretty in Pink was featured in the October 15, 2010 issue of Entertainment Weekly, which centered around cast reunions for landmark films and television shows.

The film has also been an influence in popular culture over the years, such as:

• In Psychs episode 4.11, "Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers," Shawn (James Roday) claims that he and Gus (Dule Hill) are "like Andie and Duckie." Also, in 3.2, "Murder? ? Anyone? ? Anyone? ? Bueller?," Shawn identifies a murder victim by relating the victim's situation to Duckie. Also, in the episode "Dual Spires", a parody of Twin Peaks, Shawn uncovers a secret relationship between the murder victim and the future leader of the town of Dual Spires, Randy Jackson. Randy would accept the title of leader hereditarily, so he was forbidden to date anyone that would want to take him away from the town. Shawn comments, "I get it. It's Pretty in Pink. You're Andrew McCarthy." The socially illiterate Randy unblinkingly asks who Andrew McCarthy is. Shawn admits that it is "fair" that Randy does not know the actor. Indeed, the entire town is portrayed as socially clueless (Randy admits later in the scene that the only television series or movie that the town has ever watched is Everwood.)
• According to Glee creator Ryan Murphy, the character Blaine Anderson was named after Blane in Pretty in Pink.
• In the third season episode 'To Green, With Love' of WB TV series Dawson's Creek, Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) expresses his love for Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) to Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), equating his situation to Ducky's:

"Pacey: Well I have it on pretty good authority that my rough charms don't really register on her rarefied romantic palate. I mean lets face it, I've got Ducky written all over me.

Jen: Ducky?

Pacey: Yeah. Ducky, Molly Ringwald's best friend from Pretty in Pink. The guy who definitely doesn't get the girl.

Jen: Yes, but he makes the girl feel good about herself. He does...he stands by her through innumerable fashion emergencies, he even humiliates himself by lip syncing in a public place and he takes her to the prom.

Pacey: Where she promptly dumps him for another guy."