Don’t Skip This Hughes’ Classic

It is hard to fathom that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is thirty years old. Written and directed by John Hughes, it is one of the seminal comedies of the 1980s – having influenced so many future films that look at the lives of bored yet rambunctious teenagers.

Not too long ago, I chatted with MonkeyJunk drummer Matt Sobb. An integral part of the three piece Juno Award winning swamp rock/blues band, the percussionist narrowed his favourite films down to two – strangely enough, both were released in 1986: Stand by Me and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (which will be discussed here today). Providing me with two very well rounded and in depth answers, check out his response down below by clicking on the video interview. The band has been busy of late, having spent much time on tour throughout Europe and the United States – they are now making their way through Canada just prior to the release of their new album, Time to Roll. Make sure to check them out if you get a chance.

The story follows teenager Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), the most likeable shit-disturber you’ll ever meet. Always up to some tomfoolery, the youth has a hand in almost everything going on within the secondary school he attends. On this particular day, he is feigning sickness with relative ease. His overworked mother Katie (Cindy Pickett) and oblivious father Tom (Lyman Ward) are easily fooled by his convincing performance, though his angry-at-the-world sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) is having none of it. Neither is the ever-persistent Dean of Students, Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) – who knows that the clever student is skipping school again.

After managing to hack into the school’s accounts to change his sick days from 9 to 2, Ferris reaches out to his best friend, the depressed, down on life Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck). Finally coaxing the reluctant teen out of his dispirited fugue, he uses him to set his girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) free from the rigours and confinement of school. In a wonderful piece of comedy, Cameron utilizes a caricatured voice, pretending to be Sloane’s father, announcing that her grandmother has passed away and that she will have to return home. Rooney, thinking that he is onto Ferris’ scheme (and believing that it is Bueller he is speaking to), urges his sly, faux-naïf secretary Grace (Edie McClurg) to help him uncover the ruse while he insults the man on the other end of the phone, yet Ferris soon calls on the other line, throwing him into a panicked set of apologies – not knowing that it is Cameron behind it.

This allows the threesome to head out onto the town – Chicago to be precise. They get into all types of monkey-business, while Rooney is hot on their trail and rumours swirl as people in the school believe that their beloved Bueller is severely ill – they start a ‘Save Ferris’ campaign, which drives his sister even more bonkers.

Taking Cameron’s father’s vintage Ferrari, Ferris talks his way into a posh restaurant – outwitting the snarky French maitre d’, yet, they are nearly caught by the teen’s father – who just happens to be at the same establishment. They also attend a Cubs’ game, visit a museum and Ferris takes his shot at performing two of his favourite songs, ‘Danke Schoen’ and ‘Twist and Shout’ during a major parade.

Both Rooney and Jeanie attempt to trap the elusive teen, leading to the two having a chance encounter in the Bueller household. Things take an ominous turn when Ferris, while returning home, realizes that the mileage of the vintage Ferrari is out of whack. Cameron is catatonic, as he knows his father loves the car more than him. Will they be able to resolve the issue, allowing for Ferris to make it home before he is nabbed by the gunning parties, or will the ruse be up?

Containing so many intriguing elements, Hughes imbues his work with a plethora of influences. At times, the battle between Ferris and his nemesis Rooney feels like a play up of the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, while the teen’s frantic attempt to return home before being caught holds a small ode to Charlie Chaplin, as he skids on one foot, seemingly out of control, until he turns the corner. At the opposite spectrum, Rooney’s investigations for Bueller in the arcade-type restaurant feels a bit like an old film noir detective flick. The gang’s escapade through the museum resembles something from a French New Wave motion picture. All of these small influences come together to create a wonderful pastiche of a day in the life of three adventurous teens.

Similarly, the musical team of Ira Newborn, Arthur Baker, and John Robie match the cadence of the picture. Composer Newborn, with the help of Baker and Robie, creates a fun score that fits the piece of comedy to a tee. It builds humour and adds suspense where needed; their use of the song ‘Oh Yeah’ by Yello will likely have you singing Bount Bount . . . chickachicka long into the night.

The movie is also a master class in casting. From top to bottom, each actor is perfect. Smaller roles that stand out include the long haired parking lot attendant (Richard Edson) who takes a joyride with the Ferrari; the monotonous, repetitive economics teacher (Ben Stein) who continuously says Bueller, Bueller, Bueller; and the drug-addled teen (Charlie Sheen) who advises a frustrated Jeanie on her outlook at life. Each demonstrates the quality of the casting. Likewise, the stars of the film are on their game, with Broderick leading the way. He is utterly charming, capturing the charisma of the fast-talking teen. He brings each aspect of the script to life, with even the smallest moments, like the sick gurgle that he makes while attempting to reenter his home at the end of the film, standing out just as much as some of his outlandish schemes. Ruck carries much of Hughes’ requisite teen angst. The young man, who is struggling with life, is a realistic depiction of the heartache many teens deal with as they go through those tumultuous years. His form of depression and very cynical, more adult-like outlook is rivetting to watch, and the outcome of the day shows that there is hope for the future – Hughes was always able to capture these realistic and heart-felt moments. Sara is equally as good, completing the triumvirate. Much more of a go-with-the-flow type person, she brings the romance to the film. She and Broderick demonstrate the passion of teenage first love, while also, perhaps, giving us a peak into their possible futures. Yet, none of this matters if not for the ‘villain’. Jones is the perfect Rooney. Why he is so driven, we will never know, but his desperate attempts at achieving his goal are so entertaining to watch. He is put through the ringer in this one, with each new moment bringing more comic glee to the audience. His rapport with McClurg, his secretary, is priceless. There is also a nice arc for Grey’s Jeanie, whose deep-seated anger at her brother slowly changes over time as she realizes that she must look inward for peace.

Though highly fantastical, as it is hard to fathom that everyone would know this young teen named Ferris, for its audience, it is like a dream view into the world of these high-schoolers. Capturing the best of what skipping school has to offer, Hughes was able to craft a story that is simply classic. Ferris’ quote “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it” has become a credo for many of the 80’s generation. Thanks for reading this article, or as Wayne Newton would sing – Danke Schoen. So, to reference the teen one more time, “you’re still here? It’s over!”.