Wikipedia

Pretty in Pink

This article is about the film. For the song of the same name by the Psychedelic Furs, seePretty in Pink (song).For other uses, seePretty in Pink (disambiguation).

Pretty in Pinkis a 1986 Americanteenromanticcomedy-dramafilm about love and social cliques in American high schools in the 1980s. The film starsMolly RingwaldandHarry Dean StantonalongsideJon Cryer,Annie Potts,James Spader,andAndrew McCarthy.Acult classic,[3][4]it is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack"film. The film follows high school senior Andie Walsh (Ringwald), and her relationships with her love interest Blane McDonnagh (McCarthy), her best friend Philip F." Duckie "Dale (Cryer), and her father (Dean Stanton).

Pretty in Pink
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHoward Deutch
Written byJohn Hughes
Produced byLauren Shuler
Starring
CinematographyTak Fujimoto
Edited byRichard Marks
Music byMichael Gore
Distributed byParamount Pictures[1]
Release dates
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9 million[2]
Box office$40.5 million (US)

It was directed byHoward Deutch,produced byLauren Shuler Donner,and written byJohn Hughes,who also served as co-executive producer. The film was named after asongbythe Psychedelic Furs,and the film's soundtrack, which has been acclaimed as "among the most brilliant in modern cinema",[5][6]features are-recordedversion of the song.Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "If You Leave"became an international hit and charted at number four on the USBillboardHot 100in May 1986.

Pretty in Pinkpremiered atMann's Chinese Theatreon January 29, 1986, and was released theatrically in the United States on February 28. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Ringwald's performance, and grossed $40.5 million against a $9 million budget.[7]

Plot

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High school senior Andie Walsh lives with her underemployed working-class father, Jack, in a Chicago suburb. Andie's best friend, an outsider named Philip "Duckie" Dale, is in love with her, but is afraid to tell her how he truly feels. In school, Duckie and Andie, along with their friends, are harassed and bullied by the arrogant"richie"and popular kids, specifically Benny Hanson and her boyfriend, Steff McKee, who finds Andie attractive and secretly resents having been rejected by her.

Andie works after school at Trax, a hip record store managed by the quirky thirty-something Iona. Andie starts talking about her school's senior prom to Iona, who advises her to go, despite not having a date. Blane McDonnagh, one of the preppy boys and Steff's best friend, falls for Andie and eventually asks her out.

On the night of the date, Andie waits for Blane at Trax, but he is late. Duckie enters and asks her to go out with him, but she ignores him. When Blane arrives, Duckie becomes upset and argues with Andie before storming off. Blane brings Andie to Steff's house party, where Andie is mistreated by the rich partygoers. Andie then brings Blane to a local nightclub, where Iona is sitting with Duckie, who is hostile and jealous toward Blane.

After another argument with Duckie, Andie and Blane walk out of the club. She tells him she wants to go home, but refuses to let him bring her there, confessing she doesn't want him to see where she lives. Andie eventually allows Blane to drop her off, he asks her to the prom and they share their first kiss. Andie visits Iona the next day to talk about the date. Meanwhile, Blane, pressured by Steff, Benny, and rich friends, begins distancing himself from Andie.

Jack presents Andie with a pink dress that he has bought for her. However, they begin to argue because he has been lying about going to a full-time job. Jack breaks down, revealing that he is still bitter and depressed about his wife having left them.

At school, Andie confronts Blane for avoiding her and not returning her calls. When asked about the prom, he claims that he had already asked somebody else but had forgotten. Andie calls Blane a liar, saying he is ashamed of being seen with her as his rich friends will not approve. Andie runs away as a teary-eyed Blane leaves, with Steff trashing Andie as he passes. Duckie overhears Steff and attacks him in the hallway. The two fight before teachers intervene. Andie goes to Iona, upset about what happened, and asks for her old prom dress.

Using the fabric from Iona's dress and the dress that her father had bought, Andie creates a pink prom dress. When she arrives at the prom, Andie has second thoughts about braving the crowd on her own until she sees Duckie. They reconcile and walk into the ballroom hand in hand.

As a drunk Steff begins mocking the couple, Blane confronts him and finally realizes that Steff resents Andie because she had turned down his advances. He calls him out on his spoiled and entitled attitude, saying that he no longer wishes to associate with him. Blane shakes Duckie's hand and apologizes to Andie, telling her that he always believed in her and that he will always love her, kissing her cheek before walking out.

Duckie concedes that Blane is not like the other rich kids at school and advises Andie to go after him, joking that he will never take her to another prom if she does not. He then sees a girl smiling at him, signaling him to come over and dance. Andie catches up with Blane in the parking lot and they kiss.

Cast

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Charlie Sheenwas considered for the role of Blane but Ringwald convinced the film makers to cast McCarthy instead.[8]Anthony Michael Hallturned down the role of Duckie because he didn't want to be typecast.[9]Ringwald lobbied forRobert Downey Jr.to be cast as Duckie but agreed that Cryer made sense in light of the film's revised ending.[10]Jennifer Bealsturned down the role of Andie Walsh.[11]Jodie Foster,Sarah Jessica Parker,Tatum O'Neal,andLori Loughlinwere also considered.[12]

Production

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Origin

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Ringwald said that she introduced Hughes to The Psychedelic Furs song of the same name, which inspired Hughes to write the screenplay.[13]

Production

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Deutch felt there was something missing in the opening scene. Hughes later wrote the scene where Jack tells Andie maybe she could add some ruffles underneath his T-shirt.[14]

Changed ending

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Originally, the film portrayed Andie and Duckie ending up together.[15]However,test audiencesbooed this ending.[16]John Hughes wrote a new five-page ending where Andie and Blane get together instead. This was shot several months after the film wrapped production, and was filmed in one day on a soundstage designed to look like the Los Angeles hotel ballroom where the first ending had been filmed.[17]When called back to film the new scene,Andrew McCarthywas in pre-production for a stage play, and had lost weight and cut his hair for the stage role, so he was fitted with a wig for the re-shoot.[18]Molly Ringwald had anticipated that audiences would be dissatisfied with the original ending, saying: "It didn't make sense to have the entire movie be this Cinderella story [yet] she doesn't get to end up with the guy she wants." Ringwald has said Duckie was based on her best friend, who was gay and with whom she "had an extremely nonromantic relationship".[19]

Jon Cryer has stated that he was shocked that the test audience was unhappy about the pairing, and felt that the whole film was built around Andie and Duckie ending up together.[20][21]Hughes aimed "to protect Duckie's character" in the new ending by having another girl at the prom show interest in him, played byKristy Swansonin her first theatrical film role and credited as "Duckette".[17]Paramount executives were also apprehensive about the original ending, worried that the film might be perceived asclassistand as suggesting that wealthy people and poor people should not interact.Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Darkhad written the song "Goddess of Love" for the original ending (which they later rewrote and released on the albumThe Pacific Age).[22]Hughes didn't consider the song a good fit for the newly re-shot Andie/Blane ending and asked the band to write something else. With only two days before going on tour, OMD wrote "If You Leave"in less than 24 hours.[23]Paramount has said that they have been unable to locate the footage of the original ending.[19]

Dedication

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In the closing credits, the film is dedicated to actressAlexa Keninand set designerBruce Weintraub,both of whom died shortly after production had finished.

Novel

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The film was adapted into a novel written byH. B. Gilmourand Randi Reisfield, released in 1986. It was published byBantam Books(ISBN0-553-25944-X.ISBN978-0553259445). The book was written before the last scene was changed, so it has the original ending in which Andie ends up with Duckie instead of Blane.

Release

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Box office

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Pretty in Pinkwas the top-grossing film for the week of March 12, 1986.[24]The film earnedUS$6.1 million during its opening weekend and $40.5 million during its theatrical run. It was the 22nd-highest-grossing film of 1986.[25]

Reception

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Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoesthe film holds an approval rating of 75% based on 56 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's consensus reads: "Molly Ringwald gives an outstanding performance in this sweet, intelligent teen comedy that takes an ancient premise and injects it with insight and wit."[26]

Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[27]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebertgave the film three stars out of four, criticizing the "old, old, old" plot but praising the performances of Molly Ringwald and Annie Potts, and calling it "a heartwarming and mostly truthful movie, with some nice touches of humor."[28]

Janet MaslinofThe New York Timeswrote, "Fortunately, the actors are mostly likable, and the story is told gently enough to downplay both its trendiness and its conventionality."[29]

James Harwood ofVarietywrote, "In his mid-30s, John Hughes' much-vaunted teen thinking now seems to be maturing a bit inPretty in Pink,a rather intelligent (if not terribly original) look at adolescent insecurities... Teamed with Hughes for the third time, Molly Ringwald is herself growing as an actress, lendingPinka solid emotional center that largely boils down to making the audience care about her. "[30]

Pauline KaelofThe New Yorkerwrote that Ringwald "carries the movie, though she has nothing particularly interesting to do or say," and called the film "slight and vapid, with the consistency of watery Jello."[31]Gene Siskelof theChicago Tribunegave the film one-and-a-half stars out of four, faulting a "tired script" and Cryer's "one-note performance," though he found Ringwald "absolutely beguiling."[32]

Patrick Goldstein of theLos Angeles Timescalled the film "delightful," adding that "what makesPretty in Pinksuch a satisfying, big-hearted film isn't its creaky story line or its somewhat unconvincing conclusion, but the way it lets us watch kids through their own eyes, exploring feelings instead of making caricatures of them. Written by Hughes and directed by newcomer Howard Deutch, the movie neatly captures the nuances of youth, reminding us how the most casual remark can unleash a flood of insecurities. "[33]

Paul AttanasioofThe Washington Postwrote that "for the most part,Pretty in Pinkworks from a standard formula—rich boy, poor girl—and does little to tweak or reinvent it. "[34]

Legacy

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The main cast ofPretty in Pinkwas featured in an October 15, 2010 issue ofEntertainment Weeklythat featured reunions with the casts of landmark films and television shows.[35]

Soundtrack

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Pretty in Pink
Soundtrack albumby
various artists
ReleasedFebruary 28, 1986
GenrePost-punk,new wave[36]
Length39:35
LabelA&M
ProducerDavid Anderle(soundtrack executive producer)
SinglesfromPretty in Pink
  1. "Shellshock"
    Released: March 17, 1986
  2. "If You Leave"
    Released: April 21, 1986
  3. "Left of Center"
    Released: May 26, 1986
  4. "Pretty in Pink"
    Released: October 1986

As with previous films by John Hughes,Pretty in Pinkfeatured a soundtrack composed mostly ofnew wave music.While director Howard Deutch originally intended the film to primarily containtheme music,Hughes influenced Deutch's decision to use post-punk music throughout the film. The title song bythe Psychedelic Fursacted 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 version that appeared on the 1981 albumTalk Talk Talk."Left of Center" was remixed byArthur Baker.The first track, "If You Leave", byOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,was written in 1985 specifically for the film. In addition to their soundtrack song "Shellshock",New Orderalso contributed an instrumental version of "Thieves Like Us"and the instrumental"Elegia",both of which appear in the film but not on the soundtrack.

The Rave-Ups,who appear in the film performing "Positively Lost Me" and "Shut-Up" from theirTown and Countryalbum, do not have any songs on the soundtrack album.Nik Kershaw's "Wouldn't It Be Good"appears on the soundtrack in a version by formerThree Dog NightvocalistDanny Hutton's band, Danny Hutton Hitters.The Smiths' "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"appears on the soundtrack and was later covered bythe Autumnsfor the 2000Isn't She Still... The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Revisitedalbum. Also noteworthy is the inclusion ofEcho & the Bunnymen's "Bring On the Dancing Horses",which, according to the liner notes of the CD release of the band's compilation albumSongs to Learn & Sing,was recorded specifically for the film.

The film also includesOtis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness",to which Duckielip-synchsin the film,the Association's "Cherish"and Talk Back's" Rudy ". These three tracks do not appear on the official soundtrack album.

The soundtrack was released onvinylbyA&M Recordsin 1986. It was re-released in 2013 as a limited edition on pink-colored vinyl.

The album was listed on the "Best Movie Soundtracks: The 15 Film Music Compilations That'll Change Your Life" list inThe Huffington Post[5]and "The 25 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time" list inRolling Stone.[6]AllMusicrated it four stars out of five.[37]

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."If You Leave"Andy McCluskey,Paul Humphreys,Martin CooperOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark4:25
2."Left of Center"Suzanne Vega/Steve AddabboSuzanne VegawithJoe Jackson3:32
3."Get to Know Ya"JohnsonJesse Johnson3:33
4."Do Wot You Do"Andrew Farriss,Michael HutchenceINXS3:17
5."Pretty in Pink"John Ashton,Tim Butler,Richard Butler,Vince Ely, Duncan Kilburn, Roger MorrisThe Psychedelic Furs4:40
6."Shellshock"New Order,John RobieNew Order6:04
7."Round, Round"Belouis SomeBelouis Some4:06
8."Wouldn't It Be Good"Nik KershawDanny Hutton Hitters3:43
9."Bring On the Dancing Horses"Will Sergeant,Ian McCulloch,Les Pattinson,Pete de FreitasEcho & the Bunnymen3:59
10."Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"Johnny Marr,MorrisseyThe Smiths1:50
Total length:39:35

Charts

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Singles released

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Year Title Artist Chart positions
US Hot 100 US D/P US D/S AUS CA IE NZ UK
1986 "Shellshock"
  • Released: March 17, 1986
 New Order – 14 26 23 – 18 8 28
"If You Leave"
  • Released: April 21, 1986(1986-04-21)
 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 4 – 31 15 5 – 5 48
"Left of Center"
  • Released: May 26, 1986
 Suzanne VegaandJoe Jackson – – – 35 – 28 – 32
"Pretty in Pink"
  • Released: October 1986
 The Psychedelic Furs 41 – – – 61 – – 18

References

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  1. ^"Pretty in Pink".American Film Institute.Archivedfrom the original on April 15, 2019.RetrievedNovember 5,2017.
  2. ^Box Office Information forPretty in Pink.Archived2016-03-03 at theWayback MachineThe Wrap.Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  3. ^Falcone, Dana (February 28, 2016)."Pretty in Pink: Director Howard Deutch looks back on the famous ending 30 years later".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedOctober 19,2017.
  4. ^Tan, Emily (February 29, 2016)."Rough Trade Goes Back to the '80s for Pretty in Pink's 30th Anniversary Party".The Village Voice.Archivedfrom the original on October 19, 2017.RetrievedOctober 19,2017.
  5. ^abOstroff, Joshua (May 9, 2013)."Best Movie Soundtracks: The 15 Film Music Compilations That'll Change Your Life".The Huffington Post.Archivedfrom the original on September 23, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 9,2013.
  6. ^ab"The 25 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 9,2013.
  7. ^"Pretty in Pink".Box Office Mojo.RetrievedFebruary 22,2025.
  8. ^Heller, Corinne."OTRC: Andrew McCarthy talks 'Pretty In Pink' wig, travel writing: 9 facts".KABC-TV.Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2016.Retrieved30 December2017.
  9. ^"'Pretty in Pink' turns 30: Here are 17 surprising facts about the '80s classic ".25 February 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2021.Retrieved19 September2021.
  10. ^"Molly Ringwald Fought for Robert Downey Jr. to Star in 'Pretty in Pink'".floor8.com.14 February 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-02-28.Retrieved2020-09-06.
  11. ^"'Pretty in Pink' Director Howard Deutch on Film's Legacy and Casting Molly Ringwald ".15 February 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 13 July 2021.Retrieved9 July2021.
  12. ^"'Pretty in Pink' director on movie's famous lost ending and Molly Ringwald's theory that Duckie was secretly gay ".27 February 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2021.Retrieved14 September2021.
  13. ^"Molly Ringwald Looks Back on 'Pretty in Pink,' 35 Years Later".3 March 2021.
  14. ^"'Pretty in Pink': John Hughes Rewrote This Scene for Molly Ringwald over the Phone ".15 June 2020.
  15. ^Original ending to 'Pretty in Pink' uncovered along with other John Hughes scriptsArchived2013-05-16 at theWayback Machine,at theTampa Bay Times;by Steve Spears; published May 7, 2010; retrieved March 29, 2013
  16. ^Don't You Forget About Duckie,atEntertainment Weekly,by Mandi Bierly; published August 24, 2006; retrieved March 29, 2013
  17. ^abAlexander, Bryan (February 26, 2021)."'Pretty In Pink' still shocks at 35 with changed ending: Andie chose rich Blane over poor Duckie'".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on December 28, 2021.RetrievedApril 11,2021.
  18. ^Andrew McCarthy: I Wore A Wig in Pretty in Pink's Last SceneArchived2021-10-26 at theWayback Machine,atAccess Online,by Jesse Spero; published October 1, 2012; retrieved October 25, 2021
  19. ^abBell, Keaton (March 3, 2021)."'Molly Ringwald Revisits The Crazy Fashion (& Sexual Politics) Of 'Pretty In Pink', 35 Years On ".Vogue.Archivedfrom the original on April 11, 2021.RetrievedApril 11,2021.
  20. ^Kelleher, Patrick (July 18, 2020)."Pretty in Pink director confirms once and for all whether Duckie was gay".PinkNews.Archivedfrom the original on July 19, 2020.RetrievedJuly 28,2020.
  21. ^"Trivia".Some Kind of Wonderful.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-11-29.Retrieved2020-07-30.
  22. ^"The Pacific Age".OMD.Archivedfrom the original on 4 October 2022.Retrieved4 October2022.
  23. ^Lindgren, Hugo (May 10, 2013)."The Plot Against Rock".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on May 15, 2013.RetrievedMay 10,2013.
  24. ^"Pink Sitting Pretty In Box Office Ranking".Sun Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon 2012-01-17.Retrieved2010-12-22.
  25. ^"Pretty in Pink (1986)".Box Office Mojo.IMDB.Archivedfrom the original on June 18, 2009.RetrievedDecember 2,2009.
  26. ^"Pretty in Pink (1986)".Rotten Tomatoes.Flixster.Archivedfrom the original on June 5, 2020.RetrievedMay 13,2020.
  27. ^"Pretty in Pink".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 7,2024.
  28. ^Ebert, Roger."Pretty in Pink movie review & film summary (1986)".rogerebert.com.Archivedfrom the original on September 26, 2019.RetrievedDecember 30,2019.
  29. ^Maslin, Janet (February 28, 1986)."Film: John Hughes's 'Pretty in Pink'".Archived2019-12-30 at theWayback MachineThe New York Times.C8.
  30. ^Harwood, James (February 12, 1986). "Film Reviews: Pretty In Pink".Variety.24.
  31. ^Kael, Pauline (April 7, 1986). "The Current Cinema".The New Yorker.91.
  32. ^Siskel, Gene (February 28, 1986). "The John Hughes magic missing in 'Pretty In Pink'".Chicago Tribune.Section 7, Page A.
  33. ^Goldstein, Patrick (February 28, 1986). "Life's Not All 'Pretty In Pink'".Los Angeles Times.Part VI, p. 1, 17.
  34. ^Attanasio, Paul (February 28, 1986)."Romancing The Young".Archived2019-05-12 at theWayback MachineThe Washington Post.D1, D2.
  35. ^"Cast Reunions Video".Entertainment Weekly.October 15, 2010. Archived fromthe original(video)on June 2, 2013.RetrievedOctober 16,2010.
  36. ^"The 50 Best New Wave Albums".Paste Magazine.30 August 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 1 October 2017.Retrieved30 December2019.
  37. ^"Pretty in Pink (Original Soundtrack)".AllMusic.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-06-10.Retrieved2013-06-21.
  38. ^Kent 1993,p. 284
  39. ^"Charts.nz – Soundtrack – Pretty in Pink".Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  40. ^"Soundtrack Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  41. ^Kent 1993,p. 438
  42. ^"Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon March 8, 2021.RetrievedDecember 19,2021.
  43. ^"Soundtracks – Year-End 1986".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2021.RetrievedDecember 19,2021.

Bibliography

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