…”And the children that you spit on as they try to change, their worlds are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware of what they’re going through…”
David Bowie
Over the course of my 35+ teaching career, I have come across a variety of personalities. It would be sad if I had tried to place each of them in little, locked boxes with tight lids and no room to grow or change. Teenagers don’t really know who they are while in high school. It’s like they have walked into a millinery shop and are trying on different hats to see which one fits and suits their soul. It is an arduous task fraught with hundreds of mistakes spoken or done along the way. No one gets it right the first time.
“Athletes” have walked into my old theatre doors. They pictured themselves in a completely different concept than how I saw them. I needed their physical strength as much as they needed my artistry and creativity.
I can’t tell you how many “princesses” have glided across my stage. Their optimism and grace always kept dozens of casts drenched with positivity and a “yes, we can” attitude.
The “brains” were always cherished. Their ability to stay on task was priceless and necessary to meet deadlines. Their presence was a welcome sight within the confines of my lighting and sound booth. There they flourished with confidence while being able to call the shots.
“Basket cases” were delightful and highly imaginative. They saw the world through a different lens. They made me laugh every day with their “daring the universe” glaring looks. They created the most interesting characters. They asked the question “why not?” They pushed buttons I never saw coming.
The “criminals” were few and far between, but oh, so rewarding. They were challenging and took time to nurture in order to discover the trust between us. They thought dark, painful thoughts and felt far too much for their young lives. They were often my writers who explored everyone’s story and moved us forward.
Together all five personalities yearned for the same things. They wanted to be seen and heard. They wanted to be acknowledged for their abilities. They needed to be loved unconditionally no matter how many times they slipped and fell. Together they would shout to the universe, “DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME.” Teachers never did. Their growth changed a teacher’s paradigm and most of us, as a result, became better, more accepting human beings. Of course it is not as much fun to write about the success stories. Conflict and facing down your adversaries is usually more compelling especially when it comes to the big screen. In 1985, John Hughes, (PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES, UNCLE BUCK, FERRIS BUELLER‘S DAY OFF) the king of creating teen angst wrote, produced, and directed a masterpiece that amplifies the worst teacher in the universe and then pitted him against THE BREAKFAST CLUB. He didn’t stand a chance.
The title, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, was a high school nickname for any group of students attending detention. It was the final words of the film as well. TBC did not win any major awards and cost only a mere $1 million, while grossing over $52 million. The screen play was written within two days and filmed chronologically. Hughes wanted to create a film that felt more like a play so that high school theatre departments might be interested in putting it on for their student body.
Hughes loved to let his actors improvise. The entire scene when the group is sitting in a circle on the floor talking about what they did to warrant an all-day, Saturday detention session was made up on the spot. Their responses made it to the final cut. The joke without a punchline spoken by Judd Nelson (NEW JACK CITY, ST. ELMO’S FIRE) as Bender was also a total ad-lib. The problem was no one could think of a way to end his joke. Hughes decided to leave it in as is.
Hughes and Nelson did not get along. Nelson was a Method actor and stayed in character in between takes and shouted obscene, bullish words to Molly Ringwald who played Claire. He was truly very mean and it would put the cast and crew on edge. Hughes had always wanted to write a sequel for TBC every ten years, but changed his mind because he vowed he would never work with Nelson again, and he didn’t. Nelson was cast after several other actors turned down the role. He was the last to be selected. He showed up in the exact clothes he wore in the film. He was just the perfect John Bender. Nelson ad-libbed the final frame in the movie as well. Thrusting his fist in the air as he left the school grounds was a final victory for his character. He got the girl. He earned two more months of detention so he didn’t have to face his abusive father. In his mind, it was a win/win.
Molly Ringwald (PRETTY IN PINK, 16 CANDLES) never really did achieve the same adoration as an adult actress as she did when she was a teenager. She was sixteen when TBC was filmed. She was the only one who had to attend school every day while in production. Often times, her double would be used so the film schedule could be maintained. Ringwald was the girl most teen boys lost sleep over. Her career was red-hot in the 80’s, yet she was still pretty shy. She suggested and instigated the entire cast do the dance montage in the library. Originally, it was supposed to be just her dancing. She said she felt to conspicuous.
Emelio Estevez (THE MIGHTY DUCKS) as Andrew Clark is the son of the famous actor Martin Sheen. Most people in the cast at first were not aware of this, but when they did, became more intimidated by his family dynasty. He wanted to play Bender, but later agreed to make the switch.
Anthony Michael Hall (16 CANDLES) as Brian kept growing taller during production. He ended up being taller than all of his cast mates before shooting was completed. He and Ringwald dated for some time. The best line of TBC was Hall’s to deliver. “We are all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.” These words speak volumes of truth about all of us at any age.
Ally Sheedy as Allison came to the audition with two black eyes and used the idea of black, goth make-up to cover them up. Hughes changed his concept of her character and put her vision in the movie. She was voted the best dancer of the group and evoked the most empathy. Her lines hit a bull-eye with fans especially while reciting the line, “When you grow up, your heart dies.” In later interviews, Sheedy had changed her mind. She was responsible for creating the Captain Crunch/pixie dust sandwhich which she ate during the lunch scene. She recalls getting a tremendous sugar rush.
Paul Gleason (TRADING PLACES, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE ) as Vernon was based on a teacher one of the production crew endured during his childhood. For all of us who loved being a teacher, we used to say in the teacher’s lounge to newbies not to become a Vernon. His lines made me cringe every time he opened his mouth. His cruelty and narcissistic tendencies made me scream at the screen. I still do. It overwhelms my brain thinking about the amount of damage he did to these kids. Shame on Vernon, but I applaud Gleason for creating such a visceral character everyone loves to hate.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB sparked some pretty intense conversations, not only throughout the movie, but with teenagers everywhere. Do we grow up to become our parents?? Is everybody’s home life unsatisfactory? Does it really feel good to be bad? Will teens grow up to ignore their own children too? Hughes’ thought-provoking script gave audiences much to ponder over. He was able to remember what it felt like to be young with raging hormones, expectations, and self-doubt exploding deep inside. He gave the youth a voice. It was a coming-of-age, unique moment that still rings true over forty years later.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB is a must-see, teen classic that tells it like it is. Although a flash from the past, it’s still a blueprint for the future. We are all so much more than a princess, an athlete, a brain, a basket case, or a criminal.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB is available on TCM.
