25 Years of Ferris Bueller's Day Off: What's Its Most Underrated Moment?
The films of John Hughes belong to a class of nostalgia and greatness all their own, but 25 years on, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a particularly universal moment of brilliance in the late director's career. On June 11, 1986, the Matthew Broderick vehicle about delinquency, high school malaise, and budding adulthood opened in theaters, and now, Movieline is thrilled to rehash its most underrated moment.
While the starring triumvirate of Broderick, Alan Ruck, and Mia Sara is unforgettable, I think the most adorable (and real) moments come courtesy of Edie McClurg, the '80s character actress who plays Principal Rooney's secretary Grace. As Rooney's diplomatic accomplice, she lights up the screen with a cheeriness that almost compulsively reminds me of my high school's front office. Here's a quick clip of her brass at work; she'd use the same smarts to illuminate the Winners' Circle on dozens of episodes of The $25,000 Pyramid.
What are your favorite Ferris Bueller moments? Feel free to wax poetic about all the Chicago iconography and whatever else strikes your fancy below.
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"Ferris, please, you've gone too far, you'll get busted!"
"A) you can never go too far. B) if I get busted, it is NOT gonna be by a guy like THAT!"
My other candidates are Jeannie's triple kick to Rooney and Rooney's subsequent fall, not to mention this little exchange:
"We're pinched for sure."
"No way, Cameron. Only the meek get pinched; the bold survive. Let's go."
"Let's surrender."
"NEVER."
I love the scene where the singing nurse/flower delivery team shows up while Rooney is at the house. Louie Anderson grinning like an idiot, that person with the weird Chinese New Year's mask and the nurse's little poem gets me every time "Cause I'm the nurse that likes to..." DOOR SLAM 🙂
I don't recall the exact wording, but when Rooney walks into the bar and the baseball game is on the TV...
Rooney: "What's the score?"
Bartender: "1-1"
Rooney: "Who's winning?"
That exchange has stuck with me just as much as anything else from this film for some reason. I love Jeffrey Jone's unassuming delivery of that line.
The joke of the name of the restaurant they go to is "Chez Quis," which is one of the classic jokes. Of course, if you hadn't gone to Shakey's Restaurant for pizza, you wouldn't get it.
When Ferris races home at the climax, two girls are laying out sun bathing. He runs past, then goes back to introduce himself. That's so cool.
That exchange gets better when the pizza guy, who has been staring at a baseball game, looks puzzled and says with sincerity "the Bears".
We probably say "If you're not over here in fifteen minutes, you can find a new best friend" on a regular basis.
When Cameron was in Egypt's land. Let my Cameron Go.
This was going to be mine.
The scene in the art museum. Seeing the little kids walking through with hands held and the three joining the group. Love it. Reminds me of growing up and going on field trips and all the wonder I saw in the world through a child's eyes.
After the closing credits - Ferris addresses the camera: "You're still here? It's over. Go home." 25 years ago we were still watching movies in theaters. Huh. One of the first movies that I remember doing the bonus gimmick for sticking thru the credits.
For underrated moments I've always loved Cameron's debate about going over to Ferris's.....
"He'll keep calling me, and calling and calling and -- you know what? This is ridiculous. I'll go. I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll.....shit."
.....followed by his apparently spot-on impersonation of Sloane's father. Beautiful.
Kid: You didn't tell me your name.
Jeannie: Oh, it's Jean, but a lot of guys call me Shauna.
Backup singers: Shauna.
Kid: Okay, Jean.
Backup singers: Shauna. Shauna Jeannie. Jeanie. Jeanie. Jeanie Shauna. Shaunie. Jeana. Jeana.
I love the moment when Rooney boards the school bus at the end, and sees the student's trapper keeper with "Save Ferris" written on it. The look he gives after seeing those words encapsulates his entire experience of that day.
Rooney flipping up his sunglasses, then flipping 'em back down. I always liked the music they had for that moment!
I also loved the quick cut when we see that Cameron is imitating Mr Peterson on the phone... in that snobby country club voice! "Well I should say YOU DO!!!"
Schwiiing batta batta batta uh-schwiing batta
"If you say Ferris Bueller, you lose a testicle."
"Oh, you know him?"
Then, Jeannie makes a fist. The whole police station scene is good, but this moment is too much.
"Besides...Mr. Rooney would never believe Sloan's father drives that piece of shit."
"It's not a piece of shit...."
"It IS a piece of shit."
When the cop tells Jeannie that "all the guys down at the station are pulling for" the supposedly sick Ferris. Actually, the whole Save Ferris storyline in general. Including the nurse hooker. Just so random.
Charlie Sheen's scene. Nuff said.
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