Just One of the Guys (1985)

Director:

Lisa Gottlieb

Writers:

Dennis Feldman (screenplay) and
Jeff Franklin (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 April 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Terry Griffith is about to go where no woman has gone before.

Plot:

Terry Griffith has got it all -- looks, popularity, the perfect college boyfriend, and an article that's...

Plot Keywords:

School | Teacher | Gender | Bully | High School

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Joyce Hyser	...	Terry Griffith
Clayton Rohner	...	Rick Morehouse
Billy Jayne	...	Buddy Griffith (as Billy Jacoby)
Toni Hudson	...	Denise
William Zabka	...	Greg Tolan
Leigh McCloskey	...	Kevin
Sherilyn Fenn	...	Sandy
Deborah Goodrich	...	Deborah
Arye Gross	...	Willie
Robert Fieldsteel	...	Phil
Stuart Charno	...	Reptile
John Apicella	...	Coach Mickey Morrison
Kenneth Tigar	...	Mr. Raymaker
Steven Basil	...	Mark (as Steve Basil)
J. Williams	...	Julian & Prom Band - Brock / Davis
Don Blanton	...	Jimmy
Ramon Chavez	...	Mr. Mendosa
Frank Sprague	...	Mr. Grasso
Emily Ragsdale	...	English Teacher
Richard Blake	...	Janitor
Mickey Guinn	...	Security Guard
Stacy Blythe	...	Linda
Anthony Galde	...	Ralph
Linda Kelly	...	Betty
Kim Norwitz	...	Jill
Kim Studer	...	Beth
Joseph Finsterwald	...	Freshman
Katy Boyer	...	Jeanine
Troy Clegg	...	Cool Guy #1
Randy Mooers	...	Cool Guy #2
Brian Melrose	...	Boy in Locker Room
Tony Brock	...	Prom Band - Brock / Davis
Jay W. Davis	...	Prom Band - Brock / Davis (as Jay Davis)
John Coury	...	Prom Band - Brock / Davis
James Michael Zavala	...	Prom Band - Brock / Davis
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cait Brennan	...	Student At Dance (uncredited)
Travis Dutch	...	Freshman (uncredited)
Bryn Pryor	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Lisa Gottlieb

Writing credits
Dennis Feldman		(screenplay) and
Jeff Franklin		(screenplay)
Dennis Feldman		(story)

Produced by
Dennis Feldman	....	co-producer
Andrew Fogelson	....	producer
Jeff Franklin	....	executive producer
Don McFarlane	....	associate producer
Peck Prior	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Tom Scott

Cinematography by
John McPherson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tony Lombardo

Casting by
Annette Benson

Production Design by
Paul Peters

Set Decoration by
Richard Reams

Makeup Department
David Quashnick	....	makeup artist (as David Quaschnick)
Marvin C. Thompson	....	makeup artist (as Tommy Thompson)
Yolanda Toussieng	....	dept. head hair stylist
Frank Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Don Goldman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Capps	....	second assistant director
Bill Scott	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Andrews	....	lead man
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator (as Bruce Gfeller)
Fred Lucky	....	illustrator
Vic Petrotta Jr.	....	property master (as Vic Petrotta)

Sound Department
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Beckert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Bullock	....	sound editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Tom Dahl)
Anna R. Delanzo	....	cable person (as Anna Delanzo)
Doreen A. Dixon	....	adr editor
Mark Gordon	....	sound editor (as Mark S. Gordon)
Petur Hliddal	....	production sound mixer (as Peter Hliddal)
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor (as Joseph Holesen)
Tom McCarthy Jr.	....	supervising sound editor
Roger Pietschmann	....	boom operator
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Frazier	....	special effects

Stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunt coordinator
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts
Matt Johnston	....	stunts
Diane Peterson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer (as Ronald Batzdorff)
Mitchell Block	....	second assistant camera
Carl Fischer	....	playback operator
Jud Kehl	....	first assistant camera
Norman G. Langley	....	camera operator (as Norman Langley)
Dave MacDonald	....	dolly grip
Ron Record	....	key grip
Keith Roverud	....	best boy
Jack S. Schlosser	....	chief lighting technician (as Jack Schlosser)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George L. Little	....	costumer: men (as George Little)
Linda Matthews	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Gina Lombardo	....	apprentice editor
Lou Lombardo	....	supervising film editor
Kenneth C. Paonessa	....	first assistant editor
Stephen M. Tucker	....	assistant editor (as Stephen Tucker)

Music Department
Kevin Benson	....	music supervisor: Cinemusic
Jay Graydon	....	music arranger
Jay Graydon	....	music producer
Irwin Mazur	....	music supervisor: Cinemusic
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Lonnie Gray	....	transportation captain: Phoenix
Tom Marshall	....	transportation captain
Frank Mejerski	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Kay Cox	....	animal wrangler
Sue Donoghue	....	unit publicist
Patricia Fay	....	location manager
Barbara George	....	assistant to producer
Jeffrey J. Kiehlbauch	....	executive assistant: Mr. Franklin (as Jeff Kiehlbauch)
Margaret Linn	....	assistant: Ms. Gottlieb
Kristi Morais	....	production intern
Barbara Raynard	....	production assistant
Dorothy Schlom	....	location auditor
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Barbara Scott	....	production assistant
Jennifer Stace	....	choreographer
Anita Terrian	....	production coordinator
Zelig Walters	....	caterer
Rusty Warren	....	location auditor

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Summa Entertainment Group
• Triton

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• BT Industrial Supply  expendables
• Bobby Ball Talent Agency  Arizona casting service
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• Movie Magic  titles
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• Variety Cinema Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min | Sweden:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-3 | Netherlands:MG6

Filming Locations:

Arcadia, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Clayton Rohner's Rick character is obsessed with James Brown. Before the prom scene was shot, Brown spent three days on the set teaching Rohner his dance moves.

Goofs:

Continuity: Terry's cup of punch at the prom has a frog in it. In the close-up, the frog has completely changed positions and is a much lighter color of green before returning to its original position and color in the wide shot.

Quotes:

Terry:Will you go to the prom with me?
Denise:You are so sexually confused.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "30 Rock: Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish (#5.9)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Thrills

Not a great movie, but a very charming and likable one.

Rating: ** 1/2 out of ****

I happened to come across Just one of the Guys on TV the other day, and with absolutely nothing else to do that day, I decided, what the heck, why not just give this 80's teen sex farce a shot. At any rate, it was bound to be better than Porky's and I might even get a few cheap laughs in the process. To my surprise, Just One of the Guys turned out to be one of the better teen comedies I've seen in a while, thanks in no small part to Joyce Hyser.

The premise is gimmicky. Basically, hottie teen Terry (Joyce Hyser) decides to dress up like a guy in order to prove she could get her previously rejected article published if she were a man. Well, she ends up befriending a loner named Rick (the underrated Clayton Rohner, who was so funny in April Fool's Day), but does so while in drag. She thinks it's up to her to help him out by getting him a date for the prom, but whatta you know, she starts to fall for him and the rest can't be hard to guess from there.

Okay, I realize I just made this movie sound pretty bad, but if you actually give it a shot, you might find it rather enjoyable. Surprisingly enough, there's not that much nudity to speak of (mostly male, though, thankfully, Hyser does give us a quick shot of her breasts) and the humor isn't half as smutty as I'd expected. Rather, the humor we're given is Terry's balancing act between her "old" self and this new identity she's created. Not all of the jokes work, but there are plenty of inspired moments that keep the momentum going. Take, for instance, the girl (Sherilyn Fenn) who has a crush on Terry; what could have been a set-up for a cruel and tasteless gross-out is given a little weight, and the way this subplot is resolved is satisfying and actually even a little sweet.

The film prefers to use its premise not for gross-out gags, but to build a cute love story, and yeah, it does a pretty good job at that. Hyser and Rohner have appealing chemistry, though it's Hyser who gets the lion's share of the work. Having to balance between playing a very pretty girl and a convincing male teen isn't easy, but she pulls it off with flying colors.

Obviously, the film is going to end with Rick discovering Terry's real identity. That scene is handled rather well, but I found the epilogue a little too abrupt to be entirely satisfying. I found myself caring a lot about these characters; would have been nice to know where they ended up from there.

But enough with the quibbles. Sure, Just One of the Guys isn't a great movie, not by a long shot, but it takes the time to make us care about the characters and their dilemmas, and while the lack of potty humor might not make it as gut-bustingly hilarious (if potty humor is your preference, that is) as some of today's offerings, the fact that the movie touched me made it superior to just about any other teen comedy I've seen in a long time.