Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

Director:

Steve Rash

Writer:

Michael Swerdlick (written by)

Release Date:

14 August 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Ronald is making an investment in his senior year. He's hiring the prettiest cheerleader in school to be his girlfriend.

Plot:

A nerdy outcast secretly pays the most popular girl in school one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Popularity | Money | Nerd | Poker Game | Cheerleader

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Patrick Dempsey	...	Ronald Miller
Amanda Peterson	...	Cindy Mancini
Courtney Gains	...	Kenneth Wurman
Tina Caspary	...	Barbara
Seth Green	...	Chuckie Miller
Sharon Farrell	...	Mrs. Mancini
Darcy DeMoss	...	Patty
Dennis Dugan	...	David Miller
Cloyce Morrow	...	Judy Miller
Devin DeVasquez	...	Iris
Cort McCown	...	Quint
Eric Bruskotter	...	Big John
Gerardo Mejía	...	Ricky
Ami Dolenz	...	Fran
Max Perlich	...	Lester
David Schermerhorn	...	Albert
Steve Franken	...	Moda Clerk
Phillip Simms	...	Rock (as Phil Simms)
Tudor Sherrard	...	Brent
George Gray	...	Bobby Hilton
Jimmie Lee Mitchell	...	Mr. Webbly
Jan O'Dell	...	Mrs. Hagmer (as Jan Rooney)
James Gooden	...	Mr. Wurman
Erin O'Flaherty	...	Jr. Wurman
Ty Gray	...	Duane
Will Hannah	...	Camera Salesman
Todd Walsh	...	Stocky Jones
Wayne Chandler	...	African Host
Meredith Wagelie	...	Freshman #1
Jennifer Nelson	...	Freshman #2
Corissa Miller	...	Transfer Girl
Lisa Givens	...	Bambi La Brock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paula Abdul	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Brandi Brandt	...	(uncredited)
Anastasia Coon	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Christopher Maleki	...	Frat Guy (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Rash

Writing credits
Michael Swerdlick		(written by)

Produced by
Ron Beckman	....	executive producer
Mark Burg	....	co-producer
Jere Henshaw	....	executive producer
Thom Mount	....	producer
Michael Swerdlick	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Robert Folk

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jeff Gourson

Casting by
Caro Jones

Production Design by
Donald Lee Harris		(as Donald L. Harris)

Set Decoration by
Andrew Bernard
Christian W. Russhon

Costume Design by
Gregory Poe

Makeup Department
Annie Mayo	....	hair stylist
Annie Mayo	....	makeup artist
Cher Slater	....	hair supervisor
Cher Slater	....	makeup artist
Bob Smith	....	hair stylist
Bob Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Donald C. Klune	....	production manager
Rex Stewart	....	post-production supervisor (as Rex Stewart III)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Warren Glen Chidester	....	second assistant director
Jerram A. Swartz	....	first assistant director (as Jerram Swartz)

Art Department
Pasco Di Carlo	....	set dresser (as Pasco DiCarlo)
Annie Koerner	....	property master
John Raineri	....	assistant to set dresser

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Peter Bentley	....	sound mixer
Dean Drabin	....	foley mixer
Les Fresholtz	....	re-recording mixer
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley effects (as Gary 'Wrecker' Hecker)
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
Scott Jacobs	....	boom operator
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Bill Phillips	....	supervising sound editor
John Phillips	....	assistant sound editor
Vern Poore	....	re-recording mixer
Hal Sanders	....	sound editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley effects
Mike Warner	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Boulanger	....	second assistant camera
Mark Braun	....	grip
John Connell	....	first assistant camera
Jay Coolidge	....	first assistant camera
Bob Crockett	....	electrician
Randy Feemster	....	camera operator (as Randal Feemster)
Craig Fleming	....	grip
Ed Fortson	....	still photographer
Bob Fox	....	gaffer (as Robert Fox)
Perry Karidis	....	best boy grip
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician (as Kyle MacDowell)
Larry Niemi	....	best boy electric (as Larry Neimi)
David O'Neill	....	electrician
Tony Sackmann	....	generator operator
Mark S. Speake	....	electrician (as Mark Speake)
Craig Woodruff	....	key grip
Mansur Johnson	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George Cooper	....	assistant costumer
Katherine Quinif	....	assistant costumer
Eric Wise	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Maria Lee Silver	....	assistant editor
Bill Turro	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Robert Folk	....	conductor
Ellen Segal	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music recordist
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dale I. Dodds	....	transportation captain (as Dale Dodds)
Roger Greer	....	transportation coordinator
Everett Everett	....	driver: honeywagon (uncredited)
Dennis Janovici	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Paula Abdul	....	choreographer
Linda 'Kippi' Bell	....	assistant to producer
Russ Chesley	....	production executive (as Russell Chesley)
Allen Custard	....	production assistant
Deborah Cutler	....	production assistant
Gregory A. Gale	....	production assistant
Gillian P. Glen	....	production coordinator
Steven E. Housewright	....	dga intern (as Steven Housewright)
Carlton Jones	....	assistant choreographer
Cookie Knapp	....	studio teacher
Anne McCaffrey	....	location manager
Laura Namerow	....	production secretary
Rocky Parker	....	assistant: Patrick Dempsey
Daryl Robinson	....	craft service
William F. Rose Jr.	....	assistant auditor (as Bill Rose Jr.)
Valerie Ross	....	production secretary (as Valerie Rose)
Ricki L. Stein	....	production auditor
Mark S. Thomas	....	script supervisor (as Mark Thomas)

Thanks
Ed Arriaga	....	special thanks: principal, Tucson High School
Anthony Daykin	....	special thanks: The Tucson Police Department (as Lieutenant Anthony Daykin)
Tom Hilderbrand	....	special thanks: The Tucson Film Office
Karen Husted	....	special thanks: artistic coordinator, Tucson High School
Patricia Murphy	....	special thanks: director of public information, The Tucson Unified School District
David A. Smitas	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Apollo Pictures
• Silver Screen Partners III
• The Mount Company
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• Adidas  special thanks
• Alter Image  negative cutting (as Alter Image Productions)
• Americana Mobile Catering Co.  catering (as Americana Mobile Catering)
• Arizona West Film Productions Inc.  extras casting (as Arizona West Film Production)
• Holly Hire Casting & Associates  casting: Tucson
• Meade Instruments  special thanks (as Meade Telescopes)
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment supplied by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Revo Sunglasses  special thanks
• Tucson Film Office  special thanks (as The Tucson Film Office)
• Tucson High School  special thanks
• Tucson Mall  special thanks (as The Tucson Mall)
• Tucson Police Force  special thanks (as The Tucson Police Department)
• Tucson Unified School District  special thanks (as The Tucson Unified School District)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:PG (cut version) | Portugal:M/6 | Australia:M | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

3050 N Hill Farm Drive, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Apollo Pictures

Trivia:

Patrick Dempsey, now a car collector and race driver, used all of his salary from the movie paying for his first car, a 1963 356 Porsche convertible.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Ronald tells Cindy that we first landed on the moon on his birthday, so that would make his birthday July 20, 1969. However, after fooling around with Patty on the night of the dance, Ronald is seen marking a calendar and saying "17 years, 3 months and 5 days" was a long time to go that far with a girl. The dance was on October 16th so that would make his birthday July 11th, not July 20th.

Quotes:

Ronald Miller:I'm going to a party. John Richmond's, with Cindi Mancini.
Chuckie Miller:Cindi Mancini? Senior, captain of the cheerleaders, most beautiful girl in the history of this county?
Ronald Miller:That's her. Well, I'm late, gotta bolt.
Chuckie Miller:Bolt? Something stinks in suburbia.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode #7.95" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Can't Buy Me Love

Love is not to be bought, but to be found.

Sometimes the most important thing eludes us and we don't recognize it. Not everyone has the opportunity to recognize, especially when one lives it, what is really important, what is in fact real; the truth of who we are and who others are. And to recognize that before the others and ourselves. Not everyone has that opportunity. Almost all of us fall in the lies and fictions of who we are, who the others are and the place of all of us in our world, but only few of us - lucky few - manage, in the end, but maybe still in time, to see the truth, the reality. And these ones, may consider themselves very happy.

All it takes is to understand that, and we can be who we want to: our own selves.

If you like '80s teen comedies, this one is not to be missed. I liked this movie and i just wanted to share these thoughts i had after seeing it. Patrick Dempsey is good in it, and Amanda Peterson is absolutely great, loved her. Wish i had met a girl like her when i was in high school. But then again, maybe i did...

7/10 overall, a good movie.