Sixteen Candles (1984)

A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday becomes anything but special, as she suffers from every embarrassment possible.

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes

Stars:

Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Molly Ringwald	...	Samantha
Justin Henry	...	Mike Baker
Michael Schoeffling	...	Jake
Haviland Morris	...	Caroline
Gedde Watanabe	...	Long Duk Dong
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Geek
Paul Dooley	...	Jim Baker
Carlin Glynn	...	Brenda Baker
Blanche Baker	...	Ginny
Edward Andrews	...	Howard
Billie Bird	...	Dorothy
Carole Cook	...	Helen
Max Showalter	...	Fred
Liane Curtis	...	Randy
John Cusack	...	Bryce

Storyline

Samantha's life is going downhill fast. The sixteen-year-old has a crush on the most popular boy in school, and the geekiest boy in school has a crush on her. Her sister's getting married, and with all the excitement the rest of her family forgets her birthday! Add all this to a pair of horrendously embarrassing grandparents, a foreign exchange student named Long Duk Dong, and we have the makings of a hilarious journey into young womanhood.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | exchange student | dental braces | shower | high school dance | 

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Taglines:

It's the time of your life that may last a lifetime.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 May 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sixteen Candles

Filming Locations:

1423 Sycamore Lane, Northbrook, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,461,520, 6 May 1984

Gross USA:

$23,686,027

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$23,686,027

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Channel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Digital (5.1) DTS (5.1)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The actors who played Samantha's two grandfathers both played the original father characters in two classic sitcoms before both roles were re-cast. Max Showalter (as Casey Adams) was Ward Cleaver in the first pilot episode for Leave It To Beaver, and Edward Andrews was first George Baxter in the original pilot for Hazel.

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Goofs

As The Geek enters the Rolls-Royce for the picture with Caroline, he opens the driver-side door and pushes the seat-back forward. In the next shot, the seat-back has already returned to position as The Geek flops into the rear seat.

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Quotes

The Geek: I know I came on kinda like a poozer on the bus tonight and everything. But... that's just so my friends won't think, you know, I'm a jerk.
Samantha: But they're all pretty much jerks, though, aren't they?
The Geek: Yeah, but, the thing is, I'm kinda like the leader, you know? Kinda like the king of the dipshits.
Samantha: Well, that's pretty cool. Hey, but a lot can happen over a year. I mean, you could come back next Fall as a completely normal person.

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Alternate Versions

The television version includes a lunchroom scene where Samantha and her friend see the guy Samantha likes and she declares that she can't eat.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Queen Latifah/Sam Rockwell/Something Rotten! (2015)

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Soundtracks

Rebel Yell
Written by Billy Idol and Steve Stevens
Performed by Billy Idol
Courtesy of Chrysalis Records, Inc.

User Reviews

30 years ago...

I am shocked to realise this hilarious film is now 30 years old! Films from 1964 seen in 1988 looked a zillion years apart.....how can a 1980s film like this one still be so new and play so fresh in 2014? ...Apart from it being funnier and truly inspired I really now appreciate more the legacy of John Hughes in his series of films that were released in that 5 year span 1984-89. Anthony Michael Hall is rightly celebrated and gorgeous Molly Ringwald deserves her fame in the teen hall of Stardom. Whatever happened to Michael Schoeffling (Jake)....anyone know? It seems incongruous that so many future stars got their start in this film yet he seemed to go nowhere. I am also very surprised it got a PG rating.......given the swearing and the nudity..but I guess in the spirit of it all it was a perfect pic for anyone 12 - 112. Very clever and very funny.