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IMDbPro

Secret Admirer

  • 19851985
  • RR
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
Secret Admirer (1985)
Home Video Trailer from Orion Pictures
Play trailer0:48
1 Video
73 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Romance
An anonymous love letter left in Michael Ryan's locker on the last day of school wreaks havoc on his life and the lives of everyone who come in contact with it.An anonymous love letter left in Michael Ryan's locker on the last day of school wreaks havoc on his life and the lives of everyone who come in contact with it.An anonymous love letter left in Michael Ryan's locker on the last day of school wreaks havoc on his life and the lives of everyone who come in contact with it.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • David Greenwalt
  • Writers
    • Jim Kouf
    • David Greenwalt
  • Stars
    • C. Thomas Howell
    • Lori Loughlin
    • Kelly Preston
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Greenwalt
  • Writers
    • Jim Kouf
    • David Greenwalt
  • Stars
    • C. Thomas Howell
    • Lori Loughlin
    • Kelly Preston
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 42User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Secret Admirer
    Trailer 0:48
    Secret Admirer

    Photos73

    C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Kelly Preston and C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Kelly Preston and C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)
    C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Lori Loughlin in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Kelly Preston and C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Kelly Preston in Secret Admirer (1985)
    C. Thomas Howell, Cliff De Young, and Dee Wallace in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Lori Loughlin in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Leigh Taylor-Young and Fred Ward in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Cliff De Young and Leigh Taylor-Young in Secret Admirer (1985)
    Leigh Taylor-Young and Dee Wallace in Secret Admirer (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    C. Thomas Howell
    C. Thomas Howell
    • Michael Ryanas Michael Ryan
    Lori Loughlin
    Lori Loughlin
    • Toni Williamsas Toni Williams
    Kelly Preston
    Kelly Preston
    • Deborah Anne Fimpleas Deborah Anne Fimple
    Dee Wallace
    Dee Wallace
    • Connie Ryanas Connie Ryan
    • (as Dee Wallace Stone)
    Cliff De Young
    Cliff De Young
    • George Ryanas George Ryan
    • (as Cliff DeYoung)
    Leigh Taylor-Young
    Leigh Taylor-Young
    • Elizabeth Fimpleas Elizabeth Fimple
    Fred Ward
    Fred Ward
    • Lou Fimpleas Lou Fimple
    Casey Siemaszko
    Casey Siemaszko
    • Roger Despardas Roger Despard
    Geoffrey Blake
    Geoffrey Blake
    • Ricardoas Ricardo
    Rodney Pearson
    • Kirkpatrickas Kirkpatrick
    Courtney Gains
    Courtney Gains
    • Dougas Doug
    J.J. Cohen
    J.J. Cohen
    • Barryas Barry
    • (as Jeffrey Jay Cohen)
    Scott McGinnis
    Scott McGinnis
    • Steve Powersas Steve Powers
    Corey Haim
    Corey Haim
    • Jeff Ryanas Jeff Ryan
    • (as Cory Haim)
    Michael Menzies
    • Mr. Simpsonas Mr. Simpson
    Michael Moore
    • Leonas Leon
    John Terlesky
    John Terlesky
    • Rickas Rick
    Keith Mills
    • Mailmanas Mailman
    • Director
      • David Greenwalt
    • Writers
      • Jim Kouf
      • David Greenwalt
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was part of an intense, front-page-of-newspapers controversy in Puerto Rico in early March of 2016 when it was revealed that writer-director Eduardo Ortíz had basically plagiarized it almost in its entirety - word-for-word, scene-for-scene, and shot-for-shot - when he did his film Vasos De Papel (2016), and had tried to make everybody believe that the screenplay had been created and written by himself. The film had only been playing at Puerto Rican cinemas for a few days when the first articles pointing out the similarities between the two films, and pointing out that there was no mention anywhere of it being based on 'Secret Admirer', arose. Once the film was no longer being shown in cinemas across Puerto Rico, Mr. Ortíz first issued a statement saying that there were "certain similarities between one film and the other, not plagiarism. Everything is a matter of interpretation". Only a few hours after making that statement, Mr. Ortíz changed it, saying in a radio interview that he "had done something terribly wrong", and apologizing to his cast and crew. Mr. Ortíz had ignored and/or refused to comment on the issue until actress Natalia Lugo, who played the lead on Vasos De Papel (2016), released a statement on social media where she both condemned the film and expressed the embarrassment she felt when she saw 'Secret Admirer', and came to understand how she and her fellow actors and crew had been duped.
    • Goofs
      When Michael is writing the letter to Debbie the pen he is writing with is yellow with a blue top but in the next shot when he brings the pen up it is clear with a black top.
    • Quotes

      [Toni has arranged for Debbie to meet her Secret Admirer]

      Deborah Anne Fimple: [wearing a teddy, posing in the mirror] What should I wear?

      Toni Williams: Something demure.

      Deborah Anne Fimple: Oh, yeah. Christian Demure. I've got tons of her stuff.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Secret Admirer/The Goonies/Prizzi's Honor/Movers and Shakers (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      No Secrets
      Theme from Secret Admirer

      Written by Brock Walsh

      Performed by Van Stephenson

      Courtesy of MCA Records

    User reviews42

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An 80's comedy, you just have to secretly admire
    This is just how we loved these sex comedy films in the eighties, this a cut above a lot of others. Being a C Thomas Howell fan, this is one of my favorites of his his, years before he plummeted into doing continuous dreck, as like many other actors. Smitten by a popular mature girl (Preston), he's longing after, when the real answer was right in front of him, all along, he receives an anonymous love letter, which goes astray, ending up in the wrong hands, well many wrong hands, with disastrous results, it's just fun. This is just another eighties film, which has me wishing, why can't we see stuff like this today. I just wish I could just go back in time. This movie is a lot of fun, while being a bit of a drama too. Howell's friends, larger than life characters, one bringing a suitcase with him, we see, while going up to Howell's crib, are a hoot, where school has ended for the Summer season. The finale that has Howell chase down his admirer, I must say was a little breathtaking, as his admirer is heading off on a weird transport venue of education. All in all, SA is a very enjoyable and and likable comedy where Howell stole a lot of girl's hearts at that time. Fred Ward as Preston's trigger happy cop Father is a classic.
    helpful•8
    1
    • videorama-759-859391
    • Jul 16, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 14, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Letter
    • Filming locations
      • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,622,757
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,414,984
      • Jun 16, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,622,973
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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