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Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off easily makes it into the top three of my favourite films from the 80s. Matthew Broderick played Ferris Bueller, the popular kid you always wanted to be, who is simply too cool for school and fakes an illness to take a day off school with his highly-strung friend Cameron and his beautiful girlfriend Sloane.

Ferris Bueller and his friends enjoy the illicit freedom from school which is enhanced by ‘borrowing’ Cameron’s father’s Ferrari 250 GT California for the day unaware that not everyone is convinced by his fake illness. Ferris’ jealous sister Jeanie, played by Jennifer Grey (best known for her starring role in Dirty Dancing) , uncovers the deception and sets out to blow his cover while the evil school Dean of Students, Edward Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) also believes Ferris to be playing truant and attempts to catch him out. Everyone else believes Ferris to be unwell and since he is so popular he gains a huge amount of sympathy and attention from the whole town, much to the annoyance of his sister.

Mr. Rooney pays a visit to see Ferris at home but is greeted by a recorded message on a tape recorder when he pushes the intercom button. Smelling a rat, Rooney tries to break into the house, losing a shoe in the mud in the process, and is met by Jeanie who memorably high-kicks him repeatedly in the face and runs upstairs to call the police. Later at the police station Jeanie ends up making out with Charlie Sheen who ironically plays an arrested drug addict.

Meanwhile Ferris, Cameron and Sloane have a whale of a time at the Von Steuben Day parade in town, and Ferris dances on the top of one of the floats and lip-syncs to “Twist and Shout” in one of the most memorable movie scenes of the 80s. The friends return to pick up the car from the parking lot only to discover that the Ferrari has been well used by the parking attendants in their absence and now has hundreds of miles on the odometer, sending Cameron into a panic attack.

After unsuccessfully trying to take the extra miles off the clock by jacking up the car and running the car in reverse, Cameron realises that he is going to have to face up to his father about what he has done. As he finally comes to terms with this challenging situation, he leans on the Ferrari knocking it off the axle stands and sending it reversing at high speed out of the garage and crashing fatally into the ravine beyond.

After an eventful day of high jinx, Ferris Bueller heads home seconds ahead of his parents as they return from work just in time to pretend he has spent the whole day in bed. The evil Mr. Rooney is still on the prowl and is ultimately attacked by the Buellers’ dog and ends up having to hitch a ride home, dishevelled, shoeless and sore.

Next time you watch the film (and you will watch it again, I’m sure!) check out the license plates of the various vehicles used and you’ll spot abbreviated references to other films made by the same director, John Hughes. Katie's = VCTN (National Lampoon's Vacation); Jeannie's = TBC (The Breakfast Club); Tom's = MMOM (Mr. Mom); Rooney's = 4FBDO (Ferris Bueller's Day Off). The exception to the movie name theme is Cameron's Ferrari (seen when Ferris first pulls out of the garage), the license plate of which reads NRVOUS.


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Do You Remember Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

Do You Remember Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

  • Anonymous user
    on
    How many of the boys out there still dream of Ferris' nurse -o-gram? ;) Got to be one of the best get well lymericks ever! ' I heard that you were feeling ill, headache, fever & a chill. I cam to help restore your pluck, coz I'm the nurse who likes to....' ;D
  • Anonymous user
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    How cool was his call to the school... with the sound affects on the keybord... Bullerrrr.. Bullerrrrr..
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I first saw this when I went to a slumber/birthday party, and everybody loved it. I've seen it many times since then and I still find myself laughing. Who could not laugh at the teacher with the monotone voice "Anyone?...Anyone?"?! I also love the ending when the principal gets on that bus and the students just stare at him with that very 80s-sounding music playing in the background.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Ferris Bueller, you're my hero.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    possibly the best film ever!!! i wish i'd have thought of the old tape and door bell trick when i was taking the day off
  • Anonymous user
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    Ferris' friends, teachers, etc. always came a cropper but he always got away scot-free ! Launched the career of Sarah Jessica Parker's other half.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    i loved this movie so much i wanted to have the day off and go play with ferris, one of the best of the 80,s
  • Anonymous user
    on
    My fav was Ben Stein as his teacher..every day..Bueller;Bueller;Bueller LOL love this movie!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    In my Top Five All Time Favourite Films list!! The first time I watched it on video I just kept replaying the bit where stunned Principal Rooney gets high-kicked in the face by a screaming Jennifer Grey. Lol. An absolute classic!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    One of my favourite films EVER. How did Ferris manage to get such stupid parents - mine seemed to know every move I ever made. Did you know that in a early draft of the script Ferris had two other siblings, a sister named Kimberly (12) and a brother named Todd (7)?