Pretty in Pink is Returning to Theaters For Its 40th Anniversary Through Fathom Entertainment
1980’s Classic Comedy Returns to Theaters For Valentine’s Day
The teenage comedy from 1986, Pretty in Pink, will return to theaters this Valentine’s Day weekend, offering a chance for people to see it on the big screen again or…for the first time.
Molly Ringwald was certainly Pretty in Pink in the 1986 gem from Paramount Pictures which will be gracing the silver screen for a limited time only, thanks to Fathom Entertainment. Ringwald played a poor girl, Andie, who fell in love with a rich young guy, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), while maintaining a bond with her male best friend, the iconic Duckie (Jon Cryer). Howard Deutch directed the film from a script by teenage movie legend, John Hughes (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).
There were so many memorable scenes in Pretty in Pink that it’s hard to know where to start when singling some out. Duckie dancing in a record store was a guaranteed showstopper, but the most romantic scene of the film came at the prom showcased at the end of the picture as destined lovers, Andie and Blane, are both there feeling hopeless and Duckie helps them get back together through his kindness. Kristy Swanson’s character also offers to dance with Duckie in an inspired moment of hilarity. Who can forget the wonderful use of the song “If You Leave” during the prom scene and closing moments?
This is a movie that still works today as it explores class differences and young teen love and angst. James Spader co-starred in the picture as Blane’s insincere friend, Steff. Who could forget Harry Dean Stanton as Andie’s struggling working-class dad? Movies like Say Anything from 1989 are usually go-to’s for romances from the decade of the 1980’s, but John Hughes’ Pretty in Pink was much more than a teenage romance, it was a cultural phenomenon. Ringwald was the essential teenager as Andie puts together her own prom dress and yearns for the wealthy boy she can’t wait to get to know better.
After 40 years, Pretty in Pink still promises to be a Valentine’s Day “pick me up.” It’s the perfect date movie and an alternative to the most likely to be sold out Wuthering Heights. Pretty in Pink is a light as air, but still worthy, drama that promises to keep couples together if they’ve been dating for a while or bring together new couples thanks to its earnest and sweet nature.
Pretty in Pink opened in February 1986. Roger Ebert gave it three out of four stars. It grossed $40 million domestically and was a big hit on home video. It received a worthy “B+” CinemaScore grade from opening night audiences back then. I recommend seeing this one with someone you love or someone you want to fall in love with this Valentine’s Day weekend.
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