Summary
Pretty in Pinkis another one of John Hughes' creations that defined the 1980s teen landscape, but what some fans of the movie might not know is that the film’s original ending was changed.Pretty in Pinkfollows Andie Walsh, a teenager who falls for Blane, one of the most popular boys in her class.Pretty in Pink,Sixteen Candles,The Breakfast Club, and other John Hughes films make up the12 Brat Pack movies from the 1980s.
Pretty in Pinkis one of those teen movies that seemed predictable from the start, but the ending is actually a surprising twist because the creators changed it after they had already completed filming. 35 years after its release,Pretty in Pink’s ending is still a subject of discussion, but Howard Deutch, the movie’s director,stands by the alteration he made to the movie’s ending. Despite its controversial final cut,Pretty in Pinkremains, to this day, one ofJohn Hughes' most beloved 1980s movies.
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Andie Originally Ended Up With Duckie In Pretty In Pink’s Ending
ThroughoutPretty in Pink, Duckie openly shows that he is in love with Andie, but unfortunately for him, she just doesn’t feel the same way. His devotion to her made it seem like the two would be the ones who end up together at the end of the movie, but Andie was more interested in Blane, a rich guy whose friends had tormented her and her friends because of their social status. When Andie and Blane started going out,Duckie was understandably hurt by their new relationshipbecause of how Blane’s friends had treated him.
In John Hughes’ originalPretty in Pinkending, Andie and Duckie ended up together after they showed up to prom together. However, the final cut of the movie was vastlydifferent from what Hughes had originally planned. Andie chose Blane over Duckie, and the two reconciled at the end of the movie. Even Duckie, who was initially against the idea of Andie and Blane being romantically involved, gave their relationship a blessing after seeing that Blane was a better guy than he had given him credit for. Duckie didn’t grieve for Andie for too long, though, as he spent the rest of prom with another girl.
The Test Audience Did Not Like Pretty In Pink’s Original Ending
The girl ultimately chooses the nerd trope, which has been featured in several romantic comedies, so it’s not surprising that that was what John Hughes and Howard Deutch planned forPretty in Pink’s ending. Andie and Duckie ended up together in the original cut. But during the first test screening,the young audience booed when Andie chose Duckie over Blane. The girls in the audience said, “Forget about the politics. We want her to end up with the cute boy,” (viaUSA Today).
The visceral reaction from the audience was problematic forHughes and Deutch because they had already filmed the ending, and Andrew McCarthy, who played Blane in the movie, had shaved his head for a Broadway play. Hughes had to go back to the drawing board and rewrite the ending to suit what the audience wanted. The final cut of the movie, which was shot in one day, had Blane apologizing to Andie and the two leaving prom together.
What Howard Deutch & John Hughes Have Said About Pretty In Pink’s Ending Change
Howard Deutch Doesn’t Regret Changing Pretty In Pink’s Ending
One of thereveals from theBratsdocumentaryfocused on Hughes and Deutch’s thought process when it came to the change toPretty in Pink’s ending. The director acknowledged the audience’s reaction to the original ending being a particular issue. He told McCarthy, “There was booing like I’ve never heard in my life.” Bewildered by the audience’s response, he and Hughes reached the conclusion that the ending needed to be reworked.
Bratsis streaming on Hulu.
Before John Hughes died in 2009,he expressed that he disliked the changed endingofPretty in Pinkbecause he had planned for Andie and Duckie to end up together. A year afterPretty in Pinkwas released, Hughes used his original “friends to lovers” vision inSome Kind of Wonderful. Although it might seem like Hughes usedSome Kind of Wonderful’s ending to make up forPretty in Pink, Deutch toldScreen Rantthat Hughes had actually written the script forSome Kind of Wonderfulfirst.
Pretty in Pink
Cast
Pretty in Pink is a 1986 romantic comedy-drama directed by Howard Deutch and written by John Hughes. The film stars Molly Ringwald as Andie, a high school student navigating social divisions and romantic entanglements. With a prominent supporting cast including Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy, the story explores themes of class disparity and youthful aspirations in the context of 1980s suburban America.
