Ben Carter
The 1984 coming-of-age comedy film Sixteen Candles introduced the world to Molly Ringwald as Samantha Baker, a high school sophomore whose family forgets her 16th birthday. The film also starred Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan, the object of Sam's affections, and Anthony Michael Hall as Ted The Geek Farmer, who pursues Sam. Since Sixteen Candles, Ringwald has gone on to star in numerous films and TV shows, including The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and Riverdale. Schoeffling quit acting in the early '90s and now lives a quiet life with his family in Pennsylvania. Hall has also enjoyed a successful career, appearing in films such as The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and Edward Scissorhands. Other notable cast members of Sixteen Candles include Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, and John Cusack, who have all had varied careers in film and television.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 1984 |
| Genre | Coming-of-age, comedy, romance |
| Director | John Hughes |
| Lead roles | Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall |
| Plot | A high school sophomore deals with her family forgetting her 16th birthday while also trying to navigate her crush on a senior |
| Impact | Helped launch the careers of Ringwald, Schoeffling, and Hall; considered one of Hughes's best films |
| Reception | Positive reviews, praised for its maturity and respect for its characters; some criticism for racial stereotypes and "unfunny ethnic jokes" |
| Soundtrack | Original soundtrack released as a mini album with 5 songs; the movie featured over 30 songs |
| Rating | Initially rated R, but successfully lobbied for a PG rating |
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What You'll Learn
Molly Ringwald as Samantha Baker
Molly Ringwald portrayed Samantha "Sam" Baker in the 1984 film "Sixteen Candles". This was Ringwald's third film role, and she was only 15 years old when she was cast. The film marked the beginning of her collaboration with director John Hughes, who subsequently cast her in iconic roles in “The Breakfast Club” (1985) and “Pretty in Pink” (1986).
In "Sixteen Candles", Ringwald's character, Samantha, is a high school sophomore from suburban Chicago. The film centres around Samantha's 16th birthday, which goes unnoticed by her family due to the chaos surrounding her older sister Ginny's wedding. Despite this setback, Samantha remains hopeful that her birthday marks the beginning of a great new year.
Samantha deals with the challenges of adolescence, including navigating her crush on the high school senior Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) and fending off the advances of the geeky freshman Ted "The Geek" Farmer (Anthony Michael Hall). She fills out a friend's sex quiz, revealing her feelings for Jake, and struggles with the disappointment of her family forgetting her special day.
Ringwald's performance in "Sixteen Candles" received critical acclaim. Variety praised her as "engaging and credible", while Roger Ebert wrote that she "provides a perfect centre for the story" in "a sweet and funny movie". Her portrayal of Samantha is considered to have launched her career, making her one of the biggest stars of the 1980s.
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Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan
Michael Schoeffling portrayed Jake Ryan in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles. In the film, Jake is a popular yet sensitive high school athlete and senior who is the object of Sam's affection. Schoeffling's character is the popular boy at school who is dating the most beautiful girl in school, Caroline Mulford.
Michael Schoeffling was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and raised in South Jersey. He graduated from Cherokee High School in Evesham Township, New Jersey, and attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he studied liberal arts. In the mid-1980s, he began modelling for GQ, and photographer Bruce Weber sponsored his acting classes at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Manhattan.
Sixteen Candles was Schoeffling's breakout role, and he was 23 years old when he played the part. He went on to appear in nine other films between 1984 and 1991, notably playing romantic leads in Mermaids and Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.
Schoeffling quit acting in the early 1990s to start a woodworking business in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he has lived a quiet life with his family. He and his wife, Valerie C. Robinson, a former model and actress, have two children: a son, Zane, and a daughter, model Scarlett Schoeffling.
Despite no longer being in the public eye, Schoeffling's portrayal of Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles left a lasting impression on audiences, with the character being named one of the dreamiest teen movie heartthrobs by People in 2022.
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Anthony Michael Hall as Ted The Geek Farmer
Anthony Michael Hall, born Michael Anthony Hall on April 14, 1968, in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, played the role of Ted "The Geek" Farmer in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles. Hall is an American actor, director, and comedian, known for his roles in the Brat Pack films, including Sixteen Candles, which was his breakout role.
In Sixteen Candles, Hall's character, Ted, is a freshman and the leader of the nerdiest students on campus. He has a crush on the film's protagonist, Samantha "Sam" Baker (played by Molly Ringwald), who is dealing with her family forgetting her 16th birthday due to the chaos surrounding her older sister's wedding. At the same time, she is trying to win the affection of the most popular guy in school, Jake Ryan (played by Michael Schoeffling), who is dating the most beautiful girl in school, Caroline Mulford (played by Haviland Morris).
Throughout the film, Ted makes flirtatious advances towards Sam, which she fends off. However, he ends up spending time with Caroline, Jake's wealthy and stuck-up girlfriend, after she gets drunk at a house party. The film has received some criticism for implying that Ted may have taken advantage of Caroline while she was intoxicated.
In one of the film's memorable scenes, Ted introduces himself as "Farmer Ted" to Caroline, which is meant to be self-deprecating and funny, especially since he is talking to the hottest girl in school. The nickname "Farmer Ted" is a result of Sam's misinterpretation of his name earlier in the film when she purposely calls him "Farmer Ted" as an insult.
Hall's performance in Sixteen Candles was well-received, with some viewers finding his delivery of one-liners and interactions with his friends particularly funny. His role in the film helped launch his career, and he went on to appear in other notable films such as Weird Science (1985) and The Breakfast Club.
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Haviland Morris as Caroline Mulford
Haviland Morris is an American actress known for her role as Caroline Mulford in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles. In the film, Caroline is Jake Ryan's wealthy and stuck-up girlfriend, and her character is at the centre of a controversial subplot. After getting drunk at a party, Jake leaves her in the care of Ted, and the film has been criticised for implying that Ted may have taken advantage of her while she was incapacitated.
Morris made her film debut in Reckless before landing the role of Caroline in Sixteen Candles. She has since appeared in numerous films, including Who's That Girl (1987), where she starred opposite Madonna, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Home Alone 3 (1997), and Cherry Crush (2007). She reprised her role in the Gremlins franchise with a supporting part in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai in 2023.
Morris has also had a successful television career, with guest roles in popular series such as Family Ties, Tales from the Darkside, Law & Order, Sex and the City, One Tree Hill, The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Elementary, and more. She had a recurring role as Clair Baxter on One Life to Live from 2001 to 2003 and appeared in the video game Max Payne as the voice of Michelle Payne.
In addition to her screen credits, Morris has appeared in several Broadway productions, including Arcadia, Ring Round the Moon, and the revival of Tartuffe: Born Again. She has also performed in regional theatre productions like Bad Dates at Long Wharf Theatre and made her Hartford Stage debut in The Age of Innocence.
More recently, Morris has transitioned to a career in real estate, working as a licensed real estate salesperson at Halstead Property in Manhattan. She has expressed her enjoyment in this new role while also cherishing her time as an actress.
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Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong
Gedde Watanabe portrayed Long Duk Dong in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles. The character is a Chinese foreign exchange student who stays with the grandparents of the film's protagonist, Samantha, played by Molly Ringwald. Watanabe, a Japanese American from Ogden, Utah, was performing in New York City for the musical Pacific Overtures at The Public Theater before landing the role. He recalled that his training and teachers taught him that playing a character is about going for the intention. To prepare for his audition, Watanabe spent time with a friend with a thick Korean accent and went to audition in character using his friend's accent.
Watanabe's portrayal of Long Duk Dong has been criticized as a caricature and an offensive stereotype of Asian people. The character speaks with a thick accent and attempts to use American catchphrases, such as "Whass happenin', haaht stuff?". Despite the criticism, Watanabe did not initially perceive the role as offensive, attributing his perspective to the scarcity of roles for Asian actors at the time. He reflected on his portrayal in 2024, acknowledging some problematic elements of the character but also emphasizing the role's impact in sparking conversations about Asian representation in media. Watanabe noted that the character has been a driver of positive change, with people studying Long Duk Dong in Asian studies classes and having conversations about the portrayal of Asian characters in Hollywood.
After Sixteen Candles, Watanabe continued to act and was cast in several accented roles. He later stopped using exaggerated Asian accents for his roles. He has had a diverse career, appearing in films such as Gung Ho (1986) and UHF (1989), as well as television shows like Sesame Street and ER. Watanabe has also lent his voice to animated productions, including The Simpsons and Disney's Mulan (1998) and its sequel Mulan II (2004). In addition to his acting career, Watanabe is a gay man and has been in a relationship since 1986. He publicly spoke about his life as a gay man for the first time in 2020 while promoting the web series The Disappointments.
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Frequently asked questions
Ringwald, who played the protagonist Sam, has worked consistently in film, television, and theater since her role in "Sixteen Candles." She went on to star in other John Hughes films such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. More recently, she has appeared in The Kissing Booth and plays Mary Andrews on "Riverdale."
Schoeffling, who played Jake Ryan, quit acting in the early '90s to open a woodworking shop in Pennsylvania. He has since lived a quiet, private life with his wife, former model and actress Valerie C. Robinson, and their two children.
Hall played Ted, also known as "The Geek," in "Sixteen Candles." Since then, he has gone on to star in other John Hughes films, including The Breakfast Club and Weird Science.
Watanabe, who played the controversial character Long Duk Dong, has continued to act since his role in "Sixteen Candles." He has appeared in films such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Armageddon, and Mulan. He has also had guest roles on TV shows like "Seinfeld" and "ER." More recently, he appeared in "Call Me Kat" and "The Sex Lives of College Girls" in 2021.
![Sixteen Candles [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71bkYWxFjbL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
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