When you’re just sixteen anything can happen!|May. 04, 1984|USA|93 Min.|PG
Genre: Comedy;Romance
Description: In suburban Chicago in 1984, high school sophomore Samantha “Sam” Baker anticipates her 16th birthday as the start of an exciting year. However, her family overlooks the occasion due to their focus on her older sister Ginny’s upcoming wedding. At school, Sam confesses her crush on senior Jake Ryan in a friend’s quiz. Jake, intrigued by Sam, questions his friend Rock about her, but Rock dismisses her as immature. Meanwhile, Jake grows frustrated with his girlfriend Caroline’s partying lifestyle. On the bus ride home, Sam repeatedly fends off advances from geeky freshman Ted.
At home, Sam’s disappointment deepens when she learns she must sleep on the sofa to accommodate her grandparents and a foreign exchange student, Long Duk Dong, who are staying for the wedding. Her grandparents also forget her birthday and insist she take Dong to the school dance that evening.
At the dance, Sam longs for Jake while Dong attracts the attention of a strong jock named Marlene. Ted, seeking to impress his friends Bryce and Wease, dances with Sam, who eventually leaves in tears. To salvage his reputation, Ted bets his friends he can get physical with Sam before the dance ends, with her underwear as proof. Jake notices Ted and Sam together and asks about her. Ted apologizes to Sam, and she shares her frustrations about her forgotten birthday and her feelings for Jake. Ted reveals Jake’s interest in her, and Sam, surprised, asks for advice. Despite his own feelings for Sam, Ted encourages her to approach Jake, and she agrees.
Cast director: John Hughes
Cast actor: Molly Ringwald, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Dooley, Carlin Glynn, Blanche Baker, Edward Andrews
Original name: Sixteen Candles