Pretty in Pink director reveals Molly Ringwald's most memorable line was almost cut from the film
Line was only put back when the head of Paramount noticed its absence in an early cut of the film
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The most memorable line from Eighties classic Pretty in Pink was almost cut from the film, director Howard Deutch has revealed.
In an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Deutch explained that the movie’s first cut was “a little bit long”, so he removed the scene just before Andie (Molly Ringwald) goes to the prom.
This meant Andie’s enduring words – “I just wanna let them know that they didn’t break me” – wouldn’t have made it into the film.
“We showed it to Ned Tanen, the head of Paramount, and he said, ‘Where’s the scene where she says she’s not going to let them break her?’ So, I immediately put it back, and I’m embarrassed to admit it,” Deutch said.
The director explained that it was “hard to see the forest through the trees” when among the small bubble of people involved in the making of a film.
“Sometimes, I think we don’t trust the audience enough,” he said. “We’re concerned about all these things. Is it too long? Is it boring? Is it working? Is it cooking? [That] was a pivotal moment where Andie transitions and says, ‘I’m gonna stand on my own.’ So, it was a big lesson for me.”
Released in 1986, Pretty in Pink was written by John Hughes and follows unpopular high school girl Andie, who lives on “the wrong side of the tracks” with her unemployed father.
It is regarded as one of the definitive “Brat Pack” films that starred the same group of young actors, including Ringwald, Rob Lowe and Ally Sheedy.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments