There seems to be one thing you can be sure of when it comes to Saturday night and cable TV: A John Hughes film will be on. Last week it was “Pretty in Pink,” the story of a poor misfit girl who falls for the rich guy, gets invited to the prom, gets dumped, makes a horrid dress and shows up only to find the kid/best friend who was stalking her for 8 years is magically waiting for her in the foyer of the prom. In the end, she gets the rich guy, and, well it’s all predictable but oh-so fun!
In my opinion, the best character in that film is Steff. Steff is the world-weary 18 year old played by James Spader. However, James decided to play Steff not as a typical teen, but as a 40 year old burnt out WASP whose idea of a “good time” is drinking scotch, smoking cigarettes or weed, and calling this girlfriend “trash.” He walks around the hallways of the high school like a guy who doesn’t need to go to class and is generally bemused by the fact that the barbarians are at the gate and are doing their best to grind him down. The fact that Spader affects a kind of Thurston J. Howell III accent is just the icing on the whole cake.
As I watched this movie for the millionth time, I started to ask myself questions about Steff. Why was he so world-weary? Did he ever go to class? Why was he attracted to Andie for 4 years? Was he stalking Blaine because he wanted to ruin his budding relationship with Andie? Or was he really attracted to Blaine? And finally: how the hell did Steff get away with smoking in the school hallways?
I was hoping that I could find clips from the movie on You Tube that would illustrate the “best of Steff,” but alas, these are all I could find:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3M3kZX4260[/youtube]
And then there’s this gay-themed “trailer” someone put together:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dSFgY7ro4Y[/youtube]
–PK
12 thoughts on “The Best Character in “Pretty in Pink””
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He is the BEST part of that movie.
I totally love Steff…he’s so tired and disgusted by life…and yet, just 18 years old! What could do that to a person? I need to know? Money? Is that the problem? And yeah, I think he’s stalking Blaine because he loves Andie…AND Blaine, but he hasn’t admitted that part to himself yet.
I don’t know if I’ve seen James Spader in anything where I thought he sucked…I don’t remember seeing him in anything between Pretty In Pink and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, and he was great in that as well.
That dress was horrid, and I laugh everytime I see her bust out in it! Like you’re supposed to go OOOOOOOOOOH AAAAAAAAH! 🙂
I liked the Steff character and I did wonder how he could smoke in school, but I guess it’s just a movie.
Without Steff, the movie has no legs. Andie’s dress makes her look like she wearing a box, and Duckie is just the most annoying friend anyone can have.
I think Steff was indeed a 40 year old high school flunkie who desperately pined for Blaine. Blaine does sort of resemble a prison biotch.
These comments are cracking me up!
I love James Spader, he always has this superiority thing going that I find a tad irresistible.
And as for Steff pining after Andie, do bad guys secretly want the good girls?
I loved 85 year old Annie Potts trying to pose as a 15 year old 🙂
James Spader was in “The Secretary” with Maggie Gyllenhaal. It was twisty. Twisty like the movie ‘Crash’ that he was in as well. How about “White Palace”? Do I like James Spader? Ummm… He was an irresistible asshole in PIP. Fun post.
Heidi, I liked The Secretary, but Crash was way too creepy for words, and also just a bad film.
I haven’t seen White Palace. Is it good?
Crash was utterly stupid! I really thought that was a waste of film. And to think there was a book that was optioned into that POS. Blech!
And C-Lo…When Pretty in Pink came out, I thought Annie Potts looked really old. Now? I think she looks really young and just kind of scoff at the “old age” references in the movie. 🙂
I just watched the YouTube bits on the computer with sound…too awesome!
I saw that is weekend. Not the whole thing. He was so cool. The kind that everyone would look up to. Now as a 40 something year old. I think gee he’s annoying and missing out on his childhood.